PFI: An Interdisciplinary University-Based Education Partnership to Support Biomedical Technology Commercialization in Nebraska

该创新伙伴关系（PFI）计划-支持内布拉斯加州生物医学技术商业化的跨学科大学教育合作伙伴关系-旨在创建一个自我维持的大学项目，以促进内布拉斯加州生物科学技术商业化的创新。克赖顿大学，包括工商管理学院、法学院、医学院、药学院和卫生专业学院以及技术转让办公室，已经制定了一个项目，在商业、法律和生物科学方面交叉培训本科生和研究生。在完成一年的课程后，学生团队将竞争种子资金，以资助初创公司进一步概念化和营销生物科学技术。该项目涉及该州两个最大的生物医学研究中心克雷顿大学（Creighton University）和内布拉斯加大学医学中心（University of Nebraska Medical Center）之间的紧密合作，以及由商学院、法学院和医学院院长、技术转让主任和战略与创业学教授牵头的合作。此外，许多当地企业和其他组织承诺提供服务、专业知识、奖学金和实习机会。克赖顿大学创新伙伴关系也将成为新的专业科学硕士学位、科学家和数学家工商管理硕士学位的核心课程。该计划将成为研究、教育和实践相结合的典范，以有效促进和增加区域高技术转移。这种大学与产业的合作将对高科技企业和就业机会产生广泛的影响。实现该计划目标的预期途径如下：1)刺激通过研究和教育企业创造的知识转化为建立强大的地方，区域和国家经济的创新。2)扩大学术机构和公民的参与，通过交叉培训专业人员，为开发技术提供种子资金，并为进行概念验证和启动活动创造设施。3)加强必要的基础设施建设，以长期促进和维持创新。4)在克莱顿大学（Creighton University）建立一个专业的科学硕士学位项目，该项目得到了2005年国家创新法案的认可。该项目旨在使未来的管理者能够轻松驾驭科学业务，从一个关于酶的会议到另一个关于知识产权的会议，同时理解目标是销售产品。合作伙伴包括克莱顿大学（牵头机构）；内布拉斯加大学医学中心；Kiser家族基金会；Blackwell, Sander, Peper, Martin， LLP；Stinson Morrison， Hecker律师事务所；奥马哈第一国民银行；bioNebraska，生命科学协会（一个公司联合体）；博思艾伦咨询公司。GR Exypnos, SafeStitch， LLC；自然科技公司；以及大奥马哈商会。

This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) program--An Interdisciplinary University-Based Education Partnership to Support Biomedical Technology Commercialization in Nebraska--aims to create a self-sustaining university-based program to foster innovation for the commercialization of bioscience technology in Nebraska. Creighton University, including the College of Business Administration, School of Law, School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, and Office of Technology Transfer, has developed a program to cross train undergraduate and graduate students in business, law, and the biosciences. Upon completion of a one-year concentration, student teams will compete for seed money to fund start-up companies for further conceptualization and marketing of bioscience technologies. The program, involves a strong partnership between the two largest biomedical research centers in the state, Creighton University and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and a collaboration led by the deans of the business, law, and medical schools, as well as a director of technology transfer and a professor of strategy and entrepreneurship. In addition, numerous local businesses and other organizations have committed services, expertise, scholarship money, and internship opportunities. The Creighton University Partnerships for Innovation will also serve as the core curriculum for a new professional science master's degree, an MBA for scientists and mathematicians. The program will serve as a model for the integration of research, education, and practice to efficiently promote and increase regional high technology transfer.This university-industry partnership will have broad impact on high technology businesses and employment opportunities. The anticipated avenues to achieve the goals of this program are as follows: 1) Stimulate the transformation of knowledge created through the research and education enterprise into innovations that build strong local, regional and national economies. 2) Broaden the participation of academic institutions and citizens by cross training a professional workforce, providing seed money to develop technologies, and creating facilities for conducting proof of concept and start-up activities. 3) Enhance the infrastructure necessary to foster and sustain innovation in the long-term. 4) Develop a professional science master's degree program, endorsed by the National Innovation Act of 2005 at Creighton University. The program is aimed at enabling future managers to navigate the business of science with ease, going from a meeting about enzymes to another about intellectual property rights, while understanding that the goal is marketable products.Partners include Creighton University (lead institution); University of Nebraska Medical Center; Kiser Family Foundation; Blackwell, Sander, Peper, Martin, LLP; Stinson Morrison, Hecker, LLP; First National Bank of Omaha; bioNebraska, Life Sciences Association (a consortium of firms); Booz Allen Hamilton.; GR Exypnos, SafeStitch, LLC; Nature Technology Corporation; and Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.