In August 2007, Stephanie A. Miller began experiencing scientific research on a whole new level, as an intern at the U.Va. Patent Foundation. One of 50 U.Va. students to have participated in the Patent Foundation’s graduate student internship program, Miller works closely with Assistant
Director Miette H. Michie and other members of the licensing staff for four to six hours each week to help evaluate, protect and license new technologies developed throughout the University.

Miller is currently a biochemistry doctoral candidate, studying the Ndc80 protein as it relates to cancer drug treatments in the laboratory of P. Todd Stukenberg, Ph.D. In the following Q&A, she tells us about her experience as a Patent Foundation intern and how that experience has helped shape her perspective as a scientist.

Patent Foundation: Let’s start at the beginning: How did you first become interested in working as a graduate student intern at the U.Va. Patent Foundation?

Stephanie Miller: When I was in my fourth year and had started to think about my career goals, I began searching for alternative — non-academic — career opportunities. I remembered that an older graduate student in my department had been an intern at the U.Va. Patent Foundation, and after reading more about the program, I decided to apply.

PF: What are some examples of the work you’ve done at the Patent Foundation?

SM: I have been involved in almost every aspect of the process over the past year. When I began, my assignments were mostly centered on marketing efforts — taking a filed patent application and generating a summary document, for example, or identifying companies that might be interested in the invention and contacting them. Then I moved on to doing prior art searches — doing a search of the literature and closely related patents to make sure that the invention would be considered novel by patent law standards.

PF: What’s your favorite type of assignment?

SM: Most recently, I’ve been working with companies that are already interested in licensing our technologies. I act as a liaison between the company and the inventor and have even helped draw up licensing agreements. I’ve enjoyed my recent assignments the best because I get to interact with both sides of technology transfer: the inventors and the companies that license the inventions.

PF: What do you enjoy most about interning with the Patent Foundation?

SM: Over the past year I’ve worked on inventions from many different disciplines that range from surgery to drug chemistry. I’ve been able to use my science background in ways that are not possible in the lab. As an intern, I’ve learned so much more about the life sciences than I normally would be exposed to.

PF: How has your experience as a Patent Foundation intern prepared you for the future?

SM: I’m still not sure what my career will be, but had I not been an intern, I would never have realized how many paths there are to choose from once I graduate.

We work with technology transfer offices at biotech and pharmaceutical companies on a regular basis, and that has exposed me to career options in research and development, product production and marketing, in addition to tech transfer. Whatever career I eventually choose, I’m sure I will call upon the valuable skills I’ve developed at the Patent Foundation.