Testimony from Dr. Donald R. Price
 Vice President for Research
 University of Florida

 Biotechnology has become a major topic of discussion for the past sev-
eral years among university research administrators. The issues surround-
ing this new research field are numerous and many are extremely impor-
tant. The debate among and between the universities and private industry
has been rather fierce at times, but nearly always healthy and construc-
tive. I am of the opinion that the differences and more controversial prob-
lems are diminishing. A standard practice, or norm, is emerging that bet-
ter defines the issues and agreement is thus more easily attained.
 The issues I am referring to are: (1) ownership rights to intellectual
property generated from a research grant or contract from an industry to
university researchers; (2) publication of research results without undue
delays and restrictions; (3) ownership rights to data; (4) confidentiality
requirements between universities and industry; and (5) patent licensing
agreements to commercialize results of university research.
 In no technological field have the issues been more controversial than in
biotechnology. This is probably to be expected given the interest and eco-
nomic potential of new discoveries. There are numerous new start-up
companies all competing for survival. Because they are new and small,
they need the research base and support available at the universities. One
or two timely discoveries can make a company successful. Therefore, the
new companies are quite aggressive about control of patents and licensing
arrangements.
 Let me proceed with a more detailed illustration of one issue that is
often at the forefront of disputes between industry and universities. Many,
in fact most, corporate-level officers in a company hold to the position that
if the industry provides funding for a research project on a university cam-
pus, then any discoveries (patents) that result from the research should
belong to the sponsor company. The universities take the position that if a
faculty researcher makes such a discovery, it belongs to the university. The
universities have very large investments in research faculty in the form of
laboratory space and equipment, libraries, graduate students, technicians,
etc. A faculty member usually develops expertise in a field over a period of
several years and it would be unfair for a private industry to come along
and reap all the benefits of that investment with one small research grant
or contract.
 The university should, for this reason and others, retain ownership and
control of patents. As a public institution, we are obligated to get the