The Office of Licensing and Ventures is responsible for patents, licenses and other intellectual property matters for Duke University. In addition, it has responsibilities for corporate-sponsored research (in collaboration with the Office of Research Administration), corporate gifts and corporate programs for the Medical Center.

Specific functions of the office include:

  1. Manage the University's technology transfer process, including the following:
     
    1. Solicit, receive and review Invention Disclosures from faculty and staff who have made inventions or developed other intellectual property through the use of Duke resources.
       
    2. Determine patentability and marketability of inventions.
       
    3. Manage the filing and prosecution of patent applications on selected inventions.
       
    4. Market inventions to potential licensees and negotiate license agreements.
       
    5. Receive royalties and other related payments, and make distributions in accordance with University Policy on Inventions, Patents and Technology Transfer.
       
  2. Draft, review, negotiate, and approve corporate-sponsored research agreements, and related sub-agreements, for both clinical and non-clinical projects in the medical center, and coordinate with other offices as necessary (Office of Research Administration, University Counsel, Financial Affairs, Institutional Review Board, Compliance Office, Risk Management, Conflict Committee).
     
  3. Advise the Office of Research Administration on intellectual property matters relating to government- and foundation-sponsored research. Advise the Office of Research Support on intellectual property matters on sponsored research agreements processed by that office.
     
  4. Serve as a resource to faculty on matters relating to corporate-sponsored research and intellectual property, including processing of Confidentiality Agreements and Material Transfer Agreements.
     
  5. Conduct various entrepreneurial activities.