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Technology Transfer Resources

Performance Metrics

The ultimate measure of our performance is the impact on society through our commercialization efforts. Early performance indicators include funds received, transactions entered into and relationships established and maintained.

Licensing revenue is an indication that there are CSHL technologies reaching the public through product sales or that there has been a recognition of value by companies and investors in the form of license fees. Collaborative research transactions contribute to the funding portfolio of CSHL and represent a commitment from our partners in a line of scientific inquiry. Transctions of all forms enable commercialization, illustrate interest and/or represent a commitment for a long-term investment in taking our discoveries forward.

For CSHL Scientists

Technology Transfer Process

Our Scientist’s Guide to Technology Transfer outlines key elements of the technology transfer process at CSHL.

This guide answers the most common questions we receive from CSHL’s research community and provides an overview of the technology transfer process and services available for our scientists.

Download the Guide here. Alternatively, printed and bound copies are available from the Office of Technology Transfer.

Scientist Guide

Commercial Relations

Engagement with industry and commercial relationships are governed by CSHL’s Commercial Relations Policy.
Carefully structured and constructive relationships between CSHL, as an institution engaged in basic scientific research, and various organizations primarily engaged in commerce can result in numerous important benefits, including a fair financial reward from intellectual property put to commercial use for the public good and enhanced resources for CSHL and its scientists. Nonetheless, there can be significant dangers and potential conflicts of interest that arise from improperly structured or conducted relationships between CSHL, its staff and outside parties. For that reason, CSHL’s Commercial Relations Policy is designed to encourage scientifically meritorious and productive interactions between CSHL, its staff and commercial organizations, while protecting CSHL’s intellectual property interests and reputation, and avoiding undue restrictions upon intellectual freedom or upon the useful dissemination of CSHL’s research in the public interest. Our Office of Technology Transfer is the primary level administrator of these policies. If you have any questions about CSHL’s Commercial Relations Policy, please contact us.

Technology Disclosure

If you are a CSHL scientist and think the results of your research have commercial potential, please come talk with us. We will discuss completing a Technology Disclosure Form and address any questions you have about our process.

A Technology Disclosure is a written description of your invention that is provided to the Office of Technology Transfer. Completing a Technology Disclosure Form is the first formal step in a process that could lead to commercialization of your technology. Our Guide also provides some details on this process.

Technology Disclosure Form

Material Transfer

The exchange of research materials is an essential part of scientific research. It promotes effective collaboration among CSHL scientists and their counterparts in academia, government and industry.

Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) are legal contracts which set out each party’s expectations and obligations regarding the exchange of materials, including issues relating to publication of research results, further distribution of the materials, and modification and rights of the provider and the recipient in any inventions made with the materials.

MTAs are processed through the Office of Technology Transfer. Please contact our office as soon as possible when planning to receive or send materials as some MTAs may require time for negotiation.

In order to expedite your request, please have the following information ready:

  1. Name of CSHL providing or requesting scientist
  2. Name of external providing or requesting scientist and institution
  3. Name and type of material and description of intended use
  4. Name of authorized official from recipient institution (must be someone in their technology transfer office)
  5. Any other specifics, such as associated fees
  6. For incoming materials, all sources of funding (government and private) that will be used to support the research using the requested materials

CSHL is engaged with AUTM in a program to streamline MTA use.

AUTM-MTA templates

Conflict of Interest Policy

The Investigator Conflict of Interest Policy sets forth specific procedures for annual disclosure and review of significant financial interests so that, as an institution, the highest standards of integrity and objectivity are applied to the design, conduct and reporting of research carried out at or by CSHL.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Consulting

Consulting agreements are private contracts between investigators and companies outside the scope of CSHL employment. Investigators have an obligation to familiarize themselves with CSHL’s policies relevant to consulting activities before entering into any such arrangement.
All consulting agreements entered into by CSHL scientists must incorporate our Uniform Consulting Agreement Provisions.

Consulting Agreement Provisions

For Industry/Investors

Core principles when engaging with industry

  • Flexibility to carry out fundamental research – basic research is the source of the most disruptive and novel discoveries and critical to our mission in adding to the base of knowledge.
  • Uncompromised student experience – post docs and students must be able to publish and discuss their work.
  • Publishing to add to the base of knowledge – it is core to CSHLs mission.
  • Preserving a scientist’s right to follow his/her line of inquiry – regardless of what is transferred, rights must be retained for this purpose.
  • Unfettered access of research tools – also important to the base of knowledge.
  • Commercialization for the benefit of society – diligent commercialization (no shelving of inventions) is core to dissemination of research results for the benefit of society.
  • Recognition of individual and institution contributions to commercial outcomes – it’s our responsibility to capture a fair return and irresponsible not to as all returns are used in supporting innovation and CSHL’s mission.
  • Managing proprietary information of the company and that pertaining to new inventions – a daunting task in an academic environment may not be the right place for the most sensitive confidential information.
  • Meeting obligations to all research sponsors – many discoveries are the result of support from multiple sources.
  • Covering the cost of research – the costs of industry research should be fully covered by the collaborative partner not school fees, other sponsors, etc.

Licensing

CSHL’s world-renowned research programs span Cancer, Neuroscience, Plant Biology, Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics & Genomics. CSHL’s research environment is highly collaborative, allowing CSHL scientists to work together across disciplines to solve biology’s most challenging problems, with the ultimate goal of benefiting the public by advancing this research to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, neurological disorders and other diseases. With that goal in mind, CSHL grants licenses to existing and startup companies that demonstrate the technical and financial capabilities to develop our early-stage technology into commercially successful products. Companies are encouraged to discuss their business interests with our Office of Technology Transfer so we can bring the CSHL inventions and prominent investigators in their areas of interest to their attention.

Faculty Guide

CSHL’s Faculty Guide provides an introduction to the areas of research interest for each member of our faculty.

Faculty Guide

Material Transfer Agreements

The Office of Technology Transfer supports CSHL scientists with agreements to transfer proprietary materials into and out of CSHL through Material Transfer Agreements as well as tangible material licensing arrangements.

shRNA Technology Licenses

CSHL research has played a major role in developing short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) as important biomedical research tools that we wish to see distributed and used broadly. Revenue from our licensing program provides an important source of support for continued improvement and development of shRNA-based research tools at CSHL. Academic and government institutions are free to utilize the shRNA technology only for their internal research use. This grant of rights specifically excludes the right to sell shRNA reagents, or to otherwise transfer shRNA reagents for any commercial use.

Commercial distributors that wish to sell shRNA reagents and services to the research community and for-profit companies that wish to use this patented shRNA technology in their research should contact CSHL’s shRNA licensing agent Hairpin Technologies, Inc. at licensing@hairpintechnologies.com for more information. Non-exclusive licenses are available for these purposes for a modest fee.

For-profit companies interested in obtaining a license to use CSHL’s shRNA technology for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes should contact our Office of Technology Transfer at 516-367-8301 or techtran@cshl.edu.

Sponsored Research

CSHL’s preferred sponsored research arrangements with industry follow our Uniform SRA format.