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Why Medical Innovation Requires More Than Great Science with Dr. Malcolm Townes

  • Jun 18
  • 3 min read

The success of a medical innovation is dependent on whether the technology can move beyond the lab and into clinical practice. It is critical for innovators to answer the following: Who will use it? What problem does it solve? How does it fit into existing workflows?


Medical innovation often begins with breakthrough research. A researcher uncovers a new insight, a clinician identifies an unmet need, or an engineer develops a technology with the potential to improve patient care.


But discovery alone does not create real-world impact. It requires customer discovery, commercialization strategy, and a deep understanding of what healthcare needs.


Dr. Malcolm Townes, Innovation Fund Manager at Washington University in St. Louis' Office of Technology Management, helps researchers answer these questions and more to turn their promising science into desired healthcare solutions.


The gap between discovery and adoption

Universities produce a substantial volume of groundbreaking research, but translating their medical innovations into practical healthcare solutions requires more than scientific discovery alone.


Townes explains that while "the research team is developed on their own," commercialization requires further support to achieve widespread innovation adoption. He explains that the work of The WashU GAP Fund is helping researchers identify the validation and market requirements needed before a technology is ready for commercialization.


According to Townes, many innovators focus on science because it is their area of expertise. However, he notes that successful commercialization also requires an understanding of clinical, operational, and economic realities.While researchers have been trained to answer scientific questions, commercialization will require them to ask additional ones:


  • Who will use this?

  • What problem does it solve?

  • How does it fit into healthcare delivery?

  • Will someone pay for it?


Customer discovery prevents costly assumptions

One of the most common mistakes innovators often make is assuming they already understand what customers need. A researcher may understand a clinical challenge deeply, but individual experience does not always represent the broader market. Townes emphasizes customer discovery as a tool for testing assumptions in order to have a better understanding of what users truly value. Through customer interviews, innovators can learn:

  • Whether the problem is a priority

  • How users currently solve it

  • What barriers could prevent adoption

  • Which features create the most value


Coachability is a competitive advantage

For Townes, coachability “is the biggest green light,” distinguishing stronger commercialization efforts from weaker ones. Researchers who actively seek feedback, challenge assumptions, and adapt their thinking are more likely to develop robust products and successful companies. One common mistake he highlights is assuming that understanding a clinical problem automatically translates into understanding the market. He emphasizes that broader adoption requires a much deeper understanding of health systems and key stakeholders, and that the most effective innovators remain curious and willing to learn from the market.


FDA approval is not the finish line

Many companies view regulatory approval as the final hurdle, but it is not. While FDA clearance is important, successful commercialization also depends on market access, reimbursement, workflow integration, and customer adoption. Townes reminds us, “The FDA doesn’t buy your medical device.” While a product may receive regulatory approval, it can struggle if healthcare systems do not see sufficient value, clinicians are reluctant to use it, or payers do not support reimbursement. Different stakeholders also require different forms of evidence; the data needed for regulatory approval is often not the same as that required by providers, purchasers, or payers.


Why this matters

Healthcare innovation is often celebrated at discovery, but patients only benefit when innovations make the journey into real-world care. Programs like the WashU GAP Fund bridge the gap between invention and adoption by teaching researchers to think beyond technical performance and understand healthcare delivery.


What to watch

The most successful healthcare innovators are those who embrace commercialization early on through customer engagement, testing assumptions, and understanding adoption pathways. For researchers entering healthcare innovation, the takeaway is clear: building the technology is only part of the journey. The goal is not simply to create something new, but to create something that gets used.  In medtech, innovation is not complete when something works. It succeeds when something is adopted.


 
 
 

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