Intellectual property rights in biotechnology and drug discovery
Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen
This course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School), and for PhD Students from NorDoc member faculties. All other participants must pay the course fee.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university, you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. This also applies to PhD students from NorDoc member faculties. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
1. explain the steps required in patenting and protection of IPR in relation to biotechnology and drug discovery
2. navigate the patent landscape surrounding the product and explain the different stages of the patenting process, and requirements for obtaining a patent
3. use the various professional databases to find the relevant patents and patent applications covering a given invention; and to be able to assess the strengths/weaknesses and freedom-to-operate situation
4. analyze and discuss the commercial potential of ideas and inventions within biotechnology and drug discovery based on the technology platform, IP situation, and market analyses
5. outline routes from research results to commericalization and describe the role of IPR in this process
Content
It is the overall purpose of the course to stimulate integration of patenting and innovation in the research laboratories and to enable the course participants to tap into the knowledgebase that patents represent.
It is the aim of the course to endow the participants with concrete skills in finding patents and patent applications, recognizing relevant document types and judging the strength of the patents or applications on the basis of an understanding of the patenting process.
The main subjects covered in this course are:
- A basic introduction to intellectual property (IP) and intellectual property rights (IPR), including timelines and patent claims
- Patentability – what can be patented and what cannot be patented
- Patenting of small molecules
- Patenting of sequence-based inventions (peptides, proteins, RNA, DNA)
- Searching patent databases
- Entrepreneurial case studies
The material for the course comprise a text book (Patenting in Biotechnology, a laboratory manual) by Peter Ulvskov, and a list of documents to be printed and/or read before or during the course.
Participants
Graduate students with a good knowledge of natural sciences or engineering at the borderline between biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical sciences with an interest in innovation and entrepreneurship. Also, individuals from the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry, which seeks knowledge and a deeper understanding of innovation and intellectual property rights.
Relevance to graduate programmes
The course is relevant to PhD students from the following graduate programmes at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH:
- All graduate programmes
Language
English
Form
The course is taught through a series of lectures with parallel case studies. Patenting and use of patent literature is taught in computer exercises. Case studies of business plans and the founding of new biotech companies will be supplemented with discussions with invited entrepreneurs.
At the last day of the course, there will be a written exam (aids: pen and hand-written notes).
Course director
Trond Ulven, Professor, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, tu@sund.ku.dk
Peter Ulvskov, Professor, Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences, SCIENCE, ulvskov@plen.ku.dk
Teachers
University researchers with entrepreneurial experience, IPR experts, entrepreneurs, research directors from biotech and representatives from funding organisations.
Dates
27-31 January 2025
Course location
University of Copenhagen, PharmaSchool, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen
Registration
Please register before 15 December 2024
Seats to PhD students from other Danish universities will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules.
Applications from other participants will be considered after the last day of enrolment.
Note: All applicants are asked to submit invoice details in case of no-show, late cancellation or obligation to pay the course fee (typically non-PhD students). If you are a PhD student, your participation in the course must be in agreement
Note: All applicants are asked to submit invoice details in case of no-show, late cancellation or obligation to pay the course fee (typically non-PhD students). If you are a PhD student, your participation in the course must be in agreement with your principal supervisor.