The path from an invention to commercial product is complex, so a team of professionals in Duke’s Office for Translation and Commercialization (OTC) manages Duke inventions and ensures that they reach the marketplace. After its conception in the laboratory or at the desk, the invention is disclosed to OTC where market analysis and technology assessment are performed to develop a protection and commercialization strategy. During this process, OTC staff identifies commercial partner candidates – mature companies or newly formed start-ups – that have the expertise, resources, and business networks to bring the invention to market. Ideally, one of these companies would then enter into an agreement to license the invention to develop it into a commercial product.
Monique Brown is a member of the Operations & Finance team at OTC that manages the money flow associated with these license agreements, once they happen. She is involved in all financial aspects of the lifecycle of a Duke invention – managing a tangled net of incoming and outgoing invoices and checks from legal firms, peer institutions, and companies. A member of the OTC team since 2019, Monique has recently been promoted to the role of Financial Analyst. In her expanded role, Monique will now work closely with the OTC team to monitor financial compliance of the various agreements, and sometimes chase down licensees that are delinquent in their payments.
Monique has been at Duke since 2011. Before joining OTC, she worked in the Duke Office for Research Support as an accounting specialist for the math department. “I have always liked accounting, and OTC is a great department to work for,” she says. “But what I really like about working here is that you see your work having an impact on the real world. The inventions that result in products that reach the market, the startup companies that come out – I like being a part of that process,” Monique says.
“She has great attention to detail, a can-do attitude, and is a pleasure to work with," said Mitch Dozier, Director of Operations & Finance at OTC. "We are excited to see her contributions to Duke and OTC grow as she begins her new role.”
Outside of work, Monique enjoys time with friends and family, especially her two young grandkids who she loves to play with and teach. Monique also spends time with her mother, who recently moved to North Carolina.
