Analyzing Gene Sequence Patents Article in BioInform Newsletter

A copy of this article can be read from the PIUG archives by clicking here . I love articles like this that make it sound as if the bioinformatics crowd is teaching patent searchers and analysts how to find information. Overall the quotes from Amy, Heahyun, Robert and I are quite good and I don't think any of us were misquoted but the overall feel of the article certainly makes it seem that those of us who do searching would be totally lost without the scientists holding our hands and leading the way. Let's have a look at the very beginning of the article: "It's a familiar scenario: sequence data distributed across a score of public and proprietary sources, debate about the comprehensiveness of those sources and the degree of overlap between them, questions about the best way to integrate the information. Bioinformatics, right? Think again. The very same challenges that bioinformatics developers have grappled with for the past decade or so are now confronting a new user community: Patent analysts." To be fair the author did put a quote of mine at the end of the article, "Of course, added Trippe, bioinformatics researchers could stand to learn a thing or two from the patent analysis side as well. "It's been my experience that when the two groups sit down and talk to each other, the information professionals learn more about researchers' needs and what they do and the tools they use, and the researchers learn more about the hidden gems that are out there that could provide valuable insight that they're not currently aware of." The article is worth reading and hopefully will do something to increase the standing of information professionals who work in this particular field but the self-important attitude of the author with respect to bioinformatics is amusing.
Posted: Sun - March 30, 2003 at 06:46 PM   Patinformatics   Interesting Reference Articles   Email Comments