How do we achieve that laboratory work impact on the productive sector? Two concepts are key: technology transfer and intellectual property. For that reason, Dr. Mónica Alandete-Sáez, Director of Analysis and Extension at PIPRA, led the workshop "Intellectual Property Management and Innovation" for 15 Concha y Toro workers. To the activity attended staff from the Center for Research and Innovation - led by its director, Gerard Casaubon- and from the legal team.

It is worth highlighting that PIPRA was created by Dr. Alan Bennett, Executive Director of UC Davis Chile and Professor of the University of California. PIPRA, in conjunction with the UC Davis School of Law, in 2011 began to issue the "Licensing Academy: Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization", an intensive 10-day course in Davis in which 50 Chileans have participated. During the workshop at the Center for Research and Innovation, Dr. Alandete explained a number of key concepts, such as the various types of intellectual property, industry secrets, patents, trademarks, author rights and their relevance. She also detailed the technology transfer model and some good practices, such as Material Transfer Agreements (MTA), biological material shared between institutions for research purposes.

Dr. Alandete-Saez commented in detail the importance of maintaining laboratory notebooks. Among other advantages, they collect the information needed to protect inventions and commercialize a technological product. The activity had dynamic participation of the attendees, who actively consulted and shared their own knowledge. 

About Mónica Alandete-Sáez

Biochemist at the University of Valencia, she received her master's degree in Sussex University and her doctorate degree from the University of Nottingham, specializing in plant biotechnology and molecular genetics of plants. She then completed two postdoctoral positions at UC Berkeley and UC Davis. Dr. Alandete-Sáez joined PIPRA in 2009, where she now leads the research team of intellectual property giving reports on operation liberty, diligence and analysis of intellectual property for both non-profit organizations and private companies. She also leads the outreach and education division, organizing international courses on intellectual property and technology transfer. Additionally, she forms part of the UC Davis Chile team, as a scientific liaison and campus activity coordinator in California.