How Patents Turn Public Health Research Into Impact

Publishing a paper spreads knowledge, but a patent helps discoveries move beyond the laboratory to make a real-world impact. Patents create a pathway for research innovations—whether methods, tools, or materials—to be developed, adopted, and scaled for broader benefit by the populations they aim to serve. Far from merely a legal formality, patents are a mechanism to translate academic work into tangible solutions that improve health, safety, and society. 

At first glance, applying for a patent might seem too time consuming to be applicable for your project. However, a patent will protect your research, often with little work or long-term commitment. 

Radamés J.B. Cordero, PhD, MS, Gilbert Otto Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, was approved for three patents for his work involving fungi as an unexpected solution for astronauts looking for space radiation prevention. Cordero’s achievement is a significant win for the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Innovation Translation Council, as the patents represent public health research successfully applied to the innovation sector.

“I’ve always wanted my work to make a difference beyond the lab,” Cordero said. “Translating discoveries forces you to think differently about scientific problems and learn skills that most of us never encountered during our PhD training.”

The Patent Application Process

1. Your research suggests a method, material, or tool that could be useful beyond the lab.
2. Submit invention disclosure to JHTV.
3. JHTV experts meet with you and connect you to a patent attorney.
4. JHTV submits a provisional application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
5. In your first year, you complete the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Application.
6. In years two and three, National Stage Filing occurs.
7. Your patent is examined through a series of communication between the patent office and JHTV.
8. Your patent is either issued or abandoned.

In 2018, Cordero received a Bloomberg School of Public Health Technology Transfer Seed Grant, which helped advance the experimental work that informed his first patent application later that year. Soon after, he secured federal Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding, which supported the early operations of MelaTech, Cordero’s biotechnology company focused on harnessing and distributing fungal melanin. 

Public health investigators don’t need a company or a finished product to begin the patent application process. They only need a clear, novel solution to a problem—something audiences would find valuable enough to adopt. Cordero began the process by submitting an invention disclosure with JHTV, after which he was quickly assigned an IP Manager, Alevtina Zhelonkina, who guided him through the process and connected him to a patent attorney. 

“The patent application process was smooth,” Cordero said. He successfully secured patents for three tools over the course of about three years for his quickest patent. His longest took approximately seven years to complete the process. 

How do I know if my idea is patentable? 

Public health investigators do not need to have every detail of their project finalized before they consider applying for a patent. Partners at JHTV will meet with BSPH investigators to help identify whether a patent is patentable and what the process might look like should they choose to consider filing a patent for your research. To meet with JHTV, submit a report of invention. 

A range of public health tools are eligible for patent protection, including but not limited to assays and surveys, devices, algorithms and materials. 

How can a patent advance my research? 

“For me, patents weren’t just about protecting an idea—they were about opening doors to conversations and collaborations that would never have happened otherwise,” said Cordero. Shifting research so that it is more innovation-oriented may open doors to additional funding and collaboration opportunities. Research has found that higher education researchers who are involved in commercialization become more productive over time.  

Are there any limitations to filing a patent?

Filing and prosecuting a U.S. patent can cost tens of thousands of dollars. At Johns Hopkins, JHTV covers upfront costs for faculty disclosures they choose to pursue. If the patent is later licensed, the licensee assumes responsibility for past and future costs. 

Where do I find support to help me in the process?

Faculty innovators are not alone in this journey. From departmental support to guidance from JHTV, resources exist to help translate discoveries. The Innovation Translation Council is committed to building a culture at BSPH where research can become impact. Review the following resources to get started on the patent application process:

• Reach out to department leadership or talk to your department representative, who may also be able to offer support for you to pursue translational research.
• Consider reaching out to JHTV and submitting a report of invention to speak with an expert on your research and your specific needs.
• Stay connected with the ITC to learn more about opportunities to learn about the patent application process and how it could benefit you.