Intellectual Property
Apr. 18, 2025
New molecule discovered by Berkeley Labs highlights challenges on the road to patent
Berkeley Labs' berkelocene, a nuclear waste-disposing molecule, could face complex patenting issues due to an 18-month "blind spot," risking overlaps, as synthetic molecules qualify for protection.
The discovery of a new molecule that can help dispose of nuclear waste has impressed the scientific community, but the patenting that goes along with such discoveries can be as complex for the attorneys as the research itself.
Berkeley National Labs recently announced it had discovered "berkelocene," a molecule derived from an earlier atom discovery at the same lab, "berkelium."
After years of working on the project, scientists had just two days to ru...
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