Results - “Harnessing Public Research for Innovation in the Time of COVID-19 and Beyond – The Role of Knowledge Transfer Policies, July 20, 2021

August 5, 2021

Effective public-private knowledge transfer is more crucial to innovation than ever, as the world struggles to cope with the COVID-19 crisis. WIPO has a critical role to play in promoting innovation across the world that can address pressing economic and social challenges. Technology and knowledge transfer are key ingredients for innovation a can help tackle global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

WIPO organized an event on “Harnessing Public Research for Innovation in the Time of COVID-19 and Beyond” on July 20, 2021. Renowned experts from around the world discussed the role of improved policies and that of WIPO to seek effective knowledge transfer around three questions:

• How to improve knowledge transfer to boost innovation and solve global challenges?
• What knowledge transfer policies and practices work and which do not?
• How do you better measure related impacts – on the institutional and country level?

Director General Daren Tang highlighted the timeliness of the event, noting that “the challenge of commercializing or translating research into impact has become even more important as the global community overcomes the pandemic and builds momentum towards the post-pandemic recovery”. The Director General added that“a more robust conceptual framework and improved metrics around knowledge transfer will help steer policymakers towards more effective outcomes”.

The event was organized in collaboration with AUTM – The Leading Association in Technology Transfer, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI). Assistant Director General Marco Aleman highlighted the need for such cooperation in “improving metrics to better understand knowledge production and distribution and in conducting more training, study and analysis in the area of policy.”

• Examining ways to track technology/knowledge transfer activities in a more standardized, internationally comparable way by exploring common definitions, improved surveys, and by sharing, as appropriate, data;
• Contributing to the dialogue on what technology/knowledge transfer practices and policies work best (and don’t work), and to propose policy actions - through publications, task forces, and/or best practice sharing platforms, paying particular attention to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises as key stakeholders.

On the occasion of the International Seminar, a new publication “Harnessing Public Research for Innovation in the 21st Century: An International Assessment of Knowledge Transfer Policies” by WIPO and Cambridge University Press was launched.

The session looked at initiatives that bring together different actors - such as governments, private sector, universities, civil society organizations - each with different expertise and reference groups, to design and implement synergetic solutions to bridge the gender gap in IP.

Panelists:

Dana Robert Colarulli, Executive Director, Licensing Executives Society International (LESI), United States of America (U.S.)

Mr. Colarulli is an attorney and senior government affairs professional with more than two decades of experience working on legal-related technology policy and intellectual property issues in and with the private sector, the Executive Branch and the U.S. Congress. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Licensing Executive Society International (LESI), the umbrella organization of 33 national and regional associations in 90 countries around the world supporting professionals who license intellectual property. He is based in Washington, DC and is also a partner at ACG Advocacy supporting policy analysis and governmental engagement around intellectual property issues. Mr. Colarulli previously served as the Director of the Office of Governmental Affairs and member of the Executive Management team at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) facilitating substantive patent, copyright and trademark and related policy discussions and advocating for USPTO operational priorities. Prior to that role, Mr. Colarulli was the Director of Government Relations and Legislative Counsel for the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO). He has also worked in the U.S. Senate, in a DC-based Law Firm, at the U.S. Small Business Administration and at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Stephen J. Susalka, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, AUTM – The Leading Association in Technology Transfer

Dr. Stephen J. Susalka is the Chief Executive Officer of AUTM, a 3,000+ member non-profit association, focused on supporting and enhancing technology transfer globally, and oversees a cooperative partnership with the Federal Laboratory Consortium to support federal technology transfer for more than 300 federal labs across the US. As an international leader in technology commercialization, Dr. Susalka uses his experience in intellectual property protection, licensing, and company formation to empower, promote and connect AUTM members as they advance the next generation of ground-breaking innovations into the products and services of tomorrow. He has worked with senior leaders from around the world on strategies to enhance the commercialization of early-stage inventions and has provided testimony to the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science, and Technology on promoting best practices for intellectual property and technology transfer. Dr. Susalka earned his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Virginia and is a registered U.S. Patent Agent. He is a past Board member of multiple Wake Forest-affiliated start-ups and is both a Certified Licensing Professional and Registered Technology Transfer Professional.

John W.H. DENTON AO, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

John W.H. Denton AO became Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in 2018. He is a global business leader and international advisor on policy and a legal expert on international trade and investment. Mr Denton is a Board member of the United Nations Global Compact, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) impact investing group and the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) GenU project and is a founding member of the Business 20 (B20), the Australia–China CEO Roundtable and is Patron of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Australia. Mr Denton serves on the Board of leading global infrastructure group IFM Investors and is Chair of the Asia Pacific Advisory Council of Veracity WorldWide. He co-led the Australian Government’s 2012 White Paper on “Australia in the Asian Century”, the review of Australia’s Development Assistance program and previously chaired the APEC Finance and Economics Working Group. A former diplomat, Mr Denton served for two decades as Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Australia’s leading independent law firm, and continues to serve the firm as Honorary Chair of its Global Council. In 2015, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to the business community, the arts and the rights of refugees, including as a founder of Human Rights Watch (Australia) and Teach for Australia. Mr Denton is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and the University of Melbourne.

Anand Padmanabhan MD PhD QIA, Associate Professor, Senior Associate Consultant, Divisions of Hematopathology, Transfusion Medicine and Experimental Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic

Dr. Anand Padmanabhan is a Medical doctor, Scientist and Associate Professor in the Divisions of Hematopathology, Transfusion Medicine and Experimental Pathology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He directs an NIH-funded laboratory focused on understanding the pathophysiology of anti-PF4 antibodies that cause dangerous blood clotting reactions. His findings have led to advances in the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. He is also cofounder, President and Chief Science Officer of Retham Technologies, a start-up that seeks to develop a novel in-vitro diagnostic assay to detect these dangerous disorder.

Anthony Arundel, Editor, Professorial Fellow, United Nations University – Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT), The Netherlands

Anthony Arundel is a Professor of Innovation and a Professorial Fellow at UNU Maastricht Economic and Social Research and Training Centre on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT). He was previously a Senior Researcher at UNU-MERIT since 1992. He specializes in the design, implementation, and analysis of innovation surveys. His research interests include questionnaire design and methodology, technology assessment, environmental issues, intellectual property rights, biotechnology, and knowledge flows from public research to firms.

Suma Athreye, Editor, Professor of Technology Strategy, Management Science and Entrepreneurship Essex Business School, University of Essex, United Kingdom

Suma Athreye, Editor, Professor of Technology Strategy, Management Science and Entrepreneurship Essex Business School, University of Essex, United Kingdom Suma Athreye, (FRSA, FAcSS) is Professor of Technology Strategy at Essex Business School. Her main research interests lie in the fields of Economics of Innovation/Technology Management and International Economics/International Management. Suma has published extensively on these subjects and won several research grants for work in these areas. She currently serves as Area Editor of the Journal of International Business and Policy and on the Editorial Board of the academic journals Research Policy, Industrial and Corporate Change, International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development and Multinational Business Review.

Hu Zhijian, President of the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development (CASTED), China

Hu Zhijian joined CASTED as a General Secretary in 2009 to build CASTED into a national S&T strategic think tank. Before joining CASTED, he served as Deputy Director General, in the Department of Policy, Regulations and Reform, of the China’s Ministry of Science and Technology. His book on “National Innovation System: Theoretical Analysis and International Comparison” is published by China’s Social Sciences Academic Press. He holds a PhD of Innovation and Management from Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is also functioning as Secretary General of China Federation of Scientific and Technological Institutes, Vice Chairman of China Law Association on Science and Technology, and Governing Board Member of World Economic Forum.

Ingrid Baele, Director IP Advisory Services, Deloitte Belgium

Ingrid Baele joined Deloitte Belgium in September 2020 as Director, IP Advisory Services, for expanding IP Advisory at Deloitte. She started her IP career in 1990 at Philips Intellectual Property and Standards, a worldwide organization that handles all IP matters for Royal Philips. She served in several roles such as patent attorney, IP Strategy and Portfolio Management, Process and Project Management and Head of Offices and IP Operations. She has a broad interest in all types of IP, including IP policy related items. She has a master’s degree in physics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, and is certified as EPO Professional Representative. She is member of the ICC IP Commission since 2002, in which she acts as chair since 2018. She also chaired the ICC IP Roadmap task force for the 2014 and 2017 editions.

H.E. Prof. Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative of the Gambia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, World Trade Organization (WTO) and Other International Organizations at Geneva; Chairman of the Group of African Ambassadors at Geneva and Friends of the Chair for WIPO General Assembly

His Excellency Professor Muhammadou M.O. Kah is the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to the UN Office at Geneva, World Trade Organisation (WTO), and other International Organizations at Geneva. He currently chairs the Africa Group of Ambassadors at Geneva (April 2021-To Date) and is the Vice Chair for UNCTAD’s Commission on Science and Technology Development’s 25th session and a member of the Advisory Board of the UNCTAD TDB Advisory Body (June 2021-July 2022). Ambassador Prof. Kah is also one of three Ambassadors designated as Friends of the Chair of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) General Assembly. Prior to his appointment in Geneva, Professor Kah served as the Founding Chairman of Zenith Bank, The Gambia, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Africa Consulting and Trading Group (ACT), Dakar, Senegal and as the first Gambian-born third Vice Chancellor of The University of The Gambia (UTG) from 2009- 2015 and recently appointed as a Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Completing his BSc, MSc. and Ph.D. at the Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, one of the top engineering and technology management universities in the USA, Professor Kah also holds a Master of Science in Finance (Financial Engineering) from George Washington University, Washington, DC, and a Postgraduate Diploma (Dip SI) in Strategy and Innovation from the Said Business School, University of Oxford, UK.

Laura Savatski MBA, CLP, RTTP, Technology Transfer Officer, Versiti – Blood Research Institute, Chair, AUTM

Laura is the Chair of AUTM, a global association whose members support the development of research that changes the world and drives innovation forward and the Technology Transfer Officer for the non-profit organization Versiti | Blood Research Institute. At Versiti she is responsible for technology protection, commercialization, and partnership development. Laura has a diverse background as a research scientist, entrepreneur, and startup advisor, and broad experience bringing inventions to market. Laura’s early career in medical research focused on vaccine trials, molecular virology, stem cell biology, transplant/oncology, and cellular assays. Her past roles include Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Prodesse, a company she co-founded, which makes molecular infectious disease diagnostic products and is now part of Hologic.

Fernanda de Negri, Research Leader, Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), Brazil

Research leader at the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea), holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP). She was visiting researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2015 and 2017 and at Harvard University in 2017. She has always been interested on the effects of science and new technologies on the economy, business competitiveness and productivity. In the public sector, she held positions related to public policies for productivity and science and technology: she was economic adviser to the Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (2008) and head of the Monitoring and Evaluation Office of the Ministry of Science and Technology (2010-2012). She was also director (2012-2017) and deputy director (2009-2010) of Ipea. She is the author of several articles and books and received the BNDES economics award for her dissertation on the commercial performance of foreign companies in Brazil. In 2014, the book she organized on Productivity in Brazil was finalist of one of the most prestigious literature prizes in country: the Jabuti Prize.

Ms. Tari Suprapto, RTTP, Director, Search and Evaluation, Novo Nordisk, Denmark; Former Senior Director of Strategic Alliances and Business Development, Salk Institute of Biological Studies, U.S.

Tari Suprapto, Ph.D., RTTP is a seasoned technology commercialization professional in the life sciences. She is currently the Director for Search and Evaluation for Western US and Canada for Novo Nordisk, a Top 20 pharmaceutical company. She also has experience with the animal health industry when she was a part of the External Innovation team at Elanco, and spent over 15 years in the non-profit sector promoting and commercializing innovative opportunities from world-class research institutions such as the Salk Institute, The Rockefeller University, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Tari has extensive experience in licensing, building and managing strategic alliances with industry and other academic institutions, and a well-rounded technical background in a variety of therapeutic areas resulting from her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from The Rockefeller University and an Honors B.A. from Swarthmore College. Tari is also a mother of two daughters and two dogs, loves kickboxing, yoga, beaches, and sea turtles.

Richa Pandey, Chair, LESI Life Sciences Committee; President, LES India; Partner, Krishna and Saurastri Associates LLP, India

Ms. Richa Pandey is a Patent Attorney and a Partner with Krishna and Saurastri Associates, Delhi (Gurgaon) office. She is an advocate and a registered patent agent. Her core work areas include patent filing, patent prosecution, patent opposition, patent litigation, patentability opinions, searches, invalidity opinions and portfolio management. Ms. Pandey holds a Degree in Law and a Bachelor's Degree in Science from the University of Lucknow. Ms. Pandey has also been a guest speaker at various national and International conferences on Intellectual Property. Ms. Pandey has also written several pieces for renowned IP publications. She was recognized as 'Woman to Watch' by AIPLA (American Intellectual Property Law Association). Ms. Pandey is also an elected member of the executive council of FICPI, India. Currently, she also holds the position of President LES (Licensing Executive Society) India.

Frederick M. Abbott, Edward Ball Eminent Scholar Professor of Law, Florida State University College of Law, USA

Frederick M. Abbott is Edward Ball Eminent Scholar Professor of Law at Florida State University College of Law, USA. He has served as expert consultant and legal representative for international and regional organizations, governments and nongovernmental organizations, mainly in the fields of intellectual property, trade, technology transfer, competition, public health and sustainable development. He has undertaken a number of studies for the World Health Organization and others regarding the legal, financial and policy frameworks conducive to establishing successful pharmaceutical production, including associated technology transfer. Professor Abbott has authored many books and articles, including International Intellectual Property in an Integrated World Economy, 4th ed. 2019 (with T. Cottier and F. Gurry) and Global Pharmaceutical Policy (2009) (with G. Dukes). He is Co-Chair of the Committee on Global Health Law of the International Law Association having served as Rapporteur for the Committee on International Trade Law from the inception of its work in 1993 to its conclusion in 2014. He served as a member of the Expert Advisory Group to the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines. He regularly serves as panelist for the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center. He has served as counsel to governments in WTO dispute settlement proceedings, and in national court proceedings. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of International Economic Law (Oxford) and the WIPO-WTO Colloquium Series. Details at frederickabbott.com.

Silvia Menicucci, Public Affairs, Science and Sustainability Executive Manager, Bayer, Brazil

Silvia Menicucci, Public Affairs, Science and Sustainability Executive Manager, Bayer, Brazil Silvia Menicucci is currently the Executive Manager of Public Affairs, Science and Sustainability of Bayer in Brasília, and part of the leadership team of the Intellectual Property Commission of the International Chamber of Commerce in Brazil. She has a PhD and Master degrees in International Law and a Bachelor degree in Law from the Faculty of Law of the University of São Paulo – USP. She has also a postgraduate specialization in Public Affairs and Advocacy from the School of Public Affairs – American University, and has participated in the Board Member Development Program of the Dom Cabral Foundation – FDC. In her career, she has worked as an Industry Policy specialist in the International Affairs Unit of the National Confederation of Industry – Brazil, executive manager of the Legal Department in the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency – Apex-Brasil, lawyer in the Mattos Filho law firm, and tax consultant at KPMG and PWC. Silvia has also carried out research activities related to sustainable development in the United Nations University in Tokyo and in the Harvard Law School. With research and publications in the area of international trade, intellectual property, sustainable development and human rights, in her academic career, she was a professor in courses of International Law and International Relations in the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro - PUC-Rio and the University Center of Brasilia - Uniceub.

Corey Salsberg, Vice President, Global Head IP Affairs, Novartis

Corey Salsberg is Vice President and Global Head of IP Affairs for Novartis, one of the world’s leading biopharmaceutical innovators. He also serves on the Boards of Directors of the Federal Circuit Bar Association, and the not-for-profit legal aid society California Lawyers for the Arts. A graduate of Stanford Law School and Yale University, Corey is a seasoned attorney with over 20 years of global experience. He is one of the founders of the WIPO-World Economic Forum Inventors Assistance Program, which provides pro bono legal services to under-resourced inventors in developing countries; Pat-INFORMED, an online database of medicine-related patent information co-sponsored by WIPO and IFPMA; and the IP PACT, a groundbreaking set of public principles that sets forth the patient-centric approach to IP shared by its company signatories. A recognized thought leader, Corey has testified before the United States Senate, speaks regularly around the world, and frequently appears in media and on public webcasts and podcasts.

Rena M. Conti, Associate Professor, Questrom School of Business, Boston University, Boston, United States of America (U.S.)

Rena M. Conti, Associate Professor, Questrom School of Business, Boston University, Boston, United States of America (U.S.) Rena M. Conti is the Associate Research Director of Biopharma and Public Policy for the Boston University Institute for Health System Innovation and Policy. She is also an Associate Professor at the Boston University Questrom School of Business. From 2006 through June 2018, Professor Conti was an Associate Professor of Health Economics and Policy at the University of Chicago Medical School and the Harris School of Public Policy. Dr. Conti is a health economist. Her research focuses on the organization, financing and regulation of medical care. She has written extensively on the pricing, demand and supply of prescription drugs.