A prominent researcher at KTH is now being investigated by the university to have confused his academic research with the business of his company. Co-founder is a renowned professor at KI.
The management of the Royal Institute of Technology, during the spring pulling once an investigation into the head of the department of genetic engineering, Professor Joakim Lund Berg.
He and Jonas Frisén, stem cell professor at KI (Karolinska Institute) received major research grant to develop the method of high-resolution study of genes (RNA) that are active at the cellular level in different tissues and their manufactures proteins (spatial transcriptomics).
Among other things, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg foundation has contributed over 40 million to the study of which genes are active in individual brain cells. Other projects have been linked to breast and skin cancer. Altogether, the researchers have been granted at least 75 million for research.
The investigation is now examining whether Joakim Lundeberg mixed up their work in including the project “Spatial transcriptomics of the Brain” – the business of the company Spatial transcriptomics AB. Both he and Jonas see unemployment is a shareholder in the company.
To spin of R & D results in the form of company is common and encouraged by the institutions. But according to the Higher Education researchers must also keep apart the work of their jobs and their outside activities.
– Our researchers are often very successful and produce results that are commercially viable and have the right to commercialize their results, and can and even get help with this from KTH innovation office. But these ancillary activities must be “clearly separated” from the work they have on the university, says Christina Engstrom, general counsel at KTH.
Among other things, they may not take the university’s staff, or equipment used at their companies.
Amelie Eriksson Karlström, dean and director of the School of biotechnology at KTH – and Lundberg’s immediate supervisor – was commissioned by the Rector made a first survey of the situation surrounding the genetic engineering company. In a recent memorandum listing her circumstances.
KTH employees doctoral students and researchers working in Lundbergs and Frisén research projects, has signed an agreement to transfer its rights to the R & D results and innovations – the company – the options .
– the employees and / or students transfer their results to the boss / professor / supervisor or his company is problematic. It becomes harder to say no, says Christina Engström.
At the same time she says that such transfers are made from time to time.
KTH and KI-time researchers working extra as hourly employees in the company to perform services based on technologies developed in research projects. The company also has a part-time employee who works with this.
According to the company’s website offered customers help to measure and examine how genes produce proteins at the cellular level.
Similarly, two KTH employees it- techniques, which develops software for visualizing data (gene expression), signed similar agreements graduate students to transfer intellectual property rights to the company.
technicians agreement, however, invalid, according to KTH’s general counsel Christina Engström. System technician is not covered by the “teacher exception”, which gives teachers and researchers the right to their research.
In February canceled the company contracts with IT technologies.
– IT professionals have not really understood what they have written, I think, says Christina Engström. KTH now considers that it is the university that owns the software that they developed.
In a letter to the School of Biotechnology March 7th writes Mikael Samuelsson, CEO of Spatial transcriptomics AB, the company waives the right to a software called Spatial transcriptomics Viewer. Joakim Lundberg have indicated to KTH that it should be made publicly available.
Another sign of academic research may have been confused with the commercial work is that the CEO of the company Spatial transcriptomics sent emails and called the KTH-employed iT professionals to meetings to discuss software development.
Lundberg’s director Amelie Eriksson Karlström states that she was notified of the circumstances described above a month ago.
– I felt not that these graduate students had written about their intellectual property rights, she said. What I see today as an error committed is that technical-administrative personnel signed over their rights.
The question of appropriate now examined in the investigation. While she thinks it is good that the PhD students who waive their intellectual property rights to the company offered stock options in the company.
Recently, said Amelie Eriksson Karlström however up its resale lease for offices at the Science for Life Laboratory, where research is conducted. Then in November 2015, the company rented an office space and lab space.
– We felt that there was a risk of border problems, she explains.
Anders Lundgren, head of administration at KTH, which holds in the investigation on behalf of President Peter Gudmundsson, adds:
– We have said up places because people actually do not really understand what they have worked for, he said.
the study at KTH continues now.
According to Amelie Eriksson Karlström will inter alia explore how the university handled the resources – and the KTH personnel performing commercial work in their employment.
the examination is done by KTH. Jonas Frisén employers KI wait until KTH come further in their investigation.
– I have been informed that the head teacher at KTH decided that the matter should be investigated and that the investigation will be completed sometime after Easter. It is good that this is being investigated, but because the issue for the most part concern KTH, KI in the current situation not to take any action, says Karin Dahlman-Wright, deputy headmaster at KI.
– However, we follow KTH s investigation and decides on any action when we have seen the result of it.
See letter below.
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