How we can help: Inventions

November 15, 2017 Blog

by Catherine Murari-Kanti, UNeMed | November 15, 2017

Part two of a series

An invention is a new discovery, concept, design, device, composition, and system or software program. Typical UNMC inventions include therapeutics, diagnostics, drug delivery platforms, medical devices, new uses of existing drugs, medical devices, research tools, educational materials and software.

What sets an invention apart is the difference from what’s already out there. An invention has product value, a good intellectual property position, and good commercial potential.

How do I submit my inventions?

To disclose an invention to UNeMed, you simply fill out a New Invention Notification. Once the form is completed and signed by all inventors, you can email the disclosure to unemed@unmc.edu.

It’s important that you disclose your invention to UNeMed BEFORE any public disclosure is made.

The new invention notification creates a written, dated record of your invention. The form also helps UNeMed evaluate the invention’s potential for commercial applications and possible intellectual property positions. The form also ensures compliance with U.S. federal laws, University policy and the policies of several research-funding agencies.

What is a public disclosure?

A public disclosure can include published papers, oral and poster presentations, any seminars, abstracts, funded grant applications, or open dissertation defenses. This also includes sharing the idea with fellow colleagues or friends.

A public disclosure can result in the loss of foreign patent rights and limits UNeMed to one year from the disclosure date to secure U.S. patent rights. Loss of foreign patent rights can decrease the value and overall appeal of a technology.

The easiest (and best) way to protect your rights is to work with UNeMed. Disclose your discoveries to UNeMed before presenting or publishing.

Why submit your inventions and discoveries to UNeMed?

New invention submissions open the communications between you and UNeMed. From there, UNeMed can determine if an invention requires protection, and begin the hunt for commercial partners to help fund further development.

It also helps UNeMed disclose all federally funded inventions to the appropriate government agencies.

All information disclosed in a new invention notification are confidential, and access is strictly limited to UNeMed’s professional staff.

What happens after I submit my invention?

A member of UNeMed’s licensing team will meet with inventors to discuss the details and applications of the invention. Meeting with inventors helps UNeMed better understand the invention, and conduct a full analysis to determine the best course of action.

UNeMed will then convene its Science and Technology Advisory Committee, for a final review of the invention and examine its potential to obtain effective IP protection, stimulate business interest, and contribute to economic development.

The technology manager assigned to the invention will then take any recommendations that come from the committee and discuss potential options for moving the invention forward.

This is part of a series of blog posts covering the many services UNeMed provides for faculty, students and staff at UNMC and UNO. Our next installment will dive a little deeper into exactly what happens when UNeMed receives a new invention notification. Here’s the full list of planned topics:

 

Blog How we can help: Inventions

Catherine Murari-Kanti, Ph.D., is a licensing associate at UNeMed Corporation, the technology transfer and commercialization office (TTO) for the University of Nebraska Medical Center. UNeMed serves all UNMC researchers, faculty and staff who develop new biomedical technology and inventions, and strives to help bring those innovations to the marketplace. Contact the author at catherine.murari@unmc.edu or 402-310-5602.

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