A Tea Chat For Life Sciences: Ryan C. Smith & Technology Transfer
Friday, November 20, 2026, 9:30 AM PST – 11:00 AM PST
San Diego, CA
Hosted by Premium Discovery Group, S.P.C.
Join us on Friday 11/20/2026 (9:30-11:00 am PT) for our November “Tea Chat” to meet with Dr. Ryan C. Smith, Patent Attorney and Partner of Duane Morris LLP, to learn from his knowledge of working with technology transfer offices. Let’s get together soon! Some of the world's most successful life sciences and technology companies were built around innovations that originated in university research labs. For entrepreneurs, licensing university intellectual property can provide access to differentiated, high-value technology and a strong foundation for company formation. This presentation will demystify the role of university technology transfer offices and provide practical guidance on identifying promising technologies, negotiating license agreements, avoiding common pitfalls, and positioning university-derived innovations for commercial success. Ryan is a patent attorney at Duane Morris LLP, who has extensive experience working at, and working with, technology transfer offices. Ryan also has significant experience in IP due diligence, as well as U.S. and international patent prosecution in the areas of biotechnology and chemistry, and patent litigation matters before both federal courts and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Prior to practicing law, Ryan was a manager at the UCSD Technology Transfer Office. He started with a background as a scientist and inventor in the DNA sequencing industry (Illumina, GE | Amersham | Molecular Dynamics, and IBM, between 1999-2013), holding patents that became a part of the foundation for modern next-generation sequencing (NGS). Having helped developing technologies that moved from the research lab to commercial products, he understands the path entrepreneurs face when evaluating, licensing, and building businesses around emerging technologies. He regularly advises innovators, startups, investors, and universities on intellectual property strategy, helping bridge the gaps between academic inventions and commercially successful companies. Ryan had his Postdoctoral Fellowship at both Stanford University and IBM. He received his J.D. from University of San Diego School of Law, and holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley. He graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California at San Diego, Revelle College. Premium Discovery Group, S.P.C. is a social purpose c-corp of life sciences & health technologies, dedicated to advancing and fostering forward-thinking leaders of their organizations and our ecosystem. We welcome you to join our community and follow us on social media (LinkedIn | Instagram) too! “A Tea Chat For Life Sciences” is a monthly series that honors innovations of life sciences and health technologies, giving participants opportunities to network with some of the best inventors, entrepreneurs, and experts available in Southern California. Please be sure to save the dates for these unique experiences of inspiration and connectivity!