Cancer Prevention and Research Institute (CPRIT) Subcommittee Seeks Feedback From State Academic Executives

The State of Texas took a big step forward in cancer research and prevention when it established the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute (CPRIT) last year. During this legislative session, CPRIT’s processes will be enhanced with proposed changes and additions to ethics requirements, structural governance, peer review process, facility construction limitation and other items in the original legislation. Beyond changes proposed by the state legislature, CPRIT’s Oversight Committee has established subcommittee’s to look at critical processes the Institute will be undertaking.

On February 11th, the Economic Development and Commercialization Subcommittee for CPRIT held a meeting to allow representatives from 11 leading universities, university systems and institutions around the state to give their feedback and advice for how the Institute should set procedures. Each university gave a short presentation including background on their institute’s research and commercialization activities, challenges they face while trying to move technologies beyond their walls, and suggestions for CPRIT’s positive impact.

Suggestions to the CPRIT Subcommittee included percentages of funding for various levels in development, guidance on intellectual property issues, and how the Offices of Commercialization within each institute could play a role in the process. Many representatives also urged the Subcommittee to look at the Texas Emerging Technology Fund as a good reference.

The Economic Development and Commercialization Subcommittee will hold additional meetings this spring as they gathering information and advice from executives while formulating their suggestions to the CPRIT Oversight Committee on how to establish funding procedures and commercialization processes.

For additional information on the Texas Cancer Prevention and Research Institute, please visit http://www.cprit.state.tx.us.

The Dallas Regional Chamber is supportive of CPRIT and is monitoring the current legislation. For more information on the Chamber’s position or activities related to life science policy, please contact Jane Edson at 214-712-1937 or jedson@dallaschamber.org.