Dallas -- August 4, 1998 -- As part of an effort to bring biotechnology companies to Dallas and to take more biomedical discoveries from the research lab to patient care, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas has inaugurated the Office for Technology Development.
Dr. Dennis Stone, who was named vice president for technology development, said the need for expanding the former Office of Technology Transfer became evident as the quantity and quality of research by UT Southwestern scientists outpaced available staff.
"We plan to add several new people to the staff, which will be anchored by the people currently in technology transfer," Stone said. "But more importantly, we will be more proactive in dealing with investigators, the pharmaceutical industry and outside investors to place our technologies in situations more rewarding for all. More specifically, we will be working to develop biotech industry here in Dallas in parallel with the goals set forth in the Dallas Plan."
The Dallas Plan proposes to locate biotechnology companies along Harry Hines Boulevard near UT Southwestern. These firms would develop new medical treatments made possible through molecular biology and genetic research.
"The quality of research on campus, judging just by our total National Institutes of Health grants ($82.7 million), indicates we should probably be able to justify the creation of half a dozen biotech firms," Stone said.
The responsibilities of the core staff of technology transfer is to oversee the details of licensing agreements, making certain they comply with the rules and regulations of the UT System Board of Regents and the laws of the state of Texas. They also generate contracts, begin the patent process and initiate deals with pharmaceutical companies.
The current workload of the staff precluded being available to work
proactively with investigators on such things as marketing a project and
packaging r
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Contact: Susan Steeves
susan.steeves@email.swmed.edu
(214) 648-3404
UT Southwestern Medical Center
4-Aug-1998