The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the organization that patents and licenses all the discoveries resulting from UW-Madison research, recently became the first technology-transfer organization to launch a satellite office with the opening of a West Coast branch.
Paul Radspinner, who manages the new San Diego, office from WARF's headquarters in Madison, said the new office has seen early signs of success.
\We've situated ourselves in one of the main hubs of the California biotech industry precisely so our West Coast licensing associate will spend as little time in the office as possible,"" Radspinner said.
Matt Bohlman, a WARF licensing associate, is working with companies, universities and industry customers all along the West Coast to find organizations who can fund application-oriented research involving UW-Madison technologies.
""The successes we have from a licensing aspect at WARF are really directly tied to the type of technology and type of research that goes on at UW-Madison,"" Bohlman said.
The focus of the new branch, which has been operating since mid-September, is to make face-to-face contacts with industry customers.
""That is really why we are out here,"" Bohlman said.
Direct contact with customers is one reason that many at WARF are enthusiastic about the new branch.
""That is the model for how this office will operate to generate greater licensing revenues for WARF and the university,"" Radspinner said. ""We want to take full advantage of the location by having [Bohlman] constantly meeting with customers and trying to match their needs with UW-Madison technologies.""
Radspinner's optimism about generating funds for further research at the university is shared by Andrew Cohn, who does public relations for WARF.
""If it is as successful as we think, it will return money to WARF, which will then be donated to the university to upgrade research programs available to students,"" Cohn said.
Research programs at UW-Madison have already provided more than 1,200 technologies and inventions for Bohlman to present along the West Coast. Everything from biotechnologies to physical science technologies are among WARF's focus in the new San Diego office, Cohn said.
""They are as varied as the mind can imagine,"" he said.
