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Resources for Inventors

Material Transfer Agreements

For questions about MTAs or assistance with these forms, contact

Pam Bock, MTA Coordinator
Ext. 2006 or bock@salk.edu

Academic MTA
Use for sending materials to other academic or non-profit researchers.

HHMI investigators please use this Academic Material Transfer Agreement

Commercial MTAs
Please contact MTA Coordinator Pam Bock regarding transfers to commercial entities.

NOTE: Transgenic animals are considered materials; an MTA is also required for sending mice or other animal models.

Patent and Disclosure

Salk Internal Patent and Disclosure Forms (Salk Internal Only)

FYI: Research Disclosures

Research Disclosures are the first step in the patent and licensing process. We rely on the Institute's scientists to keep us informed of useful scientific discoveries so that we can determine whether we need to file for patent protection, as well as whether the technology has commercial potential.

In general, scientists should fill out a Research Disclosure before publicly disclosing useful new technology, i.e., scientific discoveries that might be of interest to an outside party, whether academic or commercial. For patent purposes, public disclosure is any communication to someone not obliged to keep the communication confidential. This includes published articles, scientific talks, poster presentations and sharing of information in any form with colleagues outside of your Salk laboratory.

Public disclosure of research before a patent application has been filed affects whether or not the Institute can obtain a patent at all. The United States allows a one year grace period between public disclosure and filing of a patent application. However, outside the U.S. there usually is no grace period, which means that most foreign patent rights are lost IMMEDIATELY upon public disclosure. This can affect licenseability also, since many companies will only license patented technologies.

In addition to OTMD's responsibility to make the decision on patentability, it is also important to note that the Institute may be able to license an invention, whether or not it is patentable, if commercial entities have an interest in it.

We urge you to fill out a Research Disclosure form and submit it to OTMD before making your research public. If you have questions, please contact Mike White (mwhite@salk.edu, x1703). Although we prefer to receive your form as far as possible in advance of the public disclosure, our office will work with you even at the last minute to make sure your rights are protected.

Research Disclosures are considered confidential, and will not be shared with anyone outside OTMD.

As part of its marketing, OTMD sends regular updates on Salk Institute technology available for licensing to industry contacts worldwide. Help us keep them informed by keeping us informed: let us know about new discoveries taking place in your lab.