Through the 1980s, a series of laws was enacted to encourage the development of commercial applications of federally funded research at universities and federal laboratories. However, such research and the surrounding commercial biotechnology enterprises clearly have benefited from them. The biotechnology sector's success owes much to federal policies on technology transfer and intellectual property. T ransferring technology to the private sector, a primary mission of DOE, is strongly encouraged in the Human Genome Program to enhance the nation's investment in research and technological competitiveness. For information on recently developed resources, contact individual genome research centers or see Research Highlights .
Many universities have their own licensing and technology transfer offices.
Some collaborations and technology-transfer highlights from FY 1994 through FY 1996 are described below. Collaborations Involvement of the private sector in research and development can facilitate successful transfer of technology to the marketplace, and collaborations can speed production of essential tools for genome research. A number of interactive projects are now under way, and others are in preliminary stages. Funds must come from the nongovernmental partner. A benefit to participating companies is the opportunity to negotiate exclusive licenses for inventions arising from these collaborations.