Integration versus separation:structure and strategies of the technology transfer office (TTO) in medical research organizations

Establishing technology transfer offices (TTOs) within research organizations is one initiative used to facilitate successful commercialization. Research organizations may choose to either outsource the commercialization expertise (separation model) or incorporate it within their organizational structure (integration model). Ensuring the success of these integration TTOs, face many challenges, including challenges based on tensions from researchers within research organizations about the perceived differences in opinions, rules, norms and reward systems of research and commercialization. Using qualitative data from interviews from researchers and the integrated TTO personnel, this paper describes the interactions of researchers and integrated TTO personnel in five Australian medical research organizations. Despite strong researcher concerns and fears about research commercialization, a number of strategies employed by integrated TTOs were identified to encourage researcher engagement. These include the flexibility of TTO policies to researcher needs; offering collective incentives; and being visible within the organization