Partnerships
Ensuring that our research will impact lives
Our partners provide us with real-world clinical perspectives and priorities for research and innovation. In collaboration with industry, government, and community partners, UT research is guided by both needs and opportunities. Together, we are tackling important challenges in health and medicine by developing innovations that can deliver positive health outcomes for patients in Tennessee and beyond.
The long-term partners listed here represent only a fraction of the many organizations with which we collaborate.
“As the region’s academic health system, we are committed to patient-centered care, advancing medical education and research, and improving the overall health of our communities. The university is central to this mission, and our partnership invests in the next generation of caregivers, researchers, and innovators, while ensuring the strength and sustainability of our care delivery model for years to come.”
— Keith Gray, MD, President and CEO, UT Medical Center
Key Industry Partners
Medtronic
Health care technology company Medtronic is working on innovative biomedical engineering products and procedures related to more than 70 complex health conditions.
PetNet Solutions
PETNET Solutions Inc is the largest supplier of positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals, with a portfolio that supports both clinical care and investigational research.
Smith+Nephew
A portfolio medical technology company with offices in Memphis, Smith+Nephew focuses on repairing, regenerating, and replacing soft and hard tissue. It includes units devoted to orthopedics and sports medicine.
Tyber Medical
Tyber Medical is an orthopedic device manufacturer focused on implants for the spine and extremities. The company prioritizes research and development and provides rapid access to private-label orthopedic systems.
Key Health Care Provider Partners
Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic
Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic, East Tennessee’s largest provider of orthopedic care, is a partner company of UT Research Park. UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm is home to KOC which includes physician offices, physical therapy, and other services, as well as the University Orthopaedic Surgery Center.
River Valley Health
River Valley Health (formerly Cherokee Health Systems) is a federally qualified health center that provides outpatient services, including primary care, maternity care, and behavioral health, to more than 65,000 Tennesseans annually. UT’s long history of working with RVH was formalized in 2022, strengthening collaboration on long-term initiatives and grants.
UT Medical Center
The University of Tennessee Medical Center partners with the UT Health Science Center College of Medicine, Knoxville, to form East Tennessee’s largest academic medical center. UTMC has a national reputation in education and research, and it is a valuable source of collaboration for UT faculty.
Key Academic, Government and Nonprofit Partners
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a vital partner in many projects and multi-institutional collaborations. UT and ORNL researchers work together to build world-leading expertise, transfer technology between the two facilities, and drive innovation-based economic growth.
Rural Community Opioid Response Program-East Tennessee Consortium
Managed by UT, this consortium of more than 150 members works together to decrease opioid use disorder and overdose deaths in identified rural counties by applying research-based evidence and community expertise to address prevention, treatment, and recovery.
Tennessee Department of Health
UT faculty partner with the Tennessee Department of Health on a variety of projects, including research and outreach advanced by UT’s One Health Initiative and the federally funded statewide Rape Prevention and Education program.
UT Graduate School of Medicine
UTHSC COM-Knoxville offers exceptional training in graduate medical and dental education. Research focuses on transformative clinical and translational research in therapeutics, diagnostics, health care disparities, and care quality.
UT Health Science Center
The UT Health Science Center, located in Memphis, is the largest educator of health care professionals in Tennessee and focuses on research highly relevant to Tennesseans. UTHSC is a significant partner and a valuable resource for UT researchers in Knoxville.
UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute
The UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute was created to strategically align ORNL’s and UT’s expertise and infrastructure in research and graduate education. UT-ORII is investing in building both institutions’ capacities in radiopharmaceutical therapies.