Website: http://www.ott.nih.gov
The primary mission of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is science in pursuit
of fundamental
knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to
extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. Composed of 27 Institutes and
Centers, the NIH provides leadership and financial support to researchers in every state and throughout
the world. In pursuit of its mission, NIH supports a broad spectrum of research approaches, ranging
from basic laboratory research to clinical research. This continuum of research activities creates a
synergy essential to the effective advancement of scientific knowledge.
Under the Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA) of 1986 and Executive Order No. 12591, the NIH has
been mandated to encourage and facilitate collaboration among federal laboratories, state and local
governments, universities, and the private sector in order to assist in the transfer of federal technology
to the marketplace.
The NIH Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) evaluates, protects, licenses, monitors, and manages the
wide range of NIH and FDA discoveries, inventions, and other intellectual property as mandated by the
Federal Technology Transfer Act and related legislation.
To accomplish its mission, OTT oversees patent prosecution, and negotiates and monitors
licensing
agreements. OTT performs similar functions for patenting and licensing activities for the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), another component of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
For copies of model agreements:
http://www.ott.nih.gov/forms_model_agreements/forms_model_agreements.aspx.
Contact Staff Information: http://www.ott.nih.gov/contactus/contact_us.aspx and
http://www.ott.nih.gov/contactus/OTT_Staff_Directory.aspx
Other opportunities can be found through the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, an official
publication for NIH medical and behavioral research grant policies, guidelines, and funding
opportunities. It is published weekly, and users may subscribe to the weekly e-mail LISTSERV Table of
Contents (TOC) at http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/listserv.htm.
