Course unit details:
Intellectual Property in the Life Sciences
| Unit code | BIOL60781 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 15 |
| Unit level | FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
This course involves self directed study involving research, directed reading and written work and covers the following topics:
- Recognising Intellectual Property in the Life Sciences
- Methods for protecting Intellectual Property in the Life Sciences
- Legal Agreements
- Progression of a patent
- IP licensing
- The use of CASE studies involving specific patents filed by inventors in FLS
Pre/co-requisites
A first degree in a biology-related discipline or other discipline combined with biology unit
Aims
The unit aims to:
- to provide students with an understanding of the importance of protecting intellectual property in the life sciences
- to explain the different types of protection available
- to understand the rationale behind the processes involved in protecting information
- to empower students with the skills required to recognise opportunities to protect intellectual property
- to allow students to search intellectual property data bases for prior art
- to provide in insight into the process of intellectual property licensing, in relation to the joint development of biotechnology products
Teaching and learning methods
- Facilitated learning (lectures and workshops): 20 hours
- Independent study: 130 hours
(directed reading, research, written assignments)
Knowledge and understanding
- recognise opportunities for generating intellectual property in the life sciences
- apply an appropriate method to protect intellectual property in the life sciences
- understand the routes available for exploiting intellectual property
Intellectual skills
- distinguish an invention from a discovery
- identify relevant prior art in selected CASE studies
- write claims associated with an invention in the Life Sciences
- evaluate the strengths and weakness of selected patents
Practical skills
- analyse an invention and be able to identify the novel and important steps
- search patent databases
- understand the use of HOAs, CDAs, MTAs, logos and copyright
Transferable skills and personal qualities
- develop team working skills
- develop presentation skills
- develop an understanding of the value of confidentiality
- develop networking skills
- develop critical writing skills
- develop critical business skills
- develop core IP skills in the life sciences that are transferable to other sectors
Employability skills
- Analytical skills
- Students will assess the results of their prior art searching, and make conclusions about the importance of documents found from the perspectives of inventive step, novelty and freedom to operate.
- Oral communication
- Students will prepare and present to the group a formal presentation of their findings relating to the potential to patent a new technology.
- Research
- Students will research patent databases to identity prior art documents relevant to a new invention.
- Written communication
- Students will prepare a report on a legal Contract, highlighting issues of interest to different stakeholders in a theoretical IP transaction.
Assessment methods
| Method | Weight |
|---|---|
| Written exam | 100% |
Feedback methods
The students will be provided with formative feedback on an outline written answer and oral presentation.
Recommended reading
- Staff with ‘hands on‘ knowledge of IP in the Life Sciences
- Discussions with Colleagues with relevant expertise from Industry
- Access to patent databases
- Workshops on IP including FLS staff
- Directed reading: Specific research articles and patents. Textbook: Friedman Y (2008) Building Biotechnology: business, regulations, patents, law, politics. Science Third Edition, August 2008
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 130 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Anil Day | Unit coordinator |