Conducting marine genetic research for whom? Mapping knowledge flows from science to patents

Abstract

Abstract Marine genetic resources hold great value for biotechnological innovation and sustainability-oriented research. However, studies indicate that intellectual property rights pertaining to these resources are concentrated in a handful of companies and countries, triggering contentious international debates. This paper highlights an overlooked dimension: scientists and their affiliated countries as central actors in the provision of marine genetic research. We introduce a dataset of 23,417 marine genetic studies and trace patent references to these studies. Our analysis reveals that molecular biological research, oftentimes on bacterial species, attracts the most patenting interest. Some countries own relatively more patents than they provide in science, with the U.S. benefiting the most from available research. Science by G77 researchers has seen limited uptake in patents. These findings aim to inform international biodiversity regimes, such as the UN treaty on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), on how to more equitably distribute marine genetic resources’ economic, socio-cultural, and ecological benefits.