About us
Welcome to the Biomedical Innovation Unit (BIU), a central hub for advancing biomedical innovation at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus. Our mission is to support the translation of groundbreaking biomedical research into impactful products and services that improve public health and quality of life.
The BIU plays a pivotal role in helping researchers and innovators navigate the complexities of federal patenting compliance. Through guidance on the Bayh-Dole Act and tools like iEdison, we ensure that inventions arising from federally funded research are properly reported, protected, and commercialized.
Our Mission:
The BIU is dedicated to fostering an environment that encourages the commercialization of research innovations, while ensuring adherence to federal regulations. Our focus is to:
- Promote awareness among faculty, staff, and students about the value of federally funded innovations and the processes for reporting inventions through iEdison.
- Develop partnerships with the private sector—companies, investors, and entrepreneurs—to help move research discoveries from the lab to the marketplace.
- Facilitate access to the necessary resources to protect and commercialize intellectual property, ensuring inventions are leveraged to their full potential.
Our Objectives:
- Objective 1:
Raise awareness among all faculty, staff, and students about the importance of reporting inventions resulting from federally funded research. This includes utilizing iEdison for timely disclosures and patent filings, ensuring compliance with the Bayh-Dole Act and related regulations. - Objective 2:
Foster relationships with private-sector entities, such as technology companies, investors, and commercialization partners, to accelerate the development and translation of research into real-world applications that can benefit the public. - Objective 3:
Provide resources and guidance to researchers for moving innovations from the research stage to commercialization, including assistance with patent protection, navigating federal compliance, and identifying funding opportunities such as SBIR/STTR grants.