by Cole Melton, UNeMed | May 5, 2025
A year ago, if someone had told me that doctors, patent lawyers, researchers, and business professionals could seamlessly collaborate, I would have been skeptical. Their roles, training, and personalities seemed worlds apart. But that was before I had the incredible opportunity to work at UNeMed, where I witnessed firsthand the magic of interdisciplinary teamwork.
As a medical and business student working as a licensing and marketing intern at UNeMed this past year, I quickly learned the importance of technology transfer in health care. Tech Transfer combines diverse professions to create success. I discovered the unique value tech transfer brings to colleges, universities, and the world by creating new products and opening new markets.
To bring new products to market, UNeMed transforms unassuming doctors and scientists into top-tier entrepreneurs. These individuals often don’t realize they want to become innovators, but UNeMed helps them discover their potential. This is their secret superpower.
This translation process is not without its challenges. I have witnessed lagging technology adoption directly impacting patient care in the clinic. Each day, researchers make new discoveries, but their impact on patients is delayed. Tech transfer provides the tools and capabilities to help doctors get their hands on new technology and spread new ideas quickly.
Apart from helping move technology forward, UNeMed and TTO’s can find new revenue sources for universities. The current uneasiness and shortfall with public funding can be addressed by tech transfer programs. These programs explore nontraditional funding routes, generate new project ideas, and shift focus to new grant applications. Technology transfer can lead investigators down less-traveled paths, and universities to unique success.
All these elements come together to define UNeMed. It’s a hub of hardworking, dedicated employees who are committed to driving innovation and making a positive impact on the world around them. My experience has shown the great potential of combining diverse disciplines to drive innovation and improve patient care. I encourage anyone interested in making a difference to explore the opportunities tech transfer offers.
Personally, my internship has been incredibly enriching. I’ve learned to evaluate all types of inventions, witnessed the relentless efforts of startups to bring their products to market, and expanded my network within the Omaha community. As I embark on my journey to become a clinician and hospital administrator, I now understand that tech transfer offices are invaluable. They support doctors and researchers in facing new challenges, fostering innovation, and solving complex problems.
