The controversial issue of gene patents will be the focus of an upcoming seminar at Charles Darwin University.
Davies Collison Cave Professor of Intellectual Property at the Melbourne University School of Law, Andrew Christie will present a free public seminar entitled, “Beyond Genes: What should and should not be patented, and how to tell the difference”.
Professor Christie said that following considerable political attention and scrutiny, focus was now on two Private Member’s Bills before Parliament that seek to ban the patenting of genes and other biological materials.
“Should genes be patentable? If not, why not? Should other subject matters be singled out for a ban on patenting? If so, which ones?” he said.
“This seminar will provide an objective analysis of these conceptually difficult and practically important issues.”
Professor Christie has been in the thick of the Australian controversy over gene patents. His submission to the Senate Inquiry was influential on its findings, and he chaired the working group that undertook the Advisory Council on Intellectual Property Review of Patentable Subject Matter.
To be chaired by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, the Hon Trevor Riley and hosted by CDU’s Acting Head of Law, Dr David Price, the seminar will be a joint presentation between CDU’s School of Law and Business and the Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia.
Professor Christie’s seminar will be held on Thursday, 28 April from 5.30pm-6.30pm in Building Red 1.3.01 at CDU’s Casuarina campus.
Light refreshments will be served at 5pm prior to the lecture.