Research Roadmap

Before sharing your research findings with an external partner, you need to make sure that you have the necessary legal support from Amsterdam UMC. The type of legal support may vary depending on the type of research, and could include advice on grant agreements, consortium agreements, non-disclosure agreements, letters of intent, and other legal documents.

It may also be necessary to protect your idea, knowledge, or findings before disclosing them to the public. Intellectual property (IP) protection can have various forms, with patent filing being one of the most common methods. Innovation Exchange Amsterdam (IXA) is the expertise office at Amsterdam UMC that can provide guidance on the best IP protection strategy for your situation. Their website also provides more information on the patent application process, the rules governing inventor rewards, and the rights related to the commercial exploitation of a patent.

Even with a patent, it is important to have proper agreements in place before sharing your knowledge outside of Amsterdam UMC. For instance, if a company or other entity expresses interest in your study (results), you should establish a Confidentiality Agreement (CDA) before disclosing any details. Once signed, this document (also referred to as a non-disclosure agreement, NDA) allows for open discussions while protecting the rights of all parties involved.

Patenting before publishing

Be aware that it is not possible to obtain patent protection once details of an innovation have already been made public. This includes scientific literature. The general rule is: patentingbeforepublishing! Under the right circumstances, you can start publishing your results while your patent application is still in process.