Office of Technology Transfer

National Institute Of Mental Health

Investigators

Abstract

The Office of Technology Transfer Office (OTT) negotiates Material Transfer Agreements, Cooperative Research Development Agreements (CRADA), Licenses, Collaboration Agreements, Confidential Disclosure Agreements, and Clinical Trial Agreements to facilitate collaborations with academic, non-profit, and commercial organizations. OTT also provides guidance and assistance to NIMH researchers, evaluates employee inventions for their patentability and commercial potential, coordinates royalty distributions arising out of NIMH inventions, and informs NIMH personnel and researchers about the latest and relevant developments in the technology transfer area. In addition, the NIMH OTT serves as a conduit for interactions between NIMH researchers and private and/or public entities, represents NIMH interests in intramural and extramural technology transfer activities, assists NIMH management in formulating policies and procedures affecting technology transfer issues, interacts regularly with NIH OD's OTT royalties and licensing monitoring and enforcement professionals and outside counsel to secure the patent protection for inventions. In the first 10.5 months of this fiscal year, 70 Material Transfer Agreements, 3 licenses, 6 Confidential Disclosure Agreements, 2 Memorandum of Understandings, 2 employee invention reports, and 7 collaboration agreements were completed. NIMH technology transfer has participated in various NIH-wide technology transfer committees and initiatives. These projects include serving as members of a working group related to a technology transfer database working group that will integrate data from all ICs, including agreements, patenting and licensing.