Search

The article asses the success of the university researchers with their discoveries with the help of the offices that has been established to take their discoveries from the lab to the clinic in the U.S. The author stated that Phillip Robinson who works with dynamin, a brain protein that is important for maintaining synaptic transmission has been supported by the BioLink to commercialize preclinical discoveries in the life sciences. Meanwhile, critics have stated that technology transfer offices (TTOs) tend to overvalue their intellectual property which lead companies to walk a way from potential deals.

The article reports that activists are pressuring universities to guarantee poor countries' access to drugs and medical products invented on campus in the U.S. This idea, called the concept of socially responsible technology transfer, has already received some key victories. The concept has also found a potentially influential political backer in Senator Patrick Leahy. Universities Allied for Essential Medicines also calls on universities to promote equal access to the fruits of their research.

The article reports on the creation of Accelerator Corporation," a venture company that offers a fresh approach to technology transfer by inventor of the automated DNA sequencer, Leroy Hood in the U.S. The Institute for Systems Biology's scientific acumen with six venture-capital partners was combined by the company to provide support and advice for new biotech businesses.

Opinion. Comments on takeover battles over technically oriented companies. Stock transactions; Technology transfer through company mergers; Inaccuracy of stock markets in estimating the value of technically-based companies; International Business Machines Corp.'s bid for Lotus.

The article discusses a 2007 survey conducted by the U.S. Association of University Technology Mangers which ranks the income earned from technology-licensing among U.S. institutions such as hospitals, universities, and investment firms. Topics include examples of the top earners among those that allowed their data to be published including New York University who sold partial rights to Remicade, which is an autoimmune-disease drug, and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

The article reports on the revolutionary changes in patenting academic research in the U.S. It cites that Genentech Inc., a Californian biotechnology company, has resolved a case with the University of California with the settlement payment of $200 million over the allegation that a researcher has slipped human growth hormone DNA out of the university's laboratory. Furthermore, a study reveals that patented discoveries made at universities are redirected to privately owned firms because of system failures. In addition, industry experts suggest some ways to keep patents at the universities including ensuring relations between technology-transfer offices and faculty members.

The article focuses on the report released by the National Academies that calls for the establishment of a high-level science and security commission in the U.S. It relates that the security commission will focus on limiting the bureaucratic restrictions on research and encourage universities to cultivate an open culture in the research efforts. Moreover, it adds that the authors of the reports also call for an easing of visa, technology transfer, and contract restrictions to encourage more international collaborations.

Discusses the role of specialists in technology transfer on the high technology industry in San Diego, California. Technology transfer office at the University of California's creation of start-up companies through licensing and other intellectual-property deals; Research centres' requirement for their faculty members to report inventions to the technology-transfer office; Patent application process.

Discusses the implications of a proposal in the United States Congress for resolving disputes over patent rights. Threat to the transfer of scientific technology from Department of Energy laboratories to private companies; Views of officials from the University of California; Conflict between the Lawrence Livermore laboratory and Time Domain over rights to micro-impulse radar (MIR) technology; Comments from Time Domain's president, Ralph Petroff.

Reports on the package of measures to be announced by the United States to promote the transfer of US research and technology to Northern Ireland. Details on the package.

Discusses a factual error made by President George Bush during a recent visit to the Superconducting Super Collider laboratory in Texas. His statement about a scientist who figured out a way to make artificial kidneys for $15 apiece; Finley Markley, who has worked at the Fermi National Laboratory for the past 13 years; Details.