Research and Development
Connecting sciences to business
The Technology Transfer Office (TTO) is helping to make Puerto Rico a global leader in innovation. Through our resources and partnerships, we identify, evaluate, protect, market, and transfer the most promising research discoveries from Puerto Rico’s universities, institutions, and research institutes to the private sector for commercialization and to benefit the public.
The TTO’s objectives are to collaborate with its university partners and to offer assistance, advice, education, and example forms/templates; and for selected cases, IP protection, marketing, negotiation and deal-making services to reflect the university partner’s enhanced efforts in technology transfer.
What we do
TTO helps researchers take their ideas and discoveries out of the lab and into the real world, where it impacts people in their everyday lives. The office also helps protect the researchers’ ideas through intellectual property and serves as a bridge between researchers and entrepreneurs. Our portfolio of technologies consists of inventions and intellectual property from our university partners, reflecting discoveries in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Engineering.
Strategy & Goals
The Trust TTO’s mission is to effectively identify, assess, protect, market, and transfer the most promising research discoveries from Puerto Rico’s universities, institutions and research institutes to the private sector for commercialization and to benefit the public.
The TTO’s vision is to work collaboratively with its partner institutions to build a robust portfolio of research discoveries and high value intellectual property; and provide deal-making services to move those discoveries into businesses through industry partnerships, licensing agreements, and start-up companies.
The Five-year aspiration goal is to perform at peer average, a cohort of 15 North American public & private universities with similar R&D expenditures and medical schools.
Areas of Focus
- Entrepreneurship
- Universities
- Marketing
- Research Institutes
- Intellectual property
- Development
- Commercialization
- Program Description
Policy
- Intellectual Property (IP)
- Research Contracts and IP
- Start-ups
- Conflict of Interest and Commitment
Faculty Researcher Education
- Inventor Handbook
- Presentations on campus
Inventor Forms
- Invention Disclosure
- IP Employment Agreement
- Inventor Assignment
Agreements
- Confidentiality or Non-disclosure
- Consulting
- Research agreements with IP
- Inter-institutional
- Material transfer
- Option
- License
Legal Services for Selected Cases
- External law firms specific to IP
- Direct or shared support of IP protection
- Cost management
Resources for Selected Cases
- Expert technical and commercial assessments
- TTO information management system
Documents
Benchmarking Summary Report (November 2015, D. Gulley)
What is technology transfer?
Technology transfer is the process of transferring scientific discoveries from one organization — such as a university, to another — such as an existing or start-up business, for the purpose of further development and commercialization.
The Association of Technology Managers (AUTM) explains this process in “About Technology Transfer”.
Researchers, scientists, and colleagues:
Mini-Course: Intellectual Property for Academic Researchers
The Trust Technology Transfer Office is pleased to offer you this mini-course on “Intellectual Property for Academic Researchers”. We thank the University of California for its permission to use their on-line training modules as a foundation, and special thanks to our TTO intern, Lianeris M. Estremera Rodriguez, for her diligence in reviewing and revising content.
We hope this mini-course is helpful in furthering your understanding of intellectual property in an academic setting. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]
Best,
David L. Gulley, PhD, RTTP, CLP
Director, Technology Transfer Office
Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust
Tech Transfer Recognition Week: Topics
Some History and Some Mystery about Licensing
Some History and Some Mystery about Licensing By David L. Gulley, PhD, RTTP, CLP Technology transfer is a term used to describe a formal transfer of rights to use [...]
Protecting and Marketing IP
Protecting and Marketing IP…It’s Complicated! By Carlos A. Báez-Pagán, PhD, MBA, and Josiah Hernandez, BSEE (Technology Manager). Intellectual property (IP) is a critical element for fostering innovation. It is [...]
Got IP? Disclose!
Got IP? Disclose! By Dr. Carlos Báez Research is at the heart of technology transfer. Without scientific research, there would be no technologies to transfer. However, for technology transfer [...]
Why is Tech Transfer Important to You? And Why Are We Recognizing It?
Why is Tech Transfer Important to You? And Why Are We Recognizing It? By David L. Gulley, PhD, RTTP, CLP December 12 marks the 39th anniversary of Bayh-Dole. What [...]
Other Resources
U.S. Federal Legislation
Bayh-Dole Act, supporting technology transfer for discoveries and inventions supporting by U.S. federally funded research.
Educational Material
Professional Development
- Association of University Technology Managers
- Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals
- Certified Licensing Professionals
- Licensing Executives Society
Global Perspectives
Intellectual Property Protection
