Justin Anderson, J.D.
Senior Intellectual Property Manager
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
Chair of the Western Region Meeting
AUTM Member since 2007
What is your favorite food and why?
Oh, I like starting off with a softball question…cereal is my favorite food. It was my comfort food growing up and remains so today. While my taste may have evolved a bit, it’s really hard to beat the ease, variety, and the way it can be topped off with fruit or left as is! My grandfather loved cereal too, and who can blame him because he used half & half instead of milk! I generally prefer whole milk, but it’s just fine with oat, soy, almond, or skim! The best part for me is that my oldest son, Larson, loves cereal too. I guess it's more of a mixed blessing because he generally eats all of mine. 

What’s the best advice you ever received?
My high school chemistry teacher had an oversized impact on where I am and how I got here. His advice was to stay curious and to pursue an education, and ultimately a career, that blends your interests and strengths. It’s what led me to pursue degrees in chemical engineering, biochemistry, and ultimately law at UW-Madison. Without these seemingly simple words, I don’t know where I would’ve ended up, but I doubt it would be in my current role!

How did you get involved in tech transfer?
A family referral! During our family Christmas, my aunt mentioned that WARF was looking for someone with my technical background to fill a new role within our growing IP team. Since graduating from UW-Madison two years earlier, I had been working as a process engineer for a glass manufacturer. While it was a great first job out of college, I was travelling a lot and jumped at the chance for staying closer to home and returning to campus at my alma mater. The job and industry won me over quickly, affording me an opportunity to become a patent agent and eventually an attorney, all while forming strong relationships within the office, community, and other offices. 

What’s something that surprised you from your career path?
The biggest surprise to me, and still remains so even after 15 years, is that I’m afforded a front row seat to cutting edge innovation on a regular basis. Couple that with having the great fortune of working closely with my former professors and new faculty/students in my former departments, and most days in the office are surprisingly fulfilling. 

What’s something you’re working on right now that really excites you?
I have the good fortune of working with researchers in both physical and life sciences, so the technologies in my portfolio really run the gamut. That said, I’m really excited about a catalyst developed in our chemistry department that has shown immense promise in enabling the nitrogen economy, including nitrogen fuel cells that might be used to power ships near ports. I’m also really excited about some technologies out of our school of pharmacy that could significantly enhance the targeting and efficacy of immunotherapies, which have shown immense potential in treating a growing number of cancers. Finally, we have two amazing CryoEM facilities on our campus, which have resulted in some amazing developments in sample preparation that could enable better and faster imaging of biological samples in their native configurations.

What is a current challenge you are facing professionally?
Candidly, career advancement is challenging in technology transfer, with most organizations being small and relatively flat. Finding ways to continue to develop new skills, refine existing strengths, while also staying engaged can be difficult. That said, the researchers and mission I serve in my role are always fulfilling and I’m constantly finding new ways to improve the ways in which I do my job, including identifying and implementing best practices learned from peers via AUTM events and follow-on conversations. 

What advice would you give to someone new to the tech transfer space?
This isn’t a shameless plug, but my advice would be to tap into AUTM’s offerings early and often. Between the educational opportunities, which range from basic to expert, and the unbelievable networking opportunities at the national/regional meetings, AUTM provides so much for its members. These offerings are really a great way to develop and maintain a professional network, while also giving members opportunities to benchmark with their peers. If you’re looking for best practices that you can implement in your office/practice, look no further.

What are you most looking forward to at the Western Region Meeting? 
Reconnecting in person! With two young kiddos at home, I wasn’t able to make it to the national meeting or to the central meeting, so I’m very much looking forward to some face-to-face conversations. We’ve got a great agenda, packed with topical subject matter and a slate of great speakers, which will hopefully draw a strong crowd and make for an energetic and engaging event. I’m also really looking forward to spending a few days in Portland, which is such an energetic and vibrant city, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention all the great food and drink that we’ll have as part of the festivities.  

What is something at the event people shouldn’t miss?
Hmm, this seems little like asking if I have a favorite son! With a full slate across two days, the planning committee has put together an amazing and topical agenda. We have general sessions to start off each day, before transitioning into two tracks for subsequent sessions, so we’re really looking to provide something for our members and hope people will join us in the pacific northwest this fall. But if I have to answer, you’ll definitely find me at the session discussing best practices for patenting technologies at the intersection of biotechnology and computer science. I’m also really looking forward to learning more about creating a culture of commercialization and how to make informed decisions on patent conversion/maintenance.    

What do you think the next big challenge in tech transfer is and how can AUTM help?
Patent eligibility has been, and will continue to be, a big challenge facing not only university technology transfer, but also U.S. innovation. Supreme Court precedent has really upset the apple cart and I’m cautiously optimistic that recently proposed legislation will help to address this issue. I hope and trust that AUTM can use its collective voice in support of substantive change to provide clarity and to incentivize innovation across scientific categories. 

What’s your favorite memory from a past AUTM event?
My first national meeting was in Las Vegas, so I think there’s some code about not sharing! Joking aside, I remember being completely surprised by the number of attendees and the enthusiasm from members to welcome first-timers. From that first meeting I knew that AUTM wasn’t just another trade association and the willingness to share best practices (and war stories) truly drew me in. So my favorite memory is that meeting, all the learnings and connections really set me on a path for success in my tech transfer career, while also setting me on a path to contribute through the Western Region Meeting planning committee. Here’s hoping this year’s WRM has the same impact on a new(er) member!