DC Dispatch
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October 10, 2014
GAO Releases Report on FLC Clearinghouse Efforts
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has completed: and now released its
review of the FLC's “efforts to provide information on technology transfer
opportunities.” From the report, the GAO report “assesses (1) the extent to which FLC
has communicated with potential customers when designing and implementing its
clearinghouse initiatives, and (2) how FLC measured the results of those initiatives.” The
GAO found, “[T]he Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) has
taken steps to communicate with potential customers, including small businesses and
entrepreneurs, but has not obtained feedback from them to assess their needs when
designing and implementing technology transfer clearinghouse initiatives. This resulted
in missed opportunities to better meet potential customer needs. … FLC faces challenges
in communicating with potential customers without also engaging its agency and lab
members, given the relatively small size of FLC's annual budget and available staff. By
working collaboratively with agency and lab members to collect feedback, FLC can enlist
their help in enhancing the information provided through its initiatives.” The GAO
recommended “that FLC work collaboratively with agency and lab members to increase
communication with potential customers to obtain feedback and improve its
clearinghouse initiatives, and develop performance measures.” (Original Sources: GAO
web site)
NIH Offers Search Tool for Federally-Funded R&D
(And now expanding to other agencies)
NIH created a search tool: titled NIH RePORTER, as a way of “finding information
about NIH funded research, as well as data on trends in NIH funding and the biomedical
workforce.” From a recent NIH Extramural Nexus blog post, “NIH is [now]
collaborating with other agencies to create Federal RePORTER, a single web portal that
allows you to search federal-funded science projects across multiple agencies. … The
project is part of the STAR METRICS® program and supports the program’s goal of
linking the federal government’s scientific research investments to outcomes and outputs
(e.g., patents, citations, workforce outcomes). … The database includes research projects
funded by several Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) operating divisions
(NIH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration,
Administration for Children and Families, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality), as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, National Science Foundation, Department of Veterans Affairs, the
Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine and the Congressionally Directed
Medical Research Programs of the Department of Defense, and the latest addition the
United States Department of Agriculture.” (Original Sources: NIH Extramural blog post)
Contact:
Gary K. Jones, FLC DC Representative, gkjones.ctr@federallabs.org
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AUTM Releases Latest Licensing Survey Results
AUTM has recently released the results: of its member’s tech transfer activities for 2013.
From the initial highlights (the full report was not yet available and requires membership
or payment), in 2013, university tech transfer accounted for 5,198 licenses executed (496
containing equity positions), 1,356 options executed, 14,995 new patent applications filed
(with 5,714 U.S. patents issued), and 818 startup companies formed. This was
accomplished against the backdrop of flat or slightly decreasing Federally-funded
university research expenditures (approximately $40 billion, down 0.7 percent) and
increasing industry-sponsored academic research expenditures (approximately$4.5
billion, up 11 percent). Total research expenditures increased 2.3 percent, to over $65
billion. They also cite that of the approximately 8,500 startups reported over the years of
this survey, 4,206 startups are still in operations in 2013 with $22.8 billion in associated
net product sales – and 719 new commercial products were created in 2013 by companies
licensing university technologies. See the link for more details. (Original Sources:
AUTM web site)
New From NSF
Federal Funds for Research and Development FYs 2012-14 provides “detailed tabular
data on the research and development obligations and outlays of federal agencies.
Obligations are provided by character of work (basic research, applied research,
development, and R&D plant), agency, field of science or engineering (for research
only), geographic area, and performer. These data, collected by the Survey of Federal
Funds for Research and Development, are the primary source of information about
federal funding for R&D.” (Original Sources: NSF web site)
Survey of Doctorate Recipients 2013 provides “demographic and career history
information about individuals with a research doctoral degree in a science, engineering,
or health (SEH) field from a U.S. academic institution. The survey follows a sample of
individuals with SEH doctorates throughout their careers from the year of their degree
award until age 76. … Results are used to make decisions related to the educational and
occupational achievements and career movement of the nation's doctoral scientists and
engineers.” Key variables in the survey include demographics, educational history,
employment status, field of degree and occupation. (Original Sources: NSF web site)
Unemployment among Doctoral Scientists and Engineers Remained below the National
Average in 2013 notes that “[I]n 2013, an estimated 837,900 individuals in the United
States held research doctoral degrees in science, engineering, and health (SEH) fields, an
increase of 4.0% from 2010. Of these individuals, approximately 735,900 were in the
labor force, which includes those employed full time or part time and those actively
seeking work (i.e., unemployed). The unemployment rate for SEH doctorate recipients in
the labor force was 2.1% in February 2013, down from 2.4% in October 2010.
Moreover, the 2013 unemployment rate of the SEH doctoral labor force was one-third of
the February 2013 unemployment rate for the general population aged 25 years or older
(6.3%).” (Original Sources: NSF web site)
Contact:
Gary K. Jones, FLC DC Representative, gkjones.ctr@federallabs.org
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AIP Seeks Applicants for State Department Fellowship
AIP has opened the nomination process: for “its 2015-2016 State Department Science
Fellowship.” From the web site, “[T]hrough its State Department Science Fellowship
program, the American Institute of Physics offers an opportunity for scientists to make a
unique and substantial contribution to the foreign policy process by spending a year
working at the U.S. State Department. This is a unique opportunity for a scientist to
contribute scientific and technical expertise to the Department and raise awareness of the
value of scientific input. … Applicants must be U.S. citizens, have a PhD in physics or a
closely related field, be members of one or more of AIP’s Member Societies and be
eligible to receive an appropriate security clearance prior to starting the Fellowship.” The
application deadline is November 3, 2014. (Original Sources: AIP web site)
President Honors Top Scientists and Innovators
President Obama recently announced: a new class of recipients of the National Medal of
Science and National Medal of Technology and Innovation—our Nation’s highest honors
for achievement and leadership in advancing the fields of science and technology. From
the press release, “‘These scholars and innovators have expanded our understanding of
the world, made invaluable contributions to their fields, and helped improve countless
lives,’ President Obama said. ‘Our nation has been enriched by their achievements, and
by all the scientists and technologists across America dedicated to discovery, inquiry, and
invention.’” See the link for the recipient names. Special congrats to federal lab
members Burton Richter (DOE SLAC) and Douglas Lowy and John Schiller (NIH –
NCI). (Original Sources: White House web site)
Fun Facts
USPTO Issues 300,000 Patents in FY 2014
Patently-O reports: that “[F]or the first time, the USPTO has issued more than 300,000
utility patents in one fiscal year. Don’t worry, there remain more than 1,000,000
applications pending in the pipeline and more than 25,000 appeals remain pending before
the [PTAB].” See the post here. (Original Sources: Patently-O blog)
Where Are US Patent Owners Located
Patently-O has prepared a chart: highlighting the “country of first named inventor” for
U.S. patents issued in FY 2014. From the chart, the U.S. is of course first, followed by
Japan, Germany, Korea, Taiwan and China. (Original Sources: Patently-O blog)
Top States Doing Business in 2014
Area Development has prepared a list: of the top states for doing business in 2014, based
on a survey of site consultants -- based on their number of mentions by the consultants in
three overall categories (business environment, labor climate, Infrastructure and Global
Access) and 18 subcategories. From the post, the top five include GA, TX, SC, AL, and
TN. See the link for full rankings. (Original Sources: Area Development online,
Innovation Daily newsletter)
Contact:
Gary K. Jones, FLC DC Representative, gkjones.ctr@federallabs.org
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Ocean Tomo Back in the Live IP Auction Business
Ocean Tomo recently announced: that it will restart its live IP auction efforts in Spring
2015. From the press release, “‘We are very excited to announce the launch of our next
generation auction platform from San Francisco, the site of our inaugural intellectual
property auction,’ said Chairman & CEO James E. Malackowski. ‘After several months
of working with the corporate buyer and seller community to define the parameters of the
auction, we are now accepting submissions from patent owners wanting to sell high
quality technology patents in an effective, transparent forum for commerce.’ Ocean
Tomo has deep experience having created the live multi-lot IP auction marketplace in
2006. The firm exited the auction business in 2009, but has now returned to the business
it pioneered in response to input from the patent acquisition and divestiture community
that it would again benefit from a more transparent process for the purchase and sale of
patents.” (Note: I include this because I know several of our member labs took advantage
of this effort when it was first offered). (Original Sources: OT web site)
Spotlight on Member Activities
(NIH and FDA win award)
NIH and FDA win LES’ 2014 Deal of Distinction Award: for “the year’s most
outstanding intellectual property licensing deal, for technology transfer of a pioneering,
low-cost meningitis vaccine launched in sub-Saharan Africa.” From the press release
“[T]he 2014 Deals of Distinction Award [were] presented to the two federal agencies and
their collaborators … at the society’s 50th annual meeting, Oct. 5-8 in San Francisco.
NIH and the FDA teamed with PATH, a Seattle-based non-profit leader in global health
innovation, and the Serum Institute of India (SII) to develop MenAfriVac. The vaccine
has a low production cost and does not require constant refrigeration, making it ideal for
use in remote locations. A critical part of the manufacturing process for the vaccine is
based upon a patent license granted from the NIH Office of Technology Transfer (NIH
OTT) to PATH. The technology was invented by FDA scientists and subsequently
sublicensed by PATH to SII under the Meningitis Vaccine Project, a partnership of
PATH and the World Health Organization (WHO). The vaccine targets the most
common form of bacterial meningitis, known as serogroup A, found in sub-Saharan
Africa. According to WHO, 80 to 85 percent of all meningitis infections in the region are
from group A.” (Original Sources: NIH web site)
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Note: The DC Dispatch is a periodic update of selected items of interest to the FLC and
technology transfer community -- i.e., current legislation, trends, reports, policy and other
developments potentially affecting technology transfer or related activities -- designed to
keep the community informed of relevant issues on a timely basis. Information is
gleaned directly from a variety of sources (newsletters, email alerts, web sites, direct
participation at events from the FLC DC Representative’s office, etc.) -- with original
sources, contacts and links provided.
Contact:
Gary K. Jones, FLC DC Representative, gkjones.ctr@federallabs.org
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