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.
Bayh-Dole Bulletin: Edition 4
About the Bayh-Dole Coalition
A Word From Our Executive Director
As Congress returns and the election season heats up, decisions will be made that will impact the Bayh-Dole system, for good or ill. When making decisions about our system, policymakers are often reacting to anecdotes about high prices or technologies leaking overseas. The Bayh-Dole Coalition works every day to inform decision-makers, the media, and the public about the dedication and sacrifice needed to turn a federally-funded invention into something that improves lives here and around the world. One of the most effective ways of doing so is through easily understandable stories.
That’s why we are releasing our “Faces of American Innovation” report featuring five remarkable people who have made the world better because of the Bayh-Dole system. I hope you can join us in Washington, D.C., on September 19 to honor this year’s award winners. While in D.C., our awardees will also meet with Members of Congress and their staff to explain how our system works and why it must be protected and nurtured for the betterment of our nation and the world.
We really are making a difference.
August Coalition Highlights
- Report: 2024 Faces of American Innovation (9/4)
- Op-ed: Brian O’Shaughnessy, Law360, “Chevron Reversal May Protect IP Rights Under Bayh-Dole” (8/8)
- Article: Bloomberg Law, “Ozempic Price Draws New Call for Biden to Seize Drug Patents” (8/5)
- Op-ed: John Stanford, RealClearMarkets, “A White House Proposal That Could Harm the VC-Dependent” (8/5)
Upcoming Events & Coalition Priorities
On September 19 in Washington, D.C., the Bayh-Dole Coalition will host our second-annual Faces of American Innovation Capitol Hill Briefing, where we’ll honor the five inspiring individuals profiled in our newly released 2024 Faces of American Innovation report.
The event will be open to the public. If you’re interested in attending the 9/19 Capitol Hill Briefing, please RSVP here by Friday, 9/6 at 4 PM ET. Please share the link with interested parties in your network.
Member Corner
- Laura Peter: Laura Peter is executive director of the UNC Charlotte Office of Research Commercialization and Partnerships. She previously served as deputy under secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and deputy director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
- Rutgers University: Rutgers University Office for Research provides a pipeline of services across Rutgers to drive and support faculty research and strategically leads the university’s economic development activities.
- WUSTL Office of Technology Management: The Office of Technology Management pairs cutting-edge Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) research with expertise to create a pipeline of opportunities to benefit society.
- On September 29, IPWatchdog will honor Joseph Allen, executive director of the Bayh-Dole Coalition, as the 2024 recipient of the Paul Michel Award. He will be presented with the award on Sunday evening, September 29, 2024, at IPWatchdog LIVE 2024.
Member Spotlight
Our August member spotlight is Jon Soderstrom! Jon previously served as the managing director of the Yale Office of Cooperative Research for over 25 years. During his tenure, he oversaw more than 75 startups with over 42 billion in venture capital and another $7 billion in public equity financing based on Yale intellectual property. Jon currently serves as the chief licensing advisor in the New York office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. The Bayh-Dole Coalition is fortunate to have Jon as a member of our Board of Directors.
“The Bayh-Dole Act established a system that sparked a remarkable era of technological breakthrough and economic growth in America. To sustain this momentum, lawmakers must prioritize and protect intellectual property rights — especially those of universities, small businesses and research institutions who receive federal funds, and the authorities of the Bayh-Dole Act needed to turn inventions into useful products driving our economy while improving lives here and around the world. The Bayh-Dole Coalition’s advocacy for those rights via the preservation of the Bayh-Dole Act will ensure our nation’s technology transfer system continues to flourish for generations to come.” – Jon Soderstrom, Chief Licensing Advisor, Wilson Sonsini
