Commercialization of Plant Research: The Toolbox
Intellectual property is an essential tool for commercialization. Recognizing that plant breeding is one of WSU`s strongest research areas, WSU Research Foundation leaders decided to host a conference bringing together representatives from each of the groups involved in the successful commercialization of intellectual property related to plants and plant breeding.
Morrison Foerster LLP joined with the WSU Research Foundation to co-sponsor a conference titled, Commercializati on of Plant Research: The Toolbox . (In 2005, Morrison Foerster had the nation`s fourth largest practice in intellectual property issues.) On November 2, more than 80 participants, including individuals from Canada and the United Kingdom , gathered to hear keynote speakers, Paul M. Zankowski, commissioner in the Plant Variety Protection Office and Karen M. Hauda, patent attorney-advisor, US Patent Trademark Office, Office of International Relations. Participants also enjoyed informative panel discussions and presentations from Morrison Foerster partners, WSU research professors and scientists, and private industry representatives.
The conference started with presentations on patent law, went through particular legal applications related to plant IP, and ended with stories of successful commercialization. The goal of the conference was to bring together individuals who are involved in different parts of the commercialization process so that they could learn about the entire process, eventually leading to even more commercialization.
Most of the participants stayed for the entire day, some groups even continued their discussion into the evening, long after the conference ended. Based on success of this first conference, the WSU Research Foundation is planning to host a similar conference next fall, likely related to intellectual property and company start-ups from engineering disciplines.
