Valgen

VALGEN will examine how scientific and technological discoveries leave the laboratory as intellectual property such as patents, copyrights and trade secrets. The research will investigate how these legal tools are currently used and their effects on innovation, and how intellectual property law, adjustments in institutional policies and changes in practices of scientists and managers might need reform to better meet Canada’s needs for timely and accessible innovation.

VALGEN will examine the changing roles of institutions, firms and individuals with respect to intellectual property management and technology transfer (both nationally and internationally) resulting from publicly funded life sciences research in Canada. They will also evaluate alternative models and frameworks for technology transfer to determine appropriate IP strategies to maximize social and economic benefits from Genome Canada Applied Genomics Research in Bioproducts or Crops (ABC) projects.

Research questions include:
• What is the current and standardized definition of patent landscape?
• From an international perspective, what are the IP and TT issues and opportunities related to ABC?
• What is the appropriate response/remedy for infringement of patents?
• What are the current best practices when it comes to alternative IP models?
• What are the current best foresight practices and capacity related to IP and TT issues?

Publications

Andrews, K. and DeBeer, J. 2010. Accounting of Profits to Remedy Biotechnology Patent Infringement. 47:4 Osgoode Hall Law Journal.

Boland, W., P. Phillips and C. Ryan. 2010. Public-Private Partnerships for the Management of National, Regional and International Innovation Systems: A Network Analysis of Knowledge Translation Systems.
Working paper for CAIRN, March.

Castle, D. (Ed). The Role of  Intellectual Property Rights in Biotechnology Innovation. Dec. 2009.

Castle, D. 2010. Knowledge management trumps IPRs, sometimes. Presentation to the UN-IP Symposium, EUI, Florence, Italy, March 3-4, 2010.

Castle, D. 2010. Knowledge management as a precondition of life sciences innovation. ESRC Genomics Network Seminar, October 25.

DeBeer, J. 2010. Accounting of Profits to Remedy Biotechnology Patent Infringement. 47:4 Osgoode Hall Law Journal.

DeBeer, J. New directions for biotech infringement remedies. The Lawyers Weekly. May 7, 2010.

Culver, K. 2010. So you think you’re special: does eco-innovation knowledge need special treatment in knowledge management and intellectual property rights regimes. Presentation to the UN-IP Symposium, EUI, Florence, Italy, March 3-4, 2010.

Galushko, V., S. J. Smyth, R. Gray and P. Arnison. 2010. Resolving FTO Barriers in GM Canola. Presentation at the 14th ICABR Conference, Ravello, Italy, June 16-18.

Gold, R. 2010. Beyond open source: patents, biobanks and sharing.  Comparative Issues in the Governance of Research Biobanks Conference. University of Trento. Many 2010.

Gold, R. 2010. Patents and Norms: Can’t have one without the other. Presentation to the UN-IP Symposium, EUI, Florence, Italy, March 3-4, 2010.

Gold, R. 2010. Technology transfer, intellectual property and social norms: two seminars, Department of Law, University of Trento. May 2010.

Gold, R. 2009. Toward a new era of intellectual property: Building collaborations as a means to access knowledge Ottawa, Canada, October 2009 International Development Research Centre: Accessing Patented Knowledge for Innovation.

Gold, R. 2009. Toward a new era of intellectual property: ”facts” in light of international trends and pressures Montreal, Canada, October 2009 National Judicial Institute: Federal Court Annual Education Seminar.

Lewensohn, D. 2010. Enhancing value extraction from existing patent portfolios. Euroscience Open Forum. July 5.

Phillips, P. 2009. Coordination and Commercialization Panel. Panel Member, CAIRN meeting, Banff, December 7.

Phillips, P. 2010. Social Control of Knowledge: IPRS in Society. Presentation to the UN-IP Symposium, EUI, Florence, Italy, March 3-4, 2010.

Phillips, P. 2010. “From Science to Business in Brassicas: The public-private division of labour in Canada: Canola and beyond” Conference on Technology Transfer in the Plant Sciences at Wageningen,
NL, May 21.

Smyth, SJ and R. Gray. (Accepted).  Intellectual Property Sharing Agreements in Gene Technology: Implications for Research and Commercialization.  International Journal of Intellectual Property Management.

Smyth, SJ, WA Kerr and PWB Phillips. (Accepted). Recent Trends in the Scientific Basis of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Trade Rules and Their Potential Impact on Investment.  The Journal of World Investment and Trade.

Smyth, SJ., M. Gusta, K. Belcher, PWB Phillips and D. Castle. (Accepted). Environmental Impacts from Herbicide Tolerant Canola Production in Western Canada.  Agricultural Systems.