Implementation and Execution of Successful Research Projects with Industry Partners Keith R. Davis, Ph.D. Director

Presentation Summary Establishing a project and contract that will drive a successful collaboration Project management and execution on the research plan Importance of communication and reporting Importance of managing and honoring confidentiality

Major Project Types Fee for service – Perform assays or analyses unique to your lab – Can serve as an initial step in a longer-term research collaboration – Can generate some revenue that can be used to support internal research Collaborative research – More traditional research project focused on a specific topic – Typically Industry partner provides funding and/or research materials or access to technology – Becoming more common that industry provides free access to unique industry resources

Establishing the Project Identify compatible industry partners and specific collaborators that you are comfortable with Develop a research plan with clear objectives and defined “deliverables”. Make sure the resources available are sufficient to perform the research – Research budget – Institutional infrastructure (facilities, equipment) Include a clear project management plan that defines how decisions will be made throughout the project and reporting requirements Having a clear and defined project plan is the first step in establishing a productive collaboration.

Project Development Roles Faculty researcher – Develop research work plan – Assist in the development of an appropriate budget Office of Research Administration (ORA) – Assist in the development of an appropriate budget – Develop and execute formal contract Intellectual property and confidentiality Payment schedule Legal stuff During the development phase, do not discuss anything beyond the research project itself! Creating false expectations with respect to budget and intellectual property issues is a great way to start things off on the wrong foot.

Project Management is Key Make sure the plan has a defined set of objectives with specific milestones and deliverables – Review the plan on a regular basis and communicate to partner any deviations from the plan – Formalize any agreed upon changes in the plan as the project progresses – Helps prevent “scope-creep” Provide clear and complete reports on time – Make sure you understand your partner’s expectations

It’s All About Communication Make sure you are in regular communication with your industry contact – Helps strengthen the relationship and lets the partner know you are taking the project seriously – Helps you keep appraised of any changes that might be occurring at the company – Provides an occasion to see if there are opportunities for additional projects or access to new resources from the company Inform your partner as early as possible if there are any deviations from research plan – Propose ways to get back on track or modify the plan to reach the primary objectives Industry partners do not like surprises! It is very difficult to over communicate.

Maintain Confidentiality Don’t discuss research with others outside of the project without permission – Contract should contain the mechanism for obtaining approval for meeting presentations and publications Don’t distribute industry partner materials to other labs Check with industry partner before providing internal contact information to others

Summary If you want to develop successful industry partnerships: – Discuss with the JCEB as early as possible If you want to develop a great reputation with industry: – Deliver high quality results on time – Be flexible and accommodate partner (within reason) – Keep your partner fully informed throughout the project If you want to be the “PI from hell”: – Use industry funds to support your pet pilot projects – Unilaterally change the research plan and direction – Don’t file expected reports on time – Present project results in public seminars without taking steps to protect any potential IP

Questions?