The document, authored by Wendy Streitz for a June 2012 COGR meeting, presents guiding principles for the transfer of research materials between non-profit academic institutions. The material transfer process discussed applies only to materials for research purposes, excluding those intended for human use. Key principles include maintaining ownership of the original material by the provider, with recipients allowed to incorporate it into new substances but not permitted to transfer the original material to third parties except under specific, research-oriented conditions. Providers are encouraged not to restrict the funding sources of recipients, allow use in bona fide academically-sponsored research, and refrain from claiming rights to recipient inventions or imposing restrictions on intellectual property beyond those relating to the physical material itself.
The guidelines emphasize academic freedom, discouraging providers from requiring statements of work or imposing publication restrictions, confidential treatment of results, or mandatory authorship unless scientifically warranted. There is also a clear distinction that no commercial rights are granted through such transfers, and recipient use for commercial purposes requires a separate licensing agreement. Both parties are responsible for their own compliance with legal obligations, such as export control regulations, and can agree on the proper disposal or ongoing use of the material post-agreement. The principles collectively aim to facilitate collaboration and reproducibility in academic research while protecting institutional and intellectual property rights, aligning with standard practices for fostering open scientific inquiry.
