RESEARCH, SERVICE AND TEACHING UNITS AS A LINKING MECHANISM TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS

In 2002, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México established the regulations to create Mixed Units to offer services to public and private sectors, linking research projects with the industry in search of the development of new research lines and specialized personnel in those areas; and to spread the knowledge and experiences gained from the operation of those units. In February 2004, the Facultad de Medicina, based on these regulations, established an Administrative Technical Board to discuss and analyze the academic and operative policies of current and future Mixed Units. There were initially eight Mixed Units under a highly specialized service provision scheme addressed to specific markets. With time, the units have evolved to the development of technology and in the near future the integration of franchises that will bring a new profile in the relationship with the private sector. The Mixed Units profile allows offering highly specialized services aimed at high-demand market niches which under this scheme are easily and clearly charged; in financial terms, this also allows the use of resources to improve their infrastructure and keep them updated. The units must meet the goals of providing services, generating research and developing teaching.
According to the continuing evaluations programs, only four Units remain up to now, and we present three of them, which are pioneers in Mexico given their technological and fields of specialty.

1.The Unidad PET/CT-Ciclotrón of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a state-of-the-art molecular imaging facility. It was the first Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Center in Mexico and nowadays it continues at the forefront in PET technology in our country. The facilities are located at the University's Campus at the Facultad de Medicina, and include 4 laboratories: an accelerator laboratory for radionuclide production, a fully equipped laboratory for radiopharmaceutical production, a preclinical imaging laboratory for small animals and a PET/CT imaging facility for clinical studies. The PET/CT Unit produces [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and [13N]Ammonia on a routine basis for internal and external use. More than 80% of the FDG-PET studies in Mexico and nearby cities are performed using FDG produced in our Center. In addition, we are currently in the process of implementing the production of new radiopharmaceuticals for PET-based molecular imaging in Oncology, Cardiology and Neurology. Thus, the Unidad PET/CT-Ciclotrón will stay at the forefront of innovation in the field of PET imaging in Mexico.

2.The Sleep Disorders Clinic is a medical unit specialized in the care of people with sleep disorders. It is integrated by specialists in different areas and polysomnography technicians, and focuses on an unattended market niche since around 100 different sleep disorders are currently known.

3.The Clinical Electrophysiology Unit is an international center designed for training and research on diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the electrical activity in the heart (mainly pacemakers). It has a strong social component because the pacemakers are freely provided by a company in exchange for training.

The facilities of the later two units are located in a public general hospital.

For the last three years, as a result of new marketing strategies, these units have had increasing incomes as follows:
2007 – US$ 1’947,000.00,, 2008 – US$ 2’645,914.00, 2009 – US$ 3’190,661.00