Intellectual Property Intellectual Property in Science Researchin Science ResearchBiology 30 Unit C: Cell Division, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Introduction

> Researchers at the Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Machine Learning (AICML) use machine learning (and artificial intelligence) to create innovative technologies and improve health research.

> The AICML was created in 2002 to enhance and improve the research excellence in Machine Learning and related areas.

Introduction

> The AICML has an extensive research focus in health in hopes to improve the way health information is used in Alberta.

> The centre connects talent within Alberta universities, with industrial or private sector partners as well as with premier researchers from all around the world.

Modeling Metabolic Pathways

Introduction

> The goal is to develop new technology-driven solutions to ensure a prosperous future for Alberta and that will benefit others around the world.

> The technology developed will be beneficial for the health of Albertans and the Alberta economy.

Modelling disease outbreaks

Biotechnology

> Biotechnology is one of the areas of research that has the potential for many intellectual ideas that may lead to inventions.

> For example, in 1990 the Human Genome Project set out to:1. identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA,

2. determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA,

3. store this information in databases,

4. improve tools for data analysis,

5. transfer related technologies to the private sector, and

6. address the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from

the project. Source: Human Genome Project

Biotechnology

> The Human Genome Project was the first large scientific undertaking to address potential ethical and social implications arising from research data.

> Also, the project was involved in the transfer of technology to the private sector.

> By licensing technologies to private companies and awarding grants for research, the project became a a large U.S. biotechnology industry and fostered the development of new medical applications.

> The research developed has led to many new inventions in biotechnology.

Source: Human Genome Project

Inventions

> Canadians have a long history of inventions in healthcare and research as well. For example:– Insulin, Treatment for Diabetes [1921, Frederick Banti

ng, Charles Best]

– Electron Microscope [1939, James Hillier, Albert Prebus]

– Pacemaker [1950, John Hopps, Wilfred Bigelow, John Callaghan]

– Electric Wheelchair [1952, George Klein]

> For a list of CBC’s top fifty Canadian Inventions click here.

Inventions

> As you can see from the above list, each invention is associated to a particular person (or number of people).

> So how does a person get credited for an invention and how does that benefit them?

> In Canada, their invention is protected by what is known as “Intellectual Property” and it protects more than just inventions, it can also protect designs, music, books, computer programs and more.

What is Intellectual Property?

> Intellectual property (or IP as it is known), means the legal rights that result from intellectual activity in the industrial, scientific, literary and artistic fields.

> IP rights, whether in the form of patents, trade-marks, copyrights, etc. reward intellectual activity by protecting the person or people that developed or created it.

> This also means that the owner will financially profit from the creation if anyone else wishes to use it.

Source: Canadian Intellectual Property Office

What is the role of Intellectual Property?

> The premise underlying IP throughout its history has been that the recognition and rewards associated with ownership of inventions and creative works stimulate further inventive and creative activity.

> For example, most patents are improvements on existing ideas rather than “new” ideas.

Source: Canadian Intellectual Property Office

Types of Intellectual Property1. Patents protect inventors by preventing others from making, selling, or using

their inventions from the day the patent is issued for a maximum of 20 years. Inventors may use their patents in various ways, such as selling or licensing them, or using them as leverage in negotiating funding.

2. Trademarks are words, symbols and designs (alone or in combination) that are used to distinguish the products or services of one person or organization from those of another.

3. Copyright protects literary, artistic, dramatic or musical works, computer programs and the subject areas known as "performance," "sound recording" and "communication signal."

4. Industrial designs include the visual features of shape, configuration, pattern and ornament (alone or in combination) that are applied to a finished item of manufacture.

5. Integrated circuit topographies are three-dimensional configurations of electronic circuits, embodied in integrated circuit products or layout designs.

6. The Canadian Plant Breeders' Rights Act gives you exclusive rights to new varieties of some plant species. To be protected, the varieties must be new (that is, not previously sold, different from all other varieties), uniform (that is, all plants in the variety must be the same), and stable (that is each generation must be the same as the rest).

Source: Canadian Intellectual Property Office

Patents

> We are going to look at patents in more detail because they are the most common in biotechnology research and healthcare.

Patents

What Do Patents Cover?> Patents cover inventions of five types:

1. process: a method for doing or making something

2. apparatus: a mechanism or tool, such as a machine for doing specific tasks in the manufacture of a product

3. product: an item that is manufactured or made

4. composition: generally a chemical composition, such as a chemical compound for specific use

5. improvement: a new and useful addition or alteration to an existing invention

Source: Library and Archives of Canada

> Here is Canadian Patent no. 33546 that was filed in 1890.

> The "Surgical Splint," by George Beacock and others.

> Click here to read the source information provided by the Library and Archives of Canada.

Source: Library and Archives of Canada

What Can You Patent?

There are three factors of patentability:

1.Novelty: You must be the inventor or have been assigned by the inventor, and the item must be the first of its kind.

Source: Library and Archives of Canada

The first "Electric Oven," by Thomas Ahearn.

Patent no. 39916. Filing year 1892.

Having already impressed the people of Ottawa by inventing the heated streetcar in 1892, Thomas Ahearn took his electrical inventiveness one step further that same year by preparing Canada's first electrically cooked meal.

What Can You Patent?

2. Utility: The item must be functional and operable. You will not receive a patent if the invention does not work or has no useful function.

Source: Library and Archives of Canada

"Chemical Fire-Extinguisher," by Edward J. Ennis.

Patent no. 28996. Filing year 1888.

What Can You Patent?

3. Ingenuity: The item must not be obvious to someone knowledgeable in the field to which your invention belongs. Consider this the "Wow!" factor. Or, as the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) puts it, the "Why-didn't-I-think-of-that?" phenomenon.

Source: Library and Archives of Canada

"Improvements on Electric Telephony," by Alexander G. Bell.

Patent no. 7789. Filing year 1877.

Questions

> Inventions do not always have to be an “object”, they can also be a computer program or technology. In 2009, the National Research Council of Canada & InnovMetric Software Inc. received the Technology Transfer Award for the development and transfer of 3D data analysis technologies that led to the commercialization of inspection methods based on three-dimensional measurements of real objects. Read the story behind their work to answer the following questions. Click here for the story.

Questions on above article:

1. InnovMetric rapidly became a world-leader in the field of 3D data analysis technologies. In your own words, what does this technology do?

– Answer: It uses scanners and computer software to perform 3-dimentional analysis on various objects to ensure they are properly manufactured.

2. Do you think this technology is superior to human scanning procedures? Why or why not?

– Answer: Could vary, but computer technology if very precise.

3. Why is the coordination between a private company and a government research council beneficial for both parties?

– Answer: Allows for sharing of technologies for both private use (i.e., economical gains) and public use (i.e., scientific research)

Questions

4. In what ways does health research in Alberta benefit all Albertans?

– Answer: Technology developed can be used to treat Albertans. Creates jobs in health care. Creates jobs in research. Provides economical resources to the province.

5. How can you tell if a word or symbol is trademarked? – Answer: It will exhibit a “trademark” symbol such as ™ or or ℠

®.

6. Do you have to be a scientist or business person to apply for Intellectual Property rights?

– Answer: No, not at all. Anyone can apply for IP rights.

7. If you were to compose an original song, what type of Intellectual Property would you want to protect it?

– Answer: Copyright

Questions

8. As mentioned above, the Human Genome Project has begun to patent human genes. Read this article by National Geographic News and for more information. In a short paragraph (your teacher will determine number of words), describe why you believe genes should or should not be patented by individuals or private companies.

– Answers will vary.

Centre for Mathematics Science and Technology Education (CMASTE)382 Education SouthUniversity of AlbertaEdmonton AB T6G 2G5www.CMASTE.caTo download: select Outreach, Alberta Ingenuity Resources and Centre for Machine LearningFilename: AICML6BrainTumourAnalysis

Centre for Machine LearningDepartment of Computing ScienceUniversity of Alberta2-21 Athabasca HallEdmonton AB T6G 2E8(780) 492-4828www.machinelearningcentre.ca

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