At a university where scientific research abounds, University of Wisconsin researchers system-wide can enjoy a new cross-campus collaboration in sharing technology and resources.
John Maliyakal took on a new role Oct. 1 as full-time general manager of the WiSys Technology Foundation, Inc., the patenting and licensing organization for the University of Wisconsin System.
Maliyakal, a registered patent agent, comes to the new position from the WiSys parent organization, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. He has worked there for three and a half years as an intellectual property manager in the life sciences. Elizabeth Donley, former general manager, will continue to provide guidance to the foundation as managing director, according to a release.
Donley praised Maliyakal’s experience and involvement in the foundation.
“With the tremendous growth we’ve experienced, especially during the past year, we knew it was time to have a full-time person at the helm of WiSys,” Donley said in a release.
WiSys serves all UW campuses by protecting the intellectual property of system researchers, licensing inventions to industry and returning proceeds to campuses to support research and educational programs.
Maliyakal explained his route from Poona University in his native India, where he received a PhD in biochemistry, to the UW System.
“I came to Texas in 1977 as a post-doctorate fellow,” Maliyakal said. “I did my post-doctorate work at Southwestern Medical School and in 1986 I came to a company called Agacetus in Middleton.”
There Maliyakal worked as a scientist and director. In 2000, he joined WARF and in 2004 he joined WiSys.
Asked what his major goals as general manager are, Maliyakal drew a distinction between his short-term and long-term goals.
“In the short term, we would like to license the technologies we helped patent. That is, can we find industries to use our research?” Maliyakal said. “In the long term, it is absolutely necessary to educate the faculty from different campuses in terms of discoveries and patents. The faculty is not always aware of the opportunities to transfer discoveries to industry.”
Maliyakal said each license brings income back to their respective home campuses, as WARF does to Madison.
“That will further stimulate research and discoveries,” he said.
Maliyakal mentioned promising innovations in Milwaukee, La Crosse, Eau Claire and Oshkosh and said he is excited to work closely with groups from around the system and start patenting discoveries.
The new manager also said he hopes to bring faculty groups together, as some groups may require complimentary technology from other campuses. Maliyakal said establishing collaborations and increasing efficiency are top priorities.
Though the work burden Maliyakal faces is greater than in his previous post, he said he is not overly worried about his added responsibility.
“We have some good challenges,” he said. “But I’ve worked with WiSys for two to three years — so no, I’m really excited. It’s a very doable challenge.”
