Tag: ORA

Blog posts to be included in the ORA Newsletter blog site

Quick Reference of the Common Types of Intellectual Property Rights

Posted onAuthorLinda Kesselring

“Intellectual property” or “IP” generally refers to exclusive rights granted to owners under U.S. intellectual property laws to a variety of intangible assets covering creations of the human mind. Common types of IP rights include copyrights, trademarks, patents (utility, plant, and design patents) and trade secrets. Type of Right What it Protects How to Obtain Copyright Original works of authorship, including writings (including computer software) music (including any accompany words and/or music), and works of art (e.g., pictorial, graphic, and/or sculptural works) that have been tangibly expressed Copyright exists immediately and automatically when the work is created, that is, when Read More …

What do Those Extra Letters Mean? Professional Designations in Technology Transfer

Posted onAuthorLinda Kesselring

Many members of our team carry additional letters behind their names that you’ve probably seen, like PhD, JD, or MBA. But what do the others, like CLP and RTTP, mean? These are certifications and designations attained by those in the technology transfer and licensing fields. They are administered and distributed by the professional societies our team members participate in, such as the Licensing Executive Society and the Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals. These designations represent a certain level of proficiency and experience in our field. They also add an additional layer of credibility for our academic and industry partners. Here Read More …

Inventorship: Who is an Inventor?

Posted onAuthorLinda Kesselring

Inventorship could be the million-dollar question. In a university setting where collaboration is commonplace – who qualifies as an inventor? Most scholars understand “authorship,” but this concept shouldn’t be confused with “inventorship.” Being listed as an author on a journal article discussing the invention does not automatically make one an inventor on the patent itself. As a rule, an inventor is one who has contributed to the “conception” of an invention. Whereas someone working at the direction of another, using routine skill without making a conceptual contribution, is not an inventor under U. S. patent law. Credentials, such as degrees Read More …

Untangling the Codes

Posted onAuthorLinda Kesselring

In technology transfer, as in other fields, there are quite a few acronyms that are thrown around and may seem confusing at first. In this glossary, we break down the different types of agreements that’ll help you untangle those codes. MTA MTA stands for Material Transfer Agreement. Because research and technology development are often collaborative efforts, colleagues may share research tools. MTAs are formal contracts that define the proper use and limits of these shared tools, which could include reagents, cells, antibodies, computer software, etc. It’s important to execute an MTA before any research material is sent or received. The Read More …