Download - Principals of Technology Transfer James A. Poulos, III Technology Transfer Coordinator Office Technology Transfer Beltsville, MD Grotto March 21, 2011.

Principals ofTechnology Transfer

James A. Poulos, III Technology Transfer Coordinator

Office Technology Transfer Beltsville, MD

Grotto March 21, 2011

USDA Agencies Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP)

Economic Research Service (ERS)

Farm Service Agency (FSA)

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)

Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)

Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

Agricultural Research Service (ARS)Forest Service (FS)

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA)

National Agricultural Library (NAL)National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

National Institute of Food and Agricultural (NIFA)

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)Risk Management Agency (RMA)Rural Development (RD)

ARS/OTT manages the patenting and licensing of inventions made by USDA scientists. OTT has delegated authority to make such decisions for all of USDA.

ARS MissionTo conduct research to develop & transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination to:

ensure high-quality, safe food, and other agricultural products

assess the nutritional needs of Americans

sustain a competitive agricultural economy

enhance the natural resource base and the environment

provide economic opportunities for rural citizens, communities, and society as a whole

ARS Research Priorities

1) Conserve and restore Agricultural and

Water Resources

2) Help America promote agricultural

production and biotechnology exports while

ensuring food nutrition (health) and safety

(security)

3) Assess the nutritional needs of America

4) Agriculture, feed stock to fuel America

5) A sustainable competitive Ag economy

5

Richard BrennerAssistant Administrator (AA)

Robert GriesbachDeputy Assistant Administrator (DAA)

June Blalock AA

Tech Licensing CoordinatorJune Blalock AA

Tech Licensing Coordinator

Licensing StaffLicensing Staff

Brian NakanishiLicensing Specialist Brian NakanishiLicensing Specialist

Diana TuckerLicensing Specialist Diana TuckerLicensing Specialist

VacantLicensing Specialist VacantLicensing Specialist

Carla Boettinger Program AnalystCarla Boettinger Program Analyst

Deborah Penot Foreign Patent SpecialistDeborah Penot Foreign Patent Specialist

Gernard LittleLegal Instruments Examiner

Gernard LittleLegal Instruments Examiner

Kim MeltonLicensing AssistantKim MeltonLicensing Assistant

John GaudetLicensing Specialist John GaudetLicensing Specialist

Vacant AA

Marketing Specialist Vacant AA

Marketing Specialist

Natasha SnuggsMarketing AssistantNatasha SnuggsMarketing Assistant

Marketing Marketing

VacantMarketing TechnicianVacantMarketing Technician

CRADACRADAThomas Moreland DAA

Program AnalystThomas Moreland DAA

Program Analyst Paula ReedExecutive AsstPaula ReedExecutive Asst

Executive Support Staff Executive Support Staff

Melissa RepozaProgram Support Asst.Melissa Repoza

Program Support Asst.

Kate Baker DAA

Management AnalystKate Baker DAA

Management Analyst

Beltsville, MDBeltsville, MD

Byron StoverPatent Advisor (BA, ERRC & Chemical)

Byron StoverPatent Advisor (BA, ERRC & Chemical)

Howard OwensPatent Advisor (PWA)Howard OwensPatent Advisor (PWA)

Sonya DomingoLegal Instruments Examiner Sonya DomingoLegal Instruments Examiner

Elizabeth SampsonPatent Advisor (PWA)Elizabeth SampsonPatent Advisor (PWA)

Albany, CAAlbany, CA

Robin McCormick Legal Instruments Examiner

Robin McCormick Legal Instruments Examiner

Evelyn Rabin(NAA, Patent AdvisorSA, & Biotech)

Evelyn Rabin(NAA, Patent AdvisorSA, & Biotech)

Gail Poulos AA

Supervisory Patent Advisor (SAA)Gail Poulos AA

Supervisory Patent Advisor (SAA)

Kelli GanttPatent AssistantKelli GanttPatent Assistant

VacantPatent AssistantVacantPatent Assistant

Patent StaffPatent Staff

Peoria, ILPeoria, IL

Albert TsuiPatent Advisor (MWA & NPA)Albert TsuiPatent Advisor (MWA & NPA)

Randy Deck Patent Advisor (SPA & MWA) Randy Deck Patent Advisor (SPA & MWA)

Sheri WhitehurstLegal Instruments Examiner

Sheri WhitehurstLegal Instruments Examiner

Robert JonesPatent Advisor(SAA)

Robert JonesPatent Advisor(SAA)

Technology Transfer Coordinator Staff

Technology Transfer Coordinator Staff

Tara MarosticaTech Tran AssistantTara MarosticaTech Tran Assistant

Annetta EbelharTech Tran AssistantAnnetta EbelharTech Tran Assistant

James Poulos DAA

BA, Tech Tran CoordinatorJames Poulos DAA

BA, Tech Tran Coordinator

Dolores ShilkitusTech Tran Assistant Dolores ShilkitusTech Tran Assistant

Bryan Kaphammer DAA

NPA/SPA, Tech Tran CoordinatorBryan Kaphammer DAA

NPA/SPA, Tech Tran Coordinator

Don Nordlund DAA

SAA Tech Tran CoordinatorDon Nordlund DAA

SAA Tech Tran Coordinator

David Nicholson DAA

PWA, Tech Tran CoordinatorDavid Nicholson DAA

PWA, Tech Tran Coordinator

Jason BrayTech Tran AssistantJason BrayTech Tran Assistant

Vic Chavez DAA

NAA, Tech Tran CoordinatorVic Chavez DAA

NAA, Tech Tran Coordinator

Kristin KimballTech Tran Assistant Kristin KimballTech Tran Assistant

Thomas Valco DAA

MSA Tech Tran Coordinator; CottonThomas Valco DAA

MSA Tech Tran Coordinator; Cotton

Renee Wagner DAA

MWA, Tech Tran CoordinatorRenee Wagner DAA

MWA, Tech Tran Coordinator

Kim GarnerTech Tran AssistantKim GarnerTech Tran Assistant

Babette DavisTech Tran AssistantBabette DavisTech Tran Assistant

Joe LipovskySRRC, Assoc. Tech Tran Coord.Joe LipovskySRRC, Assoc. Tech Tran Coord.

Vacant Assoc. Tech Tran Coord.Vacant Assoc. Tech Tran Coord.

James McMurtreyLicensing Assistant

James McMurtreyLicensing Assistant

Historic ARS Contributions Remarkable discoveries

• ARS Scientist Dr. Theodore Diener working in Beltsville, Maryland discovered the viroid, a singled-stranded, circular RNA molecule.

• Robert W. Holley discovered a class of low molecular ribonucleic acids -transfer ribonucleic acids (tRNAs). These are carriers for amino acids during protein synthesis.

• Robert Davis discovered spiroplasmas, a previously unrecognized life form. A form of bacteria without cell walls, spiroplasmas cause diseases of crop plants and of insects including honey bees and are suspected in some human maladies. He also discovered pathogens against this life form.

Historic ARS Contributions creation of

industries• USDA botanist Frederick Coville started the world’s

first successful blueberry research program. Blueberries are the second most popular berry in the United States. A multi-million dollar industry

• USDA Participated in restoring the flavor and aroma lost during vacuum evaporation of concentrated orange juice. This a multi-billion dollar industry.

• USDA Scientist Bill Doane cross-linked starch and synthetic polymers creating industry based on super absorbency. -- A multiple billion dollar industry.

ARS Contributions Future industry?

• USDA scientists created economical methods for extracting latex from guayule plants. Yulex is based in Carlsbad, Calif. It Just acquired $8 million in additional venture funding.

Technology Transfer Goals of ARS

• Transfer of technology is primary objective, not income

• Facilitate research partnerships & adoption of federal research outcomes for broad U.S. public benefit

• Protect (patent) intellectual property primarily if it enhances technology transfer,

• Enhance U.S. economic development, global competition, and sustainable economic security

Technology Transfer Mechanisms

• Scientific publications, conferences, workshops, field days

• Public germplasm releases• National Agricultural Library • Information Staff - ARS public affairs,

Ag Research Magazine, news releases, exhibits, web page.

• Transferring research materials to non-USDA scientists

• Research Partnerships CRADAs• Patenting / Licensing

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement

CRADA• partners a Govt. lab scientist with an

outside partner• No Direct funding to Govt lab • Mutually beneficial research• Within goals of ARS• Expected outcome is intellectual

property

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement

CRADA• Can lead to an exclusive license in

technology • Confidentiality up to five years • A positive weighing factor in award

of USDA SBIR• Patent expertise

To partner with economic development entities to enhance the effectiveness & impact of technology transfer.

To enhance the flow of ARS technologies to small businesses & encourage technology-based economic development.

ATIP Network

David Nicholson - [email protected]

Bryan Kaphammer - NPA / [email protected]

Renee Wagner - [email protected]

Victor Chavez - [email protected]

Thomas Valco - Cotton [email protected]

Donald Nordlund - SAA / [email protected]

James A. Poulos, III- [email protected]

David Nicholson – PWA

Renee Wagner - [email protected]

Bryan Kaphammer - NPA / SPA

Thomas Valco - Cotton Technology

Victor Chavez - [email protected]

Donald Nordlund - SAA / MSA

James A. Poulos, III BA

Goals of ATIP

Provide complementary assets to ARS

• Guide local / regional business with research needs to the appropriate ARS scientist across ARS (CRADA opportunities)

• Triage business plans of private sector to seek well-qualified candidates for licensing / research partnerships with ARS

• Acquire marketing assessments on ARS technologies from 3rd party sources (business schools, entrepreneur programs, angel investors, etc.) for targeted marketing

• Coordinate “Technology Showcase” events to facilitate partnerships with private sector companies

National Patent Committees

Three “Subject Matter” Committees

•Life Sciences•Chemical •Mechanical & Measurement

Meet quarterly

Q1: Is there current commercial interest in the invention or a high probability of commercialization in the future?

Patent Committee Criteria


Q2: Is the magnitude of the market relative to the cost of commercialization sufficiently large to warrant a patent?




Q3: Would the patent likely play a significant role in transferring the technology to the user?





Q4: Would a patent be enforceable, i.e., is the invention drawn to, or does it employ a unique and readily identifiable material or device which could be bought or sold?





Q4: Would a patent be enforceable, i.e., is the invention drawn to, or does it employ a unique and readily identifiable material or device which could be bought or sold?

Q5: Is the invention of sufficient scope to justify patenting?


Some FY 2008 Metrics

Licenses (302 active)• Universities – 122 (40%)• Non-profits – 16 (5%)• Small Businesses – 100 (33%)• Foreign businesses (no U.S. presence) – 8 (3%)• Large businesses (includes foreign multinationals

with major U.S. presence) – 56 (19%)

CRADAs (232 active)• Small businesses – 127 (62%)• Outside state of researcher – 155 (72%)• Out of ARS Area of researcher – 129 (60%)

Current Research of conducted at BARC

• Pheromone extraction and identification

• Honey bee protection • Agricultural plastics –PLA and

keratin• Genomic Research –chickens,

Cattle and pigs and plants• Food safety

Questions ???

Thank you

[email protected]