News
By Joseph Liss
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September 20, 2011
President Obama signed a bill last Friday that aims to institute sweeping patent reforms, which could affect the way the University competes with other institutions of higher education to obtain patents for its research.
In a statement released Friday about the America Invents Act, the White House mentioned the University as being one of "over 40 universities [that] are answering the President's call to expand their commercialization programs and goals."
"Universities were asked in time for [the bill signing] to report to the White House Office of Science and Technology" about how they are doing a better job promoting innovation and commercialization, especially in how they partner with the private sector, said Mark Crowell, executive director for innovation partnerships and commercialization at the University.
In response, the University is more heavily focusing on obtaining patents for research, with an emphasis on translational research, which can be made into commercialized products, Crowell said.
The new provisions could have lasting effects for the University's approach to patents.
"[The law] is going to change the calculus of how quickly to file [a patent]," University Law Prof.