MCFA-Symposium in Muenchen

[dietz _at__ koma.free.de (Karl Dietz)]

aus ffii.org

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MCFA Symposium in Munich

Key Technologies, Products and Patents

Recent advances in Biotechnology and Information Technology

17.-18. November 1999

	
Location : Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Hofgartenstrasse 8, 80539 Muenchen

In collaboration with the Max-Planck Society and the European Patent
Office

Recent progress in key technologies such as biotechnology and
information technology, either driven by state-financed, or  
industrialresearch,  have an increasingly rapid impact on industry and the
economy. Besides opening up chances for scientists and business,
protection of innovation through patents is challenged. This rapid
development has led to questions about the protection of intellectual
property for progress to continue while responding to both, economic and
scientific interests. New proposals towards the patentability of
software, substances for medical use and gene sequences have already
raised various discussions in the media while leaving a certain
uncertainty among entrepreneurs and scientists.

The symposium will address current challenges in research,  intellectual
property protection, and technology transfer. Current topics in
information and  bio-technology, patent law, and the transfer of
scientific results into innovative products will be outlined and
discussed. International high-profile keynote speakers, together  
withselected European scientists, will expose recent advances to
participants from industry, science, and patent offices who will also
discuss these advances.

The symposium is organized by the Marie-Curie-Fellowship Association
(MCFA),   Brussels, which is the organization of the European grant
holders in science.

November 17th, 1999

08:15 - 09:00	Registration

09:00 - 09:30	Welcoming  Address

Session A : Information Technology 2000

Chair:

09:30 - 10:30 	Keynote lecture : ''WWW: Quo Vadis?''

			Mr. Robert Cailliau, Web Communications, CERN

10:30 - 11:00	Coffee break

11:00 - 12:30 	Technical presentations selected from submissions

12:30 - 14:00 	Lunch

Session B : Biotechnology Session

Chair: Dr. Kenneth Stedman

14:00 - 15:00 	Keynote lecture : Recent advances in Biotechnology

			Prof. Dr. Horst Domdey, Bio-M

15:00 - 15:30 	Coffee break

15:30 - 17:00 	Technical presentations selected from submissions

17:00		Closure

17:30		Social event

November 18th : Patents and Innovation

Chair: Dr. Norbert Glaser

08:00 - 08:30	Registration

08:30 - 09:30	Patents for Innovation : Licensing and Spin-offs

			Dr. Bernhard Hertel, Garching Innovation

09:30 - 10:30	IPR-Helpdesk and esp _at__ cenet(R): Working together to support
					Commission-RTD programme Participants

			Mr. Paul Schwander, EPO liaison Officer at DG Enterprise, European
Commission

10:30 - 11:00	Coffee break

11:00 - 12:00	Software Userright: Solving Inconsistencies of Software
Patents

			Dr. Jean-Paul Smets, smets.com International Consulting

12:00 - 13:00 	Lunch

13:00 - 14:00	Patents for protecting biotechnology inventions

			Prof. Dr. Joseph Straus, MPI

14:00 - 15:00	Patentability of Software

			Dr. Dai Rees, European Patent Office

15:00 - 15:30 	Coffee break

15:30 - 17:00	Round table: Patents and research - Helping or Hindering
Progress?

			Moderation: Dr. Wilhelm Krull, Volkswagen Foundation

17:00		Closure

17:30		Conference Dinner

Abstracts of keynote lectures

Mr. Robert Cailliau : ''WWW: Quo Vadis?''

website: www.cern.ch and www.iw3c2.org

The Web is so pervasive that it is routinely confused with the Internet,
and, worse, people even think that e-mail goes through the Web.
Confusion is rampant, commercialism tries to make fast money by
exploiting the consumer's bewilderment. How did we get here, what are
the dangers, what are the opportunities? The talk includes a short
history of the lesser-known facts, it tries to show some of the problems
and finally gives a personal view of what the future ought to bring.

Prof. Dr. Horst Domdey : Recent Advances in Biotechnology Research

website: www.bio-m.de

An overview about new developments in the sector of biotechnology.

Dr. Bernhard Hertel : Patents for Innovation : Licensing and Spin-offs

website: www.garching-innovation.mpg.de

Garching Innovation GmbH (GI) is the technology-transfer institution of
the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, the german organization for basic research.
Since 1970 GI is angaged in the commerzialisation of patents, know-how
and software developed at the institutes. The organisation of GI as well
as the some typical exampels will be presented. Today the foundation of
spinn-offs plays an important role for the transfer as well. GI has
therefore established a support for researchers interested in this
matter.

Mr. Paul Schwander : IPR-Helpdesk and esp _at__ cenet(R) : Working together to
support Commission-RTD programme Participants - Safeguarding
researchers' rights

website: www.ipr-helpdesk.org and http://ep.dips.org (access via EPO)

The importance of protecting researchers' rights to their work is often
overlooked. The IPR-Helpdesk was set up last year to raise awareness of
and provide assistance on intellectual property rights. Today, it is a
key information resource for EU researchers, helping them to safeguard
their own efforts and avoid duplicating research.

Dr. Dai Rees : Patentability of Software

website: www.european-patent-office.org

The presentation will explain the basic requirements for patentability
of an invention in Europe. The necessity for an invention to have a
''technical character'' will be discussed and the relevance of this
requirement to the field of software inventions explained, particularly
with reference to the historical development if this area of patents and
to recent changes in approach. The procedure used in the examination of
software inventions will be put forward, and some tips for the applicant
will be given. Finally,  some comments on possible future developments
and brief comparison with the position in the USA and Japan will be
made.

Prof. Dr. Joseph Straus : Patents for protecting biotechnology
inventions

website: www.intellecprop.mpg.de

Scientists as inventors and users of patented inventions. Specifics in
propensity towards patents. Legal foundations of patenting in
biotechnology: TRIPs, the US and the European approach (EU-Directive
98/44/EC, amended Implementing Regulations to the EPC), with special
regard to ESTs, SNPs and gene therapy, as well as plants and animals.
Patentability requirements in the practice of the EPO and the US-CAFC,
some hints. Scope of protection, incl. the dependency and research
exemption issue.

Preliminary Program - Version 7.10.99