AUTM conference 2026

Date: 8-11 February 2026
Venue: Seattle, Washington
Registrations: Click here to register (membership required)

The AUTM Annual Meeting is the premier global conference for professionals working in technology transfer, research commercialisation, and innovation partnerships. Each year, this flagship event brings together leaders and practitioners from universities, research institutions, start-ups, industry, government labs, and service providers to connect, learn, and collaborate on strategies that move breakthroughs from the lab into the world.

Ross Cummings, a partner in our life sciences and biotech team will be hosting and moderating a panel “Using data to prove sufficiency and inventive step at the EPO & USPTO” on Wednesday 11 February, 9:00-10:15.

He will be joined by:

• Aisha Hassan, Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
• Dr Terry Parlett, Commercialisation Director (health & life science technologies), Cambridge Enterprise
• Dr Alyssa Webster, Technology Manager, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
• Dr Leo Takaoka, Intellectual Property Portfolio Manager, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The panel will offer practical guidance on patent drafting in the life sciences and biotechnology sectors. It will focus on strategies to strengthen applications and improve the chances of successful patent grant.

The discussion will explore the use of post-filing data to support inventive step before the EPO, with insights from key decisions such as G 2/21, and compare this approach with practice in the US. Attendees will also gain a comparative perspective across the EPO, Unified Patent Court (UPC), and USPTO, highlighting important differences and emerging trends.

Panellists

Ross Cummings, Partner, GJE

Ross is a chartered UK and European patent attorney with almost two decades of experience in the biotechnology industry, particularly in inventions relating to cell and gene therapy, immunology, genomics, microbiology, cancer therapeutics and drug delivery.

Aisha Hassan, Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Aisha is a life science US patent attorney whose practice spans a wide range of technologies including general biotechnology, cell therapies, plant biotechnology, chemicals, agricultural pesticides, small molecule drugs and pharmaceuticals, formulations and immunological and diagnostic assays.

Dr Terry Parlett, Commercialisation Director (health & life science technologies), Cambridge Enterprise

Terry is responsible for the commercialisation and diffusion of life science and health-related technologies and research arising from the University of Cambridge, through the creation of new companies, licensing relationships and partnerships. His recent work includes the commercialisation of Cambridge technologies in areas such as stem cell products, cancer risk prediction tools, flu and Ebola vaccines, and cell therapy.

Dr Alyssa Webster, Technology Manager, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Alyssa Webster joined Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in 2019 as a postdoctoral researcher and Business Development Fellow before joining the Office of Business Development as a technology manager in 2022. She works cross-functionally with principal investigators and scientists across all divisions and stages of technology management, including the assessment of new innovations, intellectual property rights, patent management and strategy, licensing, and start-up company formation at Fred Hutch.

Dr Leo Takaoka, Intellectual Property Portfolio Manager, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Leo is a former in-house counsel with extensive experience in patent portfolio development and business strategy. He is well-versed in both legal and intellectual property functions aligned with business objectives, particularly within the fields of biotherapeutics, biologic formulations, and automated peptide manufacturing.