Biotechnology entrepreneurship - where no research has gone before
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EDITORIAL
Open Access
Biotechnology entrepreneurship - where no research has gone before Michael L Salgaller1*, Francesco M Marincola2 Editorial Many researchers have a scientific interest in taking their translational studies from bench to bedside. They want to take their ideas and see how far they can go towards bringing medical solutions to as many patients as possible. However, it can be frustrating when the clinical development of their work is beyond the scope and capabilities of their university or hospital. Even for those institutions with research beds, studies are usually limited to small, pilot studies. Even for those institutions with the necessary financial support, the manufacturing, regulatory, and legal essentials are not in place to evolve such studies to larger, later-stage human trials. This is nothing new. What is new is the rising tide of researchers turning to the for-profit world. Either directly - by starting their own companies, or indirectly - by working with existing pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, researchers are moving more and more technologies towards the marketplace. Biotechnology Entrepreneurship: From Science to Solutions provides a real-world introduction to starting and growing life science companies, as well as useful material for medical researchers interested in getting their technologies to as many patients as possible. Increasingly, universities and medical research centers are making technology transfer and development - such as filing patents and establishing formal industry relationships - a factor in tenure and promotion evaluation; the new millennia version of publish or perish. The outlicensing and commercialization of life science technologies are becoming valued parts of the academic career ladder. For example, North Carolina State University tenure and promotion process includes technology transfer to industry and filing patents - as part of more general definition of generating, contributing to, or disseminating knowledge[1]. One study found a direct relationship between the granting of tenure and the type of industry
* Correspondence: [email protected] 1 thinkBiotech, LLC, Washington, DC 20009, USA Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
partnership necessary for a therapy or device to evolve from bench to bedside[2]. On a related note, another growing trend is the number of scientists deciding to take a more active, hands-on role in technology development - either by serving a prominent role in companies exploiting their research, or deciding to become entrepreneurs and start their own companies. The decision to leave academia, or at least divert significant energy and time, to be an entrepreneur is too often made without sufficient information. Yet, this ignorance is largely the fault of the system - rather than the scientist. The number of universities offering MD/ MBA or PhD/MBA combined programs is increasing. Still, since few graduate programs historically offered any business, legal, or financial courses in
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