Bayh-Dole Bulletin: Edition 14

Welcome to the Bayh-Dole Bulletin, a monthly newsletter from the Bayh-Dole Coalition. The Bayh-Dole Coalition is a diverse group of innovation-oriented organizations and individuals committed to celebrating and protecting the Bayh-Dole Act, as well as informing policymakers and the public of its many benefits.

About the Bayh-Dole Coalition

A Word From Our Executive Director

As you know all too well, we’re in the midst of a fundamental re-examination of the role of the federal government in funding research, along with a debate over how much we can afford to spend on federal R&D in a time of crushing budget deficits. Luckily, we have good data on the return on investment hard-pressed taxpayers receive under the Bayh-Dole system. The latest is the excellent new report from our valued Coalition member, the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation: “ The Bayh-Dole Act’s Role in Stimulating University-Led Regional Economic Growth,” which has been well received. The report nicely complements our own 2025 Faces of American Innovation report, telling the inspiring stories of this year’s award winners, whose work has benefited millions here and around the world.

But there’s another aspect we can’t ignore. Lack of faith in public and private sector institutions is at an all-time high. Under the Bayh-Dole system, those receiving federal research grants and contracts are tasked with being stewards of the public interest. Stewardship is an ancient concept, which Merriam-Webster defines as “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.” I would add to that, to me, it means caring for what’s entrusted to you even more than you would if it were your own. The Bayh-Dole Coalition will be working with our members to convey that not only does the Bayh-Dole system drive the economy while improving our standard of living, but those entrusted with managing federally funded R&D take their stewardship seriously.

We’ll soon be calling on our members to develop even more effective ways to get that vital message out, now that it is sorely needed.

Thanks for all your help and support.

June Coalition Highlights

• Letter to the Editor: STAT, “STAT readers on vaccines, research funding cuts, and organ donation” (6/28)
• Article: Madison Reporter, “UW professor honored for contribution to at-home cancer testing” (6/25)
• Article: University of Wisconsin-Madison News, “UW professor emeritus who paved the way for at-home colon cancer testing and other screenings earns national recognition” (6/25)
• Op-ed: Dan Powers, Aspen Daily News, “Policy threats undermine Colorado’s innovation” (6/23)
• Article: Inside UNC Charlotte, “Charlotte Alumna Jennifer Pagán is Tackling Clean Water Locally and Globally” (6/23)
• Article: Bio.News, “Bayh-Dole Coalition promotes an Act that supercharged innovation” (6/11)
• Article: Forbes, “3 Tips To Communicate The Value Of Your Patented Invention” (6/3)
• Press Release: NIH Office of Technology Transfer, “Bayh-Dole Coalition Recognizes Former OTT Director as a Face of American Innovation” (6/3)
• Article: TechEngage, “Lower Your University’s Risk By Adding Due Diligence To Your Corporate Engagement and Licensing Processes” (5/21)

2025 Faces of American Innovation

Thank you to everyone who attended our third-annual American Innovator Award Ceremony and Faces of American Innovation Capitol Hill Briefing earlier this month!

On Wednesday, June 4, the ceremony honored the 2025 American Innovator Award recipients, whose achievements are featured in the 2025 Faces of American Innovation report:

• Dr. Jennifer Pagán, founder and CTO of Aquisense
• Dr. Jim Dahlberg, emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and cofounder of Third Wave Technologies
• Dr. Christina Wildfire, a researcher at the National Energy Technology Laboratory
• Vinit Nijhawan, managing director of MassVentures and former head of Boston University’s Office of Technology Development
• Dr. Mark Rohrbaugh, former director of the NIH Office of Technology Transfer

Following the ceremony, we heard remarks from Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC-02) and Coke Morgan Stewart, Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) provided virtual remarks. Joseph P. Allen also unveiled the Bayh-Dole Coalition’s 45th anniversary video, Celebrating 45 Years of the Bayh-Dole Act (see below).

On Thursday, June 5, the Bayh-Dole Coalition hosted the 2025 Faces of American Innovation Capitol Hill Briefing in the Senate Visitor Center, opening with remarks from Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA-03).

Joseph P. Allen then showcased four new testimonial videos from Dr. Lori Pressman, Laura Peter, Stephen Ezell, Paul Zielinski .

Following the briefing, the five 2025 Bayh-Dole Coalition American Innovator Award recipients and members of the Bayh-Dole Coalition met with more than a dozen congressional offices to discuss the significance of the Bayh-Dole Act, its 45-year impact on American innovation, and its positive contribution to the U.S. economy and national security.

To see a full summary of events, photos, social media posts, and more, take a look at our American Innovator Award Ceremony & Faces of American Innovation Capitol Hill Briefing webpage !

Member Corner

• David Grant, Co-founder of G5 Biological Innovations, LLC
• Vinit Nijhawan, Managing Director of MassVentures and 2025 American Innovator Award recipient
• Abe Walters Founder of Applied Industrial Measurements
• Dr. Jennifer Pagán, CTO and Co-founder of AquiSense Technologies and 2025 American Innovator Award recipient
• The George Washington University Technology Commercialization Office
• The National Academy of Inventors
• TreMonti Consulting, LLC

If you are interested in becoming a member, please apply here — it’s free! If you are a member and your organization has an upcoming event, submit the information here to be featured in our newsletter and events calendar.

Member Spotlight

This month’s member spotlight is Patrick Kilbride, founder of Kilbride Public Affairs! Patrick is a seasoned public policy expert and accomplished speaker with two decades of experience in international intellectual property, innovation policy, and strategic communications. As the former Senior Vice President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC), he led efforts to advance IP protections and promote market-based innovation globally. Patrick was a panelist on the Coalition’s “The Three-Pronged Attack on U.S. Innovation and Intellectual Property ” webinar in 2023. The Coalition is fortunate to have such a dedicated champion of the Bayh-Dole system as a member.

“When we see federally-funded research as a point on a continuum that starts with education, expands knowledge through research, and culminates in the application of new knowledge to technology breakthroughs, then we also see the importance of the exchange of knowledge assets among specialized stakeholders along that continuum. The Bayh-Dole Act, through the patent rights it secures, is the mechanism by which knowledge asset transfer happens in our world-leading, U.S. market economy.” — Patrick Kilbride, Public Policy Advisor and Public Speaker, Kilbride Public Affairs