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Innovation by Surgeon| Volume 143, ISSUE 2, P183-191, February 2008

Intellectual property and royalty streams in academic departments: Myths and realities

      Many of the phenomenal breakthroughs of the past 30 years were conceived and born in university laboratories. Whether in computer science, Internet technologies, or biomedicine, the intellectual horsepower of university labs, the faculty, and, perhaps more important, the students is an unrivaled national—indeed world—resource and a critical engine of economic growth. It wasn't always so. In this short review, the authors endeavor to:
      • Review the historical context of the commercialization of university research.
      • Dispel common myths and extract common realities from past successes.
      • Outline the fundamental processes in translating discoveries.
      • Emphasize the need for vigilance when conflicts of all sorts (interest, commitment) inevitably arise.
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