Laboratory Information:
National Institutes of Health
Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325
Rockville, MD 20852-3804
Website: http://www.nih.gov/
Technology Transfer Website: http://www.ott.nih.gov
Agency/Department: Dept. of Health and Human Services
Region: Mid-Atlantic
FLC Laboratory Representative:
Mr. Steven Ferguson
Phone: 301-435-5561
Fax: 301-402-0220
Email: fergusos@mail.nih.gov
Background/History of the Laboratory:
Founded in 1887, the National Institutes
of Health today is one of the world's foremost medical research centers,
and the Federal focal point for medical research in the United States. The NIH, comprising 27 separate
Institutes
and Centers, is one of eight health agencies of the Public Health Service which, in turn, is part of
the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The NIH distributes 80 percent of its funding in extramural
research grants and about 10 percent in its in-house intramural research program. The intramural research
program has produced a rich portfolio of over 3,000 active patents and over 1,300 active licenses that
is managed
by the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT).
Mission of the Laboratory:
NIH is the steward of medical and behavioral
research for the Nation. Its mission 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. The NIH Office of Technology Transfer
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 HHS. Other major functions within OTT include the development of technology transfer
policies for NIH and the implementation of decisions by the Technology Transfer Policy Board.
