LOUISVILLE, Ky. – James Zanewicz, an attorney with corporate and university experience in intellectual property matters, is the University of Louisville’s new technology development director.
He will work with faculty and staff members to help them transfer intellectual property to the private sector through inventions, patents, licenses and business start-ups.
Zanewicz, who joined U of L in December, replaces Helen Lee, who served in the job for one year. He will work closely with the university’s new Office of Industry Contracts, which helps faculty and staff set up contracts for clinical trials and other types of research. Both offices report to Nancy Martin, U of L’s research vice president.
Most recently, Zanewicz worked for the University of Illinois’ Research and Technology Management Office, where he evaluated and licensed technologies in engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, psychology, materials science, pharmaceuticals and the Internet. From 1995 to 1999, he worked at Warner Bros. in Burbank, Calif., where he ensured protection of copyrights and trademarks and negotiated licensing agreements.
Before that, he negotiated licensing deals and handled partner relationships at CompuServe and handled intellectual property issues and research and development at Rhone-Poulenc’s offices in Cranbury, N.J., and Louisville.
A Centre College graduate, Zanewicz earned a doctor of law degree from Tulane Law School in 1995 and is now pursuing a master’s degree in law focusing on intellectual property.
U of L has stepped up efforts in recent years to boost its technology transfer potential. Last year, the university filed 20 patent applications; its income from royalties and other enterprises has grown to nearly $300,000 a year.
For more information, call Zanewicz at (502) 852-2965 or check http://thinker.louisville.edu/techtran.