Academic Freedom Under Siege: Intellectual Property At Risk

Authored by Babak Akhlaghi on April 25, 2025. Federal funding has played a critical role in advancing academic innovations since the mid-20th century. This relationship was further cemented in 1980 with the Bayh-Dole Act, which allowed universities to retain ownership of their federally funded inventions. This landmark legislation enabled institutions to commercialize their patented innovations and begin collaborations and partnerships with industry. But now this foundation is cracking before our eyes.

The confrontation between Harvard and the Trump administration is significant from an intellectual property standpoint because it threatens to reduce the ability of many universities who rely on governmental funding to protect their innovations. This will trigger multiple negative outcomes that extend far beyond a single institution.