Sponsoring Research — Office of Research and Innovation

Our researchers at UofL are ready to help your company solve problems, innovate and grow through work on industry-sponsored research and development projects. We work with you to set the scope, timelines and deliverables of your project, and ensure needs are met.

We participate in a variety of research projects with our sponsors, and have a successful track record in those partnerships. Please feel free to discuss with us directly, and we can work with you on determining the best approach to an individual project – or a series of them.

We also understand some projects require confidentiality, and regularly work with large and small companies to document the transfer or exchange of confidential or proprietary information. Nondisclosure Agreements (NDAs, sometimes also called CDA’s or PIA’s) help protect this information by limiting who may have access to it and how it may be used. We understand that each company is different and will work with you to tailor these terms to fit your needs.

Our researchers partner with industry for many different types of projects. Some common types include:

Sponsored Research Agreements: Collaborate on a specific project

UofL Sponsored Research

In Sponsored Research Agreements (SRA), your company can sponsor collaborative work with our researchers on a specific project, which may result in intellectual property. This could include work to solve a business problem, to develop a technology or to explore possible innovation.

An SRA between UofL and an industry sponsor establishes the contractual terms and conditions for conducting a specific research project.These agreements are our most general purpose, and are meant to cover a broad range of potential projects – from research into a particular problem, to improvements to your background technology – to potentially even providing some validation prior to a licensing deal or as part of one such. To establish an SRA, please contact our staff. Send along your company’s contract template or use one of UofL’s templates: federal ULRF template (PDF), nonfederal ULRF template (PDF)). We will negotiate the agreement terms and conditions with you and bring the contract to execution.

Service Agreements: Use our facilities and equipment fee-for-service

UofL R&D; Facilities and Equipment

In service agreements, companies sponsor fee-for-service work, such as for fabrication, with little chance of developing new intellectual property. The difference between a service agreement and a sponsored research agreement is that UofL provides standard technical services/testing to your specifications, rather than handling research or development activities.

These agreements are meant to be used where the work to be done is standard, and there is no intention or desire to create intellectual property – rather, you are interested in using our facilities, equipment, and expertise to provide data for your business’ use. To learn more about what facilities and services we can offer, please visit our Core Facilities page.

Please feel free to contact us, and send along your company’s contract template or use one of UofL’s templates: federal ULRF template (PDF), nonfederal ULRF template(PDF)). We will negotiate the agreement terms and conditions with you and bring the contract to execution.

SBIR/STTR: Work with our researchers to develop your technology or business

UofL SBIR/STTR Applications

In Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) partnerships, our university researchers partner with your business to develop a technology or business with the goal of commercialization. These programs are competitive funding programs administered by the federal government for stimulating technological innovation in the small business community, and provide a dynamic opportunity for small businesses to partner with colleges and universities.

UofL has a rich tradition of working with SBIR and STTR awardees through its many advanced and innovative centers and institutes available for SBIR and STTR partnering, including our Center for Predictive Medicine and James Graham Brown Cancer Center. A partial list of these centers is available here.

For a quick look at some of the ways Kentucky supports its SBIR/STTR applicants, please visit the Kentucky SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program page. The Commonwealth of Kentucky has implemented a program to match both Phase I and Phase II federal SBIR and STTR awards to Kentucky high-tech small businesses. SBIR/STTR awardees from Kentucky (or who are willing to relocate to Kentucky) can apply.

Clinical Trials: Work with our researchers to develop or test a drug

Clinical Trials at UofL

In clinical trials, companies developing drugs, medical devices, etc., may sponsor clinical trials at our medical center to test their safety and efficacy ahead of FDA approval.

Material Transfer Agreements: Transfer materials or data between UofL and your company

UofL Material and Data Transfers

In Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), materials or data for research or work stemming from research are transferred between UofL and another organization or institution.

University team members work regularly with private industry to bring materials into university laboratories. They understand that each project has differing needs related to these types of research agreements.

Agreements are worked through on a case-by-case basis: individual research goals and expectations are identified, as are conflicting terms in funding or other agreements (such as other MTAs, when materials are used in conjunction). They strive to negotiate fair, tailored terms for use of private industry materials.

MTA terms can be part of an SRA or Service Agreement. The UofL SOW should identify any planned exchange of biological or chemical compounds as part of a project.