The Bayh-Dole Bulletin | Edition 20
Bayh-Dole Bulletin: Edition 20
Welcome to the Bayh-Dole Bulletin, a monthly newsletter from the Bayh-Dole Coalition. The Bayh-Dole Coalition is a 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.
If you were forwarded this email and would like to receive future communications, please join our mailing list here.
About the Bayh-Dole Coalition
A Word From Our Executive Director
The Bayh-Dole Coalition is hitting the ground running with our “ROI Initiative,” which is our theme for the New Year. 2026 is an election year where revitalizing the U.S. economy is the key issue. We are already working hard to demonstrate that the public-private sector partnerships made possible by the Bayh-Dole Act are key drivers of our economy and public well-being.
Our government affairs team and I just finished a whirlwind tour of Capitol Hill, alerting Congressional leaders of the significant impact Bayh-Dole is having in their states — and the dire consequences if Secretary of Commerce Lutnick’s idea of having the government seize half of academic patent licensing royalties is implemented. The message was well received. We have a full court press underway to spread that message nationally through articles by our members, webinars such as our recent celebration of Bayh-Dole’s 45th anniversary, videos, and more. We will be releasing the first-ever study of the economic impact of the Bayh-Dole Act, looking not only at academic patent licensing but also the contributions of spin-out companies, and other activities made possible because of the law. This study will have a dramatic impact on policymakers and the media, as we anticipate its findings will be impressive. It will be unveiled at a major event in Washington. We’ll let you know as the details are finalized.
We are also accepting nominations for our 2026 American Innovator Award, which will again be presented in Washington, followed by a series of Capitol Hill visits with our members. As you know, the purpose of the award is illustrating through easy-to-understand stories that Bayh-Dole only works because of the incredible dedication, sacrifice, and risk assumed by our research scientists, technology managers, and most importantly, the entrepreneurial companies and their financial backers that transform government-funded inventions into world-changing products improving lives here and abroad. Our past winners are some of the best voices making our case. If you know someone with an inspiring story, be sure to nominate them.
We also need to be prepared to respond immediately when unexpected challenges arise (such as Sec. Lutnick’s proposal). The Bayh-Dole Coalition has demonstrated that we “punch above our weight,” but we need your active financial support to meet the needs of the new year. We face significant challenges, but we also have significant opportunities to spread our message that the Bayh-Dole system works. It needs to be appreciated and protected — not picked apart. That message resonates if it is heard. We look forward to working with you in 2026, as we have lots to do.
Buckle your seat belts — we are proceeding at full speed ahead!
December Coalition Highlights
- Op-Ed: Emily Michiko Morris and Mark Schultz, Akron Beacon Journal, “Ohio’s innovation shows federal funds for research pay off” (12/18)
- Article: Higher Ed Dive, “What’s at stake as the Trump administration targets Harvard’s patents?” (12/15)
- Webinar: #BayhDole45: Celebrating Bayh-Dole’s Legacy and Looking Ahead (12/12)
- Op-Ed: John Fraser, Orlando Sentinel, “Washington threatens Florida’s innovation pipeline” (12/6)
- Letter to the Editor: Joseph P. Allen, Nature Biotechnology, “March-in rights under the Bayh-Dole Act undermine the US drug development sector without lowering drug costs” (12/2)
- Public Comments: Bayh-Dole Coalition Comments on Revision to Rules of Practice Before the PTAB (12/1)
- Op-Ed: Dr. Shafiqul Chowdhury, NOLA.com, “University innovation helps power Louisiana. A federal plan could stop that.” (11/28)
Upcoming Events & Coalition Priorities
❄️ Happy holidays from the Bayh-Dole Coalition! ❄️
On December 12, 2025, we hosted a webinar marking the 45th anniversary of the Bayh-Dole Act and its impact on transforming federally funded research into real-world innovations.
The program began with an overview of Bayh-Dole’s origins, the challenges Congress aimed to solve, and the balance lawmakers crafted to ensure publicly funded discoveries could reach the market. We assessed the current policy landscape and threats facing the law — including a proposal for the government to seize half of the royalties on university inventions it helps fund and efforts to misuse march-in rights.
We thank everyone who joined us to celebrate 45 years of Bayh-Dole and discuss how to protect the law for generations to come. Watch the recording on our website, YouTube, or below!
Watch #BayhDole45: Celebrating Bayh-Dole’s Legacy and Looking Ahead
As we head into the new year, remember that submissions for the 2026 American Innovator Award are open! We invite you to nominate individuals or small teams who have been instrumental in moving federally funded inventions from the lab to the marketplace — including inventors, licensing professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, and others who help the Bayh-Dole system thrive.
Member Corner
- National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO)
- Brandeis University
- State Science and Technology Institute, Inc.
- Heather Fleener, Senior Director of IP Software & Services at Clarivate
- From January 29-30, 2026, IPWatchdog will host its Sixth Annual Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) program, a high-level, interactive program will feature discussions on all aspects of the PTAB practice led by highly experienced PTAB practitioners and top thought leaders in the industry.
- From February 8-11, 2026, AUTM will host its 2026 Annual Meeting in Seattle, WA! With more than 80 educational workshops and roundtable discussions, global technology transfer professionals will meet and gain insights from world-class speakers, be inspired, and reinvigorate their own professional development.
- From March 22-24, 2026, IPWatchdog will host its 6th annual IPWatchdog LIVE conference! This program brings together the IP community from around the world, giving attendees the opportunity to discuss issues facing the industry.
- From October 18-21, 2026, Licensing Executives Society USA-Canada will host its 2026 Annual Meeting in San Diego! The program will deliver in-depth content, networking, keynotes, panel discussions, roundtables, and hands-on workshops designed to help you stay ahead in today’s fast-moving IP landscape.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please apply here! 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
Our December member spotlight is Katherine “Kitty” Bayh! Kitty and Birch Bayh married in December 1981, one year after Bayh-Dole became law. They spent 38 blessed years together before his death in 2019. Before and since, Kitty has lived her life in chapters — working as an editor, teacher of poetry, student, and mother of their son Christopher. Before retiring (in an earlier century) Kitty was Director of Communications for ABC News.
Photo: Katherine & Birch Bayh on their wedding day. December 24, 1981.
“Birch would be humbled by the legacy of Bayh-Dole. As with all he did, he simply saw an opportunity to extend the American franchise, a need to be filled, or an injustice that needed righting. He always believed in passing the baton to the next generations, picked up by so many in the 45 years since Bayh-Dole changed the landscape of American innovation. And, as he said when the Indiana Federal Courthouse was renamed in his honor, ‘The real reward is not getting your name in stone. The real reward is knowing that maybe the lives of others were made better because you were there.'” — Kitty Bayh
Get Involved
If you’re interested in formally joining the Bayh-Dole Coalition or donating to our organization, please do so below!
