Laboratory TUTOR Software
"We have developed educational software that shares what we have
learned about laboratory testing with medical professionals around the
world."—Dr. Michael Astion, principal investigator
Some technologies managed by Digital Ventures are licensed to spin-off companies for them to continue developing
and licensing. One such software is the Laboratory TUTOR, a set of training
CDs created at the University of Washington. Medical
Training Solutions (MTS) licensed rights from the UW in 2001 to develop
Laboratory TUTOR and redesigned the software into a Web-based package
known as the Lab
Training Library™. MTS is a spin-off of the University, expressly
created to meet commercial demand for laboratory training software.
Description
The original Laboratory TUTOR taught clinical laboratory procedures and
interpretation of image-based clinical laboratory tests through interactive
CD-ROMs. Laboratory TUTOR was designed to teach and improve skills that
are difficult to cover in a traditional classroom setting. At the peak
of this research project, the University of Washington directly distributed
thirteen titles including UrinalysisTUTOR, GramStainTUTOR, PeripheralTUTOR,
ParasiteTUTOR, and AutoimmuneTUTOR. Most of the original Laboratory TUTOR
titles are now distributed by MTS as part of their Lab Training Library™.
Technology Benefits
Clinical laboratories often cannot hire fully-trained lab technicians; even
experienced lab technicians may need continuing education. However, arranging
for training in a traditional classroom can be expensive, difficult to schedule
for busy professionals, and ineffective without hands-on microscope work. Laboratory
TUTOR responded to these problems with cost-effective, computer-based training.
The self-paced format accommodated different schedules, and the use of multimedia
and rich photographs helped to convey difficult concepts.
Development Background
The Department of Laboratory Medicine in the School of Medicine initiated
the idea for Laboratory TUTOR in 1991 in an attempt to improve the antinuclear
antibody test. Laboratory TUTOR eventually became an essential educational
tool in medical technology programs around the world and has reached a
new audience through MTS's conversion of the CD-ROM software to a Web
format.
Initial funding for Laboratory TUTOR came from departmental start-up
funds. Later, the revenue generated by licensing from the original project
was reinvested into its lab budget so that the group could acquire off-campus
offices and labs for its development team. More than fifty members of
the School of Medicine—including faculty, graphic designers, medical
technologists, pathologists, and computer programmers—participated
in developing and implementing the programs.
When Dr. Michael Astion, the principal investigator of the original Laboratory
TUTOR project, wanted to focus on new initiatives, the University of Washington
licensed the rights to distribute and innovate from the TUTOR software
to MTS, which based its Lab Training Library™ on the original TUTOR
content. To acquire content for new titles, MTS will probably sponsor
research at the University of Washington or other institutions.
Future Goals
Since the University of Washington has licensed to MTS and other companies
the right to distribute and innovate from the original TUTOR software,
the former Laboratory TUTOR research group now works collaboratively with
these organizations to develop new software and content for lab training.
Digital Ventures' Role
The licensing of the Laboratory TUTOR was the result of a collaboration
between Digital Ventures and the Laboratory TUTOR team. Dr. Astion initially approached
Digital Ventures with an innovative microscopic photography technique. Together, they
discovered that the purpose for which the photography technique was developed—improved
computer-based lab training—was also an innovation that should be
distributed.
Digital Ventures worked with the Laboratory TUTOR team to manage rights and
revenue, handle licensing of TUTOR titles, and assist in managing long-term
relationships. Examples of how Digital Ventures worked with the Laboratory TUTOR
team include:
- Conducting an asset audit and helping to identify the assets that can best
be transferred to serve in the public interest
- Helping to position materials for diverse audiences—publishers and
industry representatives—to disseminate materials
- Writing licenses to codify good working relationships with industry
- Managing assets by filing trademarks, dealing with infringers, and
helping to construct the Terms of Service
Later, Digital Ventures helped the project team create the spin-off company, MTS,
and wrote the license to give MTS the right to innovate from the Laboratory
TUTOR software.
Contact
Dr. Michael Astion
University of Washington Medical Center
Department of Laboratory Medicine
1959 NE Pacific Street
Box 357110
Seattle, WA 98195-7110
Phone: 206.598.6131
Fax: 206.598.6149
E-mail: mastion@u.washington.edu
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