Bayh-Dole - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Understanding what the Bayh-Dole Act does and does not require of inventors, agencies and universities is a critical pretextyeah to any informed debate. IPAO sat down with Dr. Gerald Barnett to discuss the Bayh-Dole Act and to develop an understanding of what it really requires of university and inventor. Barnett, a technology transfer veteran, lays out the true purpose of Bayh-Dole and reveals how it has been misused and abused.

Wake Up Call to Patent "Reform" - Industry and University Inventors Align

At a glance the Manufacturing Alliance on Patent Policy (MAPP) and the National Small Business Association (NSBA) may not seem to be organizations that share many commonalities with university faculty inventors, but in fact, they do have one major issue in common: patent "reform". But both are applying their influence to Congress to forestall the current patent "reform" proposals for much the same reasons that concern IP Advocate.

University Case Moves to Court - Inventor Rights at Stake

Rejected in Federal court, the University of Missouri has moved their case against professor Dr. Galen Suppes to their local county court. The University has accused their researcher of altering documents without their knowledge and licensing inventions he made, but they own. Suppes maintains that Mizzou's technology transfer program is broken and that his intellectual property was neglected and mismanaged.

PET/CT Inventors Prevail Court Rules Against University

Hailed by Time Magazine for Invention of the Year in 2000, PET/CT co-inventors Dr. David Townsend and Dr. Ron Nutt were credited with the creation of a powerful new diagnostic tool that has improved diagnosis and survival rates for cancer patients. The University of Pittsburgh, however, sued the inventors, charging them with conspiracy, fraud and breach of contract.

New Book Sheds Light on UGA President Adams

Pulitzer Prize winner Rich Whitt's final work of investigative journalism, Behind the Hedges - Big Money and Power Politics at the University of Georgia, exposes the conflicting imperatives of university technology transfer policies are illustrated in the questionable actions by UGA President Michael F. Adams. Chapter 11 of this investigative tome, titled The Kaswan Imbroglio is available on our site.

Judge Calls Allergan Plot Against UGA "Sinister"

In a judgment which impacts all academic inventors, Judge David Sweat ruled that UGA had no obligation to act with 'good will and fair dealing' and called the deal struck with Allergan "sinister". UGA was convinced to sell off royalties on Restasis® for pennies on the dollar and then kept the terms hidden in violation of Open Record and Meeting Laws. Why would UGA accept this questionable deal?

Patent Assignment Cancels Inventor Rights

Academic inventors assume their university will work with them to protect their intellectual property. However, many IP policies and patent agreements divest faculty scientists of any rights in their work and in the long run, may harm academic innovation.

The Mission of IPAdvocate.org is Important

My name is Dr. Renee Kaswan. I am the founder of IPAdvocate.org. While a professor at the University of Georgia, I invented the billion dollar breakthrough product, Restasis®. Unfortunately, my story deteriorated into a long, legal controversy that has deprived me of rights in my work.