Academic scientists often express skepticism about the benefits of commercializing their research. What tends to change their minds? Research money has proven again and again to be the carrot that gets faculty members into the room for meetings with representatives from industry, which can form the starting point to a professional relationship. Diane Fabel, director of operations at the Stony Brook Center for Biotechnology, notes that another one is a successful example. “At Stony Brook, when Barry Coller commercialized ReoPro, it was a huge impact on the culture.” Coller’s colleagues had a reason to think, as Diane put it, that “it can be done. One of us did it and you can too.”
