Patent Law and Technology Transfer Interest Group

The goal of our interest group is to provide an educational and networking opportunity for NIH scientists interested in patent law and technology transfer. The interest group hopes to attract current members of the NIH Office of Technology Transfer (OTT), bench scientists with interests in intellectual property, as well as past fellows who have transitioned into applicable careers in local companies. We feature seminars inviting representatives from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), law firms and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to discuss issues that are currently important to this field. Additionally, we provide an environment in which junior scientists can learn about different career opportunities in this field and steps they can take to become competitive for these positions.

For those of you interested: The NIH Patent Bar Study Group (PBSG) is an ongoing program for those at NIH and the FDA who are studying for the USPTO Patent Bar Exam, or those who are just interested in knowing more about Patent Law. The study group meets once a month on Saturday morning. If interested, please contact Cecilia Pazman at pazmance@niaid.nih.gov to be added to the e-mail list.

Here is a description of the meetings: Understanding the ins-and-outs of patent law are considered esoteric at best. Over the past two decades, patent law has been in constant motion both for legal and administrative reasons. As an adjunct to the PBSG, Brian Stanton, Ph.D. will be providing specific information spanning the gamut from patent law per se to the administrative foundation of the thought processes that go into the development of the both the questions and the answers on the patent bar examination. His insights will not only help those working towards becoming members of the patent bar, but will also provide a greater understanding of how to review a patent prosecution history. Gaining understanding of the full spectrum of the patent process will help would be prosecutors, litigators, and those wishing to understand the policies that form the foundation of international trade. Specific topics will include how to interview inventors, read both statutory and case law, and the evolution of patent policy and procedure.

The interest group moderator is Cameron Good.

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