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James Linder, M.D. |
To accomplish this, the organization has combined its operations with the UNMC Intellectual Property office and named James Linder, M.D., as UNeMed president.
“Historically, the protection and marketing of intellectual property have been administratively separate,” said Donald Leuenberger, UNMC vice chancellor for business and finance. “Joining them will create a stronger organization that can better serve the growing opportunities for technology transfer that accompanies the growth in research at UNMC.”
UNeMed, which was incorporated in 1991 to commercialize new technology developed at UNMC, is wholly-owned by the University of Nebraska. Dr. Linder is hoping to increase the organization’s visibility on campus by taking a more aggressive approach to identifying innovative research going on at the medical center and getting it into the marketplace.
“I am delighted with this opportunity to work with the creative and entrepreneurial faculty and staff at UNMC,” said Dr. Linder, who also serves as associate vice chancellor for research. “We have over 200 funded investigators at UNMC; any of them — graduate students, fellows or other UNMC staff — have the potential to be inventors. We hope that the UNMC community realizes that the development of intellectual property is a valuable activity that supports important academic efforts.”
Dr. Linder takes over for Tom McDonald, Ph.D., who had led UNeMed from its formation. Under Dr. McDonald’s leadership, UNeMed has been involved in licensing, start-up companies and joint ventures with private entities.
“Tom McDonald has led UNeMed through some difficult periods and has achieved a number of successes,” Leuenberger said. “His leadership has been very much appreciated.”
Dr. McDonald will continue to lead the UNMC Technology Advancement Group, which Dr. Linder said is essential to UNeMed’s success.
The timing is right for UNeMed to become more active in capitalizing on research being conducted at UNMC, said Tom Rosenquist, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research.
“With the acceleration of research funding at UNMC, there is a growing opportunity to license the intellectual property of UNMC investigators,” Dr. Rosenquist said. “Combining the UNeMed and Intellectual Property functions in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research will link research activities directly to our licensing efforts.”
The leadership of Michael Dixon, Ph.D., and Todd Headley, should prove to be a boon for UNMC and UNeMed, Dr. Linder said. Under the new organizational set-up, Dr. Dixon will be director of intellectual property and Headley will fill the director of licensing position.
“UNeMed’s focus will be to ensure that the process of invention disclosure is efficient, and we are effective in the marketing and licensing of inventions,” Dr. Linder said. “Fortunately, we have effective leadership in these areas.”
From creating tiny robots that can perform surgery, to an improved form of creatine now being sold in health food stores nationwide, to a probe that destroys tumors using radio frequency oblation, UNMC researchers are blazing trails in medicine that could benefit society while also being profitable for the medical center, said Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D.
“The sheer volume of cutting-edge research being done at UNMC more than justifies strengthening UNeMed’s presence,” Dr. Maurer said. “We need to make sure we fully capitalize on these medical advances and UNeMed will play a major role in making sure that happens.”