April 2022 • Vol. 28 • Issue 4
The Merits of Technology Surveillance and Technology Transfer as Tools for Identifying New Technologies Related to Personal Care Products
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by Paul Thau
uring the last five years of my employment in the cosmetic industry, I was the U.S. representative for an international group involved with technology surveillance activities. Subsequently, I employed technology surveillance for several of my clients during ten years as a cosmetic industry consultant. Two relevant descriptions are as follows. Technology transfer is the process that universities and other research organizations use to translate research discoveries and scientific findings into new products, technologies, and other services that benefit the public. Technology transfer, also called transfer of technology, is the process of transferring (disseminating) technology from the person or organization that owns or holds it to another person or organization. Often, it occurs by a concerted effort to share skills, knowledge, technologies, manufacturing methods, samples, and facilities among the participants to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible to a wider range of users who can then further develop and exploit the technology into new products, processes, applications, materials, or services.
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)
Since its founding in 1925, WARF has helped steward the cycle of research, discovery, commercialization, and investment for University of Wisconsin – Madison. Through its patents and licensing efforts, WARF enables university innovations to advance. Among the numerous discoveries were irradiation of milk and the development of Warfarin from which the blood thinner Coumadin was devised.
Bayh–Dole Act
The Bayh–Dole Act, or Patent and Trademark Act Amendments, is United States legislation dealing with inventions arising from federal government-funded research. Sponsored by two senators, Birch Bayh of Indiana and Bob Dole of Kansas, the Act was adopted in 1980. This legislation was significant because it enabled universities to patent technologies even if the U.S. government contributed funds for some of the conducted research. This change stimulated many universities to establish technology transfer groups. It also enabled small businesses to own patents that arose from federal sponsorship.
America University Transfer Members (AUTM)
AUTM, founded in 1970, is the non-profit leader in efforts to educate, promote, and inspire professionals to support the development of academic research that changes the world and drives innovation forward. Their community is comprised of more than 3,000 members who work in more than 800 universities, research centers, hospitals, businesses, and government organizations around the globe. Technology transfer is concerned with: evaluating, protecting, and transferring intellectual property from the laboratory to (continued on Page 6)
SKIN & HAIR DIVERSITY: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN R&D AND MARKETING ...see pages 4-5 for more information.