NIST proposes Bayh-Dole revisions, invites comments by April 5
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) requests comments on proposed revisions to regulations that would further the Return on Investment (ROI) Initiative for Unleashing American Innovation. Comments must be received no later than April 5, 2021. Learn More.
USPTO's 'small entity' clarifications are good news for federal T2
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a final rule to clarify and expand the exceptions that permit a party to qualify for small entity status when its collaboration with the federal government results in an invention with a government use right. Learn More.
AFRL-NMT testing center repurposes site of former New Mexico ghost town
In a dusty ghost town in southern New Mexico, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is conducting some of its most important testing. The New Mexico Technical and Mining Institute (NMT) purchased the town of Playas for the sum of $5 million, and the Playas Research and Training Center (PRTC) was born. Learn more.
USGS and partners detect possible new source of rare earth element materials
Waste rock from long-closed mines in the eastern Adirondack Mountains of New York may prove valuable due to its rare earth element content, according to newly published research based on airborne and ground surveys conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and collaborators. Learn more.
NIST announces winners of PEER Prize for incentivizing Bayh-Dole compliance
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced on December 30 the winners of its Partners Engaged in Extramural Reporting (PEER) Prize Challenge, which invited solutions to incentivize the recipients of federal R&D funding to comply with Bayh-Dole reporting requirements. Learn More.
iEdison rebuild project seeks volunteers to tour and test modernized system
As progress on rebuilding the Interagency Edison (iEdison) reporting system for extramural interventions continues, its organizers are looking for volunteers to participate in user test groups for the new system in preparation for a 2022 launch. Learn More.
DHS finds facial recognition tech in COVID-19 mask wearers up to 96% accurate
A controlled scenario test by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) shows promising results for facial recognition technologies to accurately identify individuals wearing protective face masks. Learn More.
False negatives with Curative COVID-19 test prompt FDA warning
In an unusual move, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning on January 4 about false negative results with a COVID-19 test from Air Force partner Curative. Though the Los Angeles-based startup was only founded a year ago, several government entities are currently using its tests. Curative’s oral swab tests are offered at dozens of drive-thru testing sites across Los Angeles, and the county has also tapped the startup to help administer vaccines to nursing home residents and staff. Learn More.
NIAID trial will test combination monoclonal antibody therapy for COVID-19
A Phase 2/3 clinical trial has begun to evaluate a combination investigational monoclonal antibody therapy for its safety and efficacy in people who have mild or moderate COVID-19. The two experimental antibodies, BRII-196 and BRII-198, target SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The trial, known as ACTIV-2, is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Learn More.