UAB - Managing UAB's Intellectual Property

From Concept to Commercialization

The UAB Research Foundation (UABRF), a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation, is the designated intellectual property management organization for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Intellectual property can generate monetary value and benefit the public good when it is used to develop products and services. It is the responsibility of UABRF to identify, protect, market to commercial entities, and license intellectual property that is developed by UAB faculty members, employees, and graduate students.



	*Important Information* • UA System Patent Policy • UAB Conflicts of Interest Policy • UAB Conflicts of Commitment Policy

In 1980 the federal government enacted Public Law 96-517 (the Bayh-Dole Act), which granted to universities and other nonprofit entities the right to take ownership of inventions that were created during the conduct of research supported in whole or in part with federal funds. The Bayh-Dole Act, as amended, and regulations promulgated by the federal government (37 CFR Part 401) define not only the rights that are granted to universities and nonprofit institutions but also the procedures and guidelines for the management of such inventions. UABRF follows federally mandated procedures and guidelines for the management of federally funded inventions and, to the extent possible and reasonable, applies these same guidelines to the management of inventions resulting from research that was not supported with federal funds.

The UA System Patent Policy was recently revised and approved by the Board of Trustees in June 2009. This policy, as subsequently amended, defines policies and procedures for the management of intellectual property owned by UAB. The policy may be viewed here.

The UA System Patent Policy requires all UAB faculty members and employees, as well as graduate students performing research, to report to UABRF any inventions or discoveries made during their university employment or enrollment (UA System Patent Policy, Section II.C). The UA System Patent Policy, as further defined by the Board of Trustees, also requires that such inventions or discoveries be assigned to UABRF.

To execute its responsibilities with respect to the management of UAB’s intellectual properties, UABRF has defined certain policies and procedures. In brief, UABRF manages a number of processes involving intellectual property that include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Disclosure
• Evaluation
• Preservation, protection, and perfection
• Marketing
• Licensing
• Monitoring
• Enforcement
• Revenue collection and disbursement
• Federal reporting
• Closure

Posted on 7/8/2009 4:55:00 PM