The Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization (CTTC) team is dedicated to driving innovation forward across VU and VUMC, partnering with multiple units within both organizations to accomplish that mission. Join us in recognizing our ecosystem partners and their hard work to support faculty's innovations.
Meet Vanderbilt University's Research Development and Support (RDS) team
RDS helps investigators identify, pursue, and successfully compete for external research funding. RDS works closely with faculty across campus to identify funding opportunities, shape competitive proposals, coordinate large or complex submissions, and provide strategic guidance throughout the grant development process. By aligning investigator expertise with emerging funding priorities, RDS helps ensure that promising research programs have the resources needed to advance.
Partnering to Accelerate Research Translation
- RDS and CTTC work together to strengthen the full lifecycle of research translation–from identifying promising ideas to securing funding that enables their development and eventual commercialization.
- RDS helps investigators position translational research for competitive funding opportunities, including large collaborative or center-scale proposals, while CTTC provides expertise in intellectual property, industry engagement, and commercialization strategy.
- Together, the teams help researchers design projects that not only advance scientific discovery but also anticipate downstream pathways to impact, partnerships, and real-world deployment.
“When research development and commercialization strategy are aligned from the start, we create stronger opportunities for faculty and greater impact for their work. Our collaborations with CTTC ensure that promising ideas are supported not only with competitive funding strategies but also with pathways to translation and partnership. RDS is very appreciative of our partnership and collaboration with our colleagues in CTTC for the benefit of our faculty. ” Joanne Spitz, Executive Director of Research Development
Future Collaborations
Looking ahead, RDS and CTTC are expanding coordination around translational funding opportunities and strategic proposal development. This includes earlier identification of projects with strong commercialization potential, closer collaboration on large multidisciplinary proposals, and more proactive engagement with faculty to integrate funding strategy with technology development and industry partnership planning.
By aligning research development with commercialization expertise earlier in the process, the partnership aims to accelerate the movement of Vanderbilt innovations from the lab toward societal and economic impact.
About RDS Research Development & Support (RDS)
Within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation, the RDS team aids faculty members through coordination of funding opportunities, strategic development of sponsor relationships, and diversification of funding portfolios. RDS supports the development of proposal submissions to Federal and State agencies, as well as to Foundations and other private sponsors. Request RDS support.