In response to a Congressional mandate, the National Research Council conducted a review of the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) at the five federal agencies with SBIR programs with budgets in excess of $100 million (DOD, NIH, NASA, DOE, and NSF). The project was designed to answer questions of program operation and effectiveness, including the quality of the research projects being conducted under the SBIR program, the commercialization of the research, and the program's contribution to accomplishing agency missions. This report summarizes the presentations at a symposium exploring the effectiveness of Phase III of the SBIR program (the commercialization phase), during which innovations funded by Phase II awards move from the laboratory into the marketplace. No SBIR funds support Phase III; instead, to commercialize their products, small businesses are expected to garner additional funds from private investors, the capital markets, or from the agency that made the initial award.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is one of the largest examples of U.S. public-private partnerships. Founded in 1982, SBIR was designed to encourage small business to develop new processes and products and to provide quality research in support of the many missions of the U.S. government, including health, energy, the environment, and national defense. In response to a request from the U.S. Congress, the National Research Council assessed SBIR as administered by the five federal agencies that together make up 96 percent of program expenditures. This book, one of six in the series, reports on the SBIR program at the National Science Foundation. The study finds that the SBIR program is sound in concept and effective in practice, but that it can also be improved. Currently, the program is delivering results that meet most of the congressional objectives, including stimulating technological innovation, increasing private-sector commercialization of innovations, using small businesses to meet federal research and development needs, and fostering participation by minority and disadvantaged persons. The book suggests ways in which the program can improve operations, continue to increase private-sector commercialization, and improve participation by women and minorities.

The Small Business Administration issued a policy directive in 2002, the effect of which has been to exclude innovative small firms in which venture capital firms have a controlling interest from the SBIR program. This book seeks to illuminate the consequences of the SBA ruling excluding majority-owned venture capital firms from participation in SBIR projects. This book is part of the National Research Council's study to evaluate the SBIR program's quality of research and value to the missions of five government agencies. The other books in the series include: An Assessment of the SBIR Program (2008) An Assessment of the SBIR Program at the National Science Foundation (2007) An Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research Program at the National Institutes of Health (2009) An Assessment of Small Business Innovation Research Program at the Department of Energy (2008) An Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research Program at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (2009) An Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research Program at the Department of Defense (2009)

The SBIR Program today is widely regarded as an effective facilitator of small business innovation, as a driving force behind technological advance, and as a mechanism through which the Federal Government can multiply the return on its $70-billion-per-year investment in R&D. Studies indicate that small business procude about twice as many innovations per employee as large companies. Roughly one in four SBIR projects result in the development and sale of a new commercial product -- a very high ratio in the risky R&D business. Graphs and charts.

Translational Interventional Radiology, a volume in the Handbook for Designing and Conducting Clinical and Translational Research series, covers the principles of evidence-based medicine and applies these principles to the design of translational investigations in Interventional Radiology. The reader will come to fully understand important concepts including case-control study, prospective cohort study, randomized trial, and reliability study. Medical researchers will benefit from greater confidence in their ability to initiate and execute their own investigations, avoid common pitfalls in Interventional Radiology, and know what is needed for successful collaboration. Further, this reference is an indispensable tool in grant writing and funding efforts. The practical, straightforward approach helps aspiring investigators navigate challenging considerations in study design and implementation. This book provides valuable discussions of the critical appraisal of published studies in Interventional Radiology, elucidating the evaluation of the quality with respect to measuring outcomes and making effective use of all types of evidence in patient care. In short, this practical guide will be of interest to every medical researcher and interventional radiologist who has ever had a good clinical idea but not the knowledge of how to test it. - Focuses on the principles of evidence-based medicine and applies these principles to the design of translational investigations within interventional radiology - Provides a practical, straightforward approach that helps investigators navigate challenging considerations in study design and implementation - Details discussions of the critical appraisal of published studies in interventional radiology, supporting evaluation with respect to measuring outcomes and making effective use of all types of evidence in patient care

experts from Harvard's Center for Science and International Affairs here examine a set of key issues and problems that, taken together, define the scope and limits of a technology policy