Bayh-Dole Bulletin: Edition 15

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

We’re doing an inventory of what the Bayh-Dole Coalition has done so far this year as we begin developing our budget for next year, and that’s brought to mind how thankful we are for our members. Because of you, we’ve been able to make a real impact in the debate over the merits and the impact of federally funded R&D.

Unlike many of our critics, we don’t offer theories — we draw upon your hard-won expertise for how our innovation system actually works.

So far this year, we’ve reached audiences of more than 196 million people through our media engagements, including the Associated Press, Forbes, the Washington Post, and more. We had a highly successful Faces of American Innovation Capitol Hill day, where our American Innovator Award winners, accompanied by our members, visited key Congressional stakeholders. We held a widely-viewed webinar on the importance of federally funded research to our economy and national wellbeing. We’ve also sent numerous letters to agencies and the White House flagging violations of the Bayh-Dole Act that undermine American innovation.

All of these efforts centered on presenting the incredible expertise of our members representing academia, industry, venture funding, startup companies, and others.

We just held a Bayh-Dole Coalition members-only discussion of the realities of finding domestic manufacturers to make products based on Bayh-Dole inventions. That issue surfaced in the last Congress and unfortunately led to counterproductive proposals because the user community was not involved in the discussion. We are now incorporating the input we received from our members into a Coalition policy paper to help develop constructive approaches for making more products in the United States, while making the waiver policy when that is not possible more effective. There’s no excuse for agencies not even bothering to reply when waivers authorized by the Bayh-Dole Act are filed.

We have a lot more planned for the remainder of the year and will continue to draw upon our members as the debate over federally funded R&D heats up this fall.

Our “ace in the hole” is that our members actually commercialize new technologies in the hard, cold light of day. And as the response to our message shows, that’s a good hand to play.

July Coalition Highlights

• Article: In Business Madison, “After a century investing in innovation, WARF looks to the future” (7/31)
• Article: All in Wisconsin, “UW-Madison professor emeritus who paved the way for at-home colon cancer testing and other screenings earns national recognition” (7/30)
• Op-ed: Wisconsin State Journal, “Lifesaving science at UW-Madison depends on patent rights” (7/26)
• Article: TechInsight, “What We Stand to Lose from Federal Research Funding Cuts” (7/22)
• Article: NIH Technology Transfer Community Newsletter, “Bayh-Dole Coalition Recognizes Former OTT Director as a Face of American Innovation” (7/20)
• Article: Delaware Business Now, “Report highlights vital role of university pharma research in strengthening Delaware economy” (6/28)

Upcoming Events & Coalition Priorities

As we approach the 45th anniversary of the Bayh-Dole Act, which was passed in December 1980, it is essential to celebrate, appreciate, and reflect on decades of groundbreaking innovation made possible by this landmark legislation. The data speaks for itself — demonstrating the profound and enduring success of the Bayh-Dole system and emphasizing the importance of preserving it.

A recent report from the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), “The Bayh-Dole Act’s Role in Stimulating University-Led Regional Economic Growth,” highlights the pivotal role that universities play in advancing America’s technology-driven economy — thanks in large part to the framework Bayh-Dole established.

New data from AUTM further illustrates the scale of that impact: since 1996, academic tech transfer under Bayh-Dole has led to more than 19,000 startups, 580,000 invention disclosures, and contributed $1.9 trillion to the U.S. GDP. This innovation pipeline has also supported 6.5 million jobs and resulted in nearly 150,000 patents issued to research institutions across the country.

To see how real-world breakthroughs begin with federally funded research and reach the market through technology transfer, we invite you to watch the videos from our 2025 Faces of American Innovation events — spotlighting the people and stories behind transformative discoveries. Let’s continue to protect and strengthen this vital engine of progress.

Member Corner

• Dr. Gary DeBoer, Licensing & Patent Associate at Baylor University
• Elizabeth Beerman, Director of Contracts & Compliance, Columbia Technology Ventures
• Kathryn Donohue, Director of Legal Affairs & Associate General Counsel, University of Pennsylvania
• Eric Olson, Intellectual Property Officer, University of Minnesota

Member Events

• On Tuesday, August 5, AUTM will host its virtual watercooler, “Growth and Changes in Tech Transfer Over the Years and AUTM’s Impact,” to celebrate the 50th anniversary of technology transfer by examining its growth and transformation with a focus on AUTM’s key role in shaping the field.
• On Thursday, August 28, the Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada) will host its webinar, “Working with Federal Labs and Universities for Licensing their Technologies,” where IP expert Larry Udell will discuss his experiences working with federal labs and universities in commercializing research-generated inventions.
• From September 15-17, IPWatchdog will host its second-annual Women’s IP Forum, featuring an all-female group of speakers with varying levels of expertise discussing interesting and timely topics.

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 Mary Rose Luceri, program associate paralegal in the Technology Commercialization Office (TCO) at The George Washington University! Mary Rose helps manage and license TCO’s patent portfolio. The Bayh-Dole Act encourages investors to license federally-funded innovations like those at TCO. With years of experience in technology transfer, startups, investment, and business development, Mary Rose brings a unique perspective to TCO. Before joining GW, she served as managing director of an SBA-licensed small business investment company focused on investing in educational services and clinical trial startups. She has also held senior positions in public-pension management and as a paralegal investigator in the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. A staunch defender of intellectual property rights, the Bayh-Dole Coalition is thrilled to have Mary Rose, along with the GW Technology Commercialization Office, as a member.
“Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of helping a variety of professional services firms from Electronic Data Systems, to engineering firms and pension management companies win business in the local, state, and federal markets. Currently at GW, I support the Technology Commercialization Office’s mission: from the Lab to the World. And thanks to the Bayh-Dole Act, investors and startups have the confidence to start new businesses by investing in the TCO’s patented technologies that improve people’s lives. Without Bayh-Dole, most federally-funded patents would never reach the market. Recently, I attended the 4th of July celebration at George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon where I was reminded that President Washington called on Congress to protect intellectual property rights because he understood their value. Bayh-Dole carries on the founders’ legacy by encouraging and protecting U.S. innovation — making the U.S. economy the envy of the world. From spurring innovation in everything from clean energy and quantum computing to medical breakthroughs and the magical taste of Honeycrisp apples, tech transfer and Bayh-Dole make America strong.” — Mary Rose Luceri, Program Associate Paralegal, The George Washington University Technology Commercialization Office