From Academic Research to Industrial Product: Avoiding the Translational Blues

Academic research has many rewarding experiences, including discovering and publishing new knowledge, training the next generation of scientists and engineers, and the potential to have a direct impact on society through commercialization of products derived from the research. Regarding the latter, there are many challenges that one must be aware of and overcome to maximize the probability of successful translation into society, especially for medical applications. I will share lessons learned from our research on citrate-based biomaterials for regenerative engineering applications, research that led to the first bioresorbable thermoset polymer used in biodegradable implantable medical devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. I will lay out a path that includes key considerations that researchers can use to improve their translational research activities and reduce risk. The importance of technology, regulatory, and distribution strategies, team experience and expertise, and timing will be discussed.