Patent Law & Technology Transfer Interest Group

The goal of the Patent Law, Industry, & Technology Transfer Interest Group (PLITT) is to provide an educational and networking opportunity for NIH scientists interested in patent law, industry, and technology transfer. The interest group will include members of the NIH Office of Technology Transfer (OTT), Technology Development Coordinators (TDCs) from the NIH institutes, bench scientists with interests in intellectual property and the biotechnology industry, as well as past fellows who have transitioned into applicable careers in local institutions or 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.

The interest group will coordinate meetings and activities closely with local organizations such as the Technology Transfer Society DC Chapter, the Licensing Executives Society (DC & VA Chapter) as well as the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer.

The goal for the organization is to each year feature a mini-symposium on Technology Transfer at the NIH Research Festival that features former intramural investigators who have gone on to found or have successful careers in patent law, technology transfer or at companies. Additionally, the organization also will work to provide more opportunity and support for trainees interested in industry through job fairs, networking events, technology demonstrations, and field trips to local companies and facilities. Poster sessions on careers in technology transfer & business development for scientists will also be submitted. The SIG will also support the annual Philip S. Chen Lecture on Technology Transfer & Innovation given each fall.

The interest group moderators are Steve Ferguson (steven.ferguson@nih.gov) and Ulisses Santamaria (ulisses.santamaria@nih.gov).

Mailing List

To join the Patent Law & Technology Transfer Interest Group mailing list, please visit the Patent Law & Technology Transfer Interest Group Listserv home page, then click the “Subscribe or Unsubscribe” link in the right sidebar.

Scientific Focus Areas

This page was last updated on Tuesday, June 7, 2022