Montana State’s TechLink Center signs five-year agreement with Veterans Affairs

BOZEMAN - The TechLink Centerat Montana State University recently secured a five-year partnership agreement to help the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs move new technologies from its research centers to the commercial marketplace, a process known as tech transfer.

Since 2018, TechLink's role in establishing commercial partnerships for VA research interests has been renewed annually. This multiyear agreement, which went into effect Oct. 1, will enable TechLink to continue helping the VA share transformative research with companies that can apply that research to medical advancements for veterans and the public.

"It's been incredible to work alongside the VA to move years of critical research toward products and services that can help people, especially our nation's veterans," said Austin Leach, associate director of TechLink at MSU. "The partnerships we will continue to establish under this multiyear agreement will allow our team to build deeper, stronger relationships with industry, ensuring the VA's research can realize its intended purpose."

TechLink was established in 1996, and just celebrated25 yearsas the national tech transfer partner for the U.S. Department of Defense.

"TechLink works with VA medical centers and DOD labs across the nation," Leach said. "We have the incredible mission of ensuring that our national investment in federal research has the chance to become something real - a new medicine, or therapy, or maybe a market-shifting innovation."

He said TechLink's years of success assisting the DOD with its tech transfer needs helped MSU to establish the relationship with the VA.

"The VA recognized our success with the DOD and overall leadership in federal technology transfer and they thought that our work would be beneficial to them," he said. "We forged a relationship that led to execution of our first agreement with the VA."

As the national partner for both the VA and DOD, TechLink identifies commercially viable technologies invented in VA and DOD labs and markets commercialization opportunities to potential manufacturers to bring the technologies to the marketplace through licensing and cooperative research and development.

One product to move from VA laboratories into the marketplace through TechLink is an e-screening tool developed by researchers at the VA San Diego Healthcare System. The tool was originally created to support veterans returning from deployment by screening for risk of suicide, homelessness or food insecurity. From the screenings, VA clinicians could triage the scenario and provide vital services to veterans. Total Orbit, a Missouri-based company, licensed the VA's invention to incorporate into its product lineup. After licensing, Total Orbit used the VA's e-screening tool as part of a larger patient engagement and digital learning system the company named CareOrbit. Today, CareOrbit is available to hospitals and care centers to increase patient engagement by turning cumbersome paperwork into patient learning modules.

"The government spends billions of dollars each year funding research and development in federal labs," Leach said."Companies can license inventions that come from that R&D and use them to solve existing marketplace problems. I've seen firsthand how these inventions create real-world opportunities for companies ready to act."

Since 1999, TechLink has brokered more than 2,000 tech transfer agreements between businesses and federal labs at no cost to companies. TechLink relies on federal funding to carry out its mission as well as infrastructure and administrative support from MSU.

"Our goal is to convert the VA research into products and services that benefit veterans and civilians alike," Leach said. "Veterans have unique needs that are being addressed through research across VA medical centers nationwide. Through TechLink facilitated partnerships with industry, the VA can turn its research into specific products and services that meet the needs of veterans and contribute to national economic growth."

TechLink supports MSU's mission as a land-grant institution, in part, by generating economic activity. Through its DOD program alone, he said, TechLink has facilitated the generation of nearly $10 billion in economic impact.

"We are delighted to have entered into a long-term partnership agreement with Veterans Affairs," said Alison Harmon, MSU's vice president for research and economic development, where the center is housed. "The partnership contributes to the many ways that MSU strives to support veterans while ensuring that more VA innovations will be commercialized for the benefit of veterans and society. Meanwhile, the project also helps build a relationship with the VA I hope will lead to other mutually beneficial research collaborations."