Caltech DNA Sequencer Patent Question

brusk writes: "An article from this Sunday's Los Angeles Times is a fascinating investigation of the background to the Caltech spinoff company that produced and sells the DNA sequencer that will be responsible for a complete draft of the human genome within a month or two. It appears that despite denials by the developers and Caltech, millions in NSF and other federal grants went into the development of the sequencer. This is supposed to give federal agencies large discounts on their purchases of sequencers and input into how the devices are marketed. This has interesting implications for the future of these for-profit spinoffs from academe. Perhaps even more significantly, the article raises questions about whether the patent application misrepresented the development process, which could invalidate the company's patent on the sequencing technology. This could shake up biotech world."

Comments

Anybody else find this admirable?

[Guppy]

At the end of the article, you'll find a few paragraphs that talk about a professor who had apparently done crucial work on the sequencer, yet was not named as an inventor on the patent (thus depriving him of royalties and recognition).

...Asked why he had not pursued the issue of his omission from the patent, Huang said that he cared more about the science than about matters of ownership and money.

"If I opened the door for someone else to go through, that's enough. You have to decide where you get your gratification."

After reading of all the ongoing legal manuevering and spinning, this made me stop for a moment. There are still scientists out there who are dedicated to higher goals, thank god.