Disclose Your Research Materials
Disclose Your Novel Research Materials
A researcher isolates a new population of cells from a mouse embryo. A postdoc develops a new antibody that recognizes the acetylation of a transcription factor. A research fellow creates a novel vector that can be used to easily quantitate gene expression. All of these events share a common component – the development of new and useful research materials.
Research materials are simply defined as “materials that are necessary to perform research.” Of course, the types of materials that are considered research materials can vary, but generally include transgenic mice or other unique animal models, cell lines, antibodies, chemical substances or unique media, novel vectors or research hardware, among others. Whether a cell line has been sitting in a freezer for years, or if the monoclonal antibody line has just recently been made, laboratories at Pennington Biomedical Research Center have developed many resources that can be considered research materials.
Research materials are not only useful to the lab in which they are developed, but can also be very important for the advancement of research in outside laboratories. In fact, a major key to research and development success is the ability to quickly and efficiently obtain essential materials and resources. One of the best ways to make research materials readily available is working with industry partners to market and distribute such technologies for a nominal fee.
The commercialization process stands to benefit many parties, but offers a particularly unique solution to the labor-intensive nature of the material transfer process. In fact, commercialization of a research material eliminates the need for the investigator to participate in the MTA process altogether, as the requesting scientist can simply purchase the reagent from a commercial partner. Additionally, commercialization of a research material saves the investigator’s research funds, as they no longer need to spend resources to prepare, box and ship samples. There are also financial incentives to commercialize a research material for the investigator that developed it. Notwithstanding these benefits, the general public ultimately stands to benefit the most from making research materials more widely available, as biomedical research will progress more efficiently and effectively, leading to better health and well-being for years to come.
The primary responsibility of the Office of Innovation & Commercialization is to facilitate the research enterprise, helping our investigators translate their novel research into products on the market. With the goal of enhancing the commercialization of research materials, we have implemented a streamlined process for the disclosure of novel research materials. To start the process, submit your research material for a commercialization review using the “Research Material Disclosure Form” found on the [page] of our website, or simply contact patrick.reed@pbrc.edu.
