Biobanks as Knowledge Institutions “Global Genes –Local Concerns” Seminar with Prof. Michael Madison (University of Pittsburgh, U.S.) When?: Friday, November 3rd, 2017 from 16:00 – 18:00 Where?: Faculty of Law, Meeting box (the “floating” meeting room), 2nd floor, room 7A-2-04, Njalsgade 76, DK-2300 Copenhagen S Registration: Please use this registration form before October 26th at 2 pm (limited space available) Organizer: Timo Minssen (Timo.Minssen@jur.ku.dk) & the Global Genes – Local Concerns project in cooperation with Copenhagen Biotech & Pharma Forum (CBPF) at Centre for Information & Innovation Law (CIIR) Abstract The presentation characterizes the material and immaterial attributes of biobanks as knowledge resources, and it characterizes the broader questions that they pose as resource governance questions rather than as questions solely of law or of public policy. Biobanks are knowledge institutions. Professor Madison argues that despite the varied and diverse nature of biobanks today (indeed, precisely because of their diversity), their social and scientific importance dictates the need for a robust program of research of a comparative nature to identify shared features that contribute to their success (where they succeed) and features that likely contribute to problems or even failure. Both their importance and the associated governance challenges have only grown larger and more complex as biobanks meet the era of data science. In that regard Professor Madison points to emerging scholarly literature that focuses on governance challenges of material and data in biobank contexts, which builds on a knowledge commons governance framework. He concludes by suggesting directions for future work. Speaker Biography Professor Michael Madison is Professor of Law, John E. Murray Faculty Scholar, and Faculty Director of the Innovation Practice Institute at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He writes and teaches about intellectual property law and policy, and about questions concerning the production and distribution of knowledge and innovation. He is the author of more than 40 journal articles and book chapters, the co-author of The Law of Intellectual Property (Wolters Kluwer, 5th edition 2017), and the co-editor of Governing Knowledge Commons (Oxford University Press, 2014) and Governing Medical Knowledge Commons (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming 2017). Professor Madison is the co-founder of the global research network titled the Workshop on Governing Knowledge Commons and was elected to membership in the American Law Institute in 2016. His research and scholarship address the emerging discipline of knowledge commons, governance of innovation institutions, and knowledge as a subject of legal regulation. Within copyright law, his expertise focuses on the law of fair use and the character of copyright works. He has taught courses including various disciplines of intellectual property law, contracts and commercial law, and property law. Professor Madison joined the Pitt Law faculty in 1998. Before becoming a law professor, Professor Madison practiced law in San Francisco and Silicon Valley for nine years. He received his JD from Stanford University and his BA from Yale.