Intellectual Property

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Good intellectual property policy and practice are the bridge that links the laboratory bench discoveries to the marketplace. Intellectual property management is, therefore, central to the NCI mission and to the 2015 goal.

Grantee and Contractor Inventions

Inventions made under most NCI grants and contracts are owned by the funded institution.

• Sample IP Management Plans
• iEdison
  (https://s-edison.info.nih.gov/iEdison/)
• Model Organism Sharing Policy
  (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/model_organism/)
• Data Sharing Plans
  (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing/)
• Sponsored Research Agreements
  (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not94-213.html)

NCI Inventions

Inventions made by NCI employees are owned by the federal government. Patenting and licensing are used to help ensure the technology is fully developed and available to the public. Learn more:

• What every NCI scientist should know about Employee Invention Reports (EIR) and patents
  (HTML | PDF)
• Guide for Keeping Laboratory Records
  (HTML | PDF)

Trademarks - Providing Trademark Services for the Public Health Service

The identities of Public Health Service products and services may be valuable assets that you might want to consider protecting with a Federal trademark registration in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Slogans, names, logos, graphics--anything you use to identify a product or a service may benefit from trademark protection. If you would like to discuss the advisability of obtaining trademark protection for your program, consult the attorneys in the NIH Branch of the HHS Office of General Counsel at 301-496-6043.