Tumult in the Lou

STLtoday - Business - Story: "The head of Washington University is at loggerheads with business boosters, including members of his staff, over the university's role in building a local biotech industry. People who hoped to see a steady stream of startup companies forming around discoveries made in the university's labs say they are frustrated. "

Is this hearsay? Or reality? I don't know. But I am a firm believer in a business-outlet for university discoveries, even though that changes the incentives and structure of the research program, I think it generally would be a net positive provided there is not an over-focus on marketable product. Maintain a Xerox PARC mentality....but actually drive the good stuff that comes out of it to market. This does open up another can of worms—all the debates that arise between students and instructors over ownership of inventions/discoveries made in the lab by students in the context of a class. It can all get rather ugly...