Intellectual Property Protection & Licensing at The UMDNJ

Vince Smeraglia, Esq.
(732) 235-9356
smeragva@umdnj.edu

Mr. Smeraglia is the Director of Patents & Licenses. He oversees all patent and licensing matters for UMDNJ. This includes developing, protecting, marketing and commercializing all intellectual property developed at UMDNJ.

Previously, Mr. Smeraglia served as Associate Director of Intellectual Property in the Office of Corporate Liaison & Technology Transfer at Rutgers University. A graduate of Rutgers University and Franklin Pierce Law Center, he has also conducted biomedical research for the Cytogen Corporation.

Beth Maurer specializes in intellectual property matters, with special emphasis on the preparation and prosecution of patent applications, obtaining protection for trademarks used by UMDNJ, and copyright issues. She is a registered as a patent attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Ms. Maurer has over 25 years of experience in intellectual property matters working in private practice as well as serving as in-house counsel for Rohm and Haas, Hoechst and BASF. She holds a B. A. degree from Wheaton College (MA) and an M.S. from the University of Connecticut. She worked as a research chemist at Squibb for 12 years, where she was a named inventor on 7 patents, prior to attending Rutgers Law School - Camden .

Lillian Cohen is the Executive Assistant to the Director of the Office of Patents & Licensing, Vince Smeraglia, and provides logistical and management support to the entire Office of Patents and Licensing. Ms. Cohen is also responsible for providing point-of-contact, status update, and review assistance for OPL transactions including material transfer, confidentiality and license agreements.

Tejal Talati is responsible for all financial activities related to Office of Patents & Licensing including payment of office expenses, distribution of license royalties, and management of grant finances. Tejal also assists in patent license agreement administration.  She previously worked at the University's Controllers Office before joining the Office of Patents & Licensing.  Tejal holds a Masters degree in Accounting.

Susan Dolci
(732) 235-3521
dolcisu@umdnj.edu

Susan Dolci recently joined the Office of Patents and Licensing as a Patent and Licensing Assistant. Her main responsibilities will be supporting Vince Smeraglia and Beth Maurer in the management of intellectual property issues within the University. She comes to UMDNJ with more than 25 years of business and legal experience and has previously worked at Avaya Inc. and Ranbaxy Inc. Susan holds a B.S. in Business Administration and M.S. in Management from The College of Saint Elizabeth.

Fred Russell Kramer, Ph.D.
(973) 854-3370
kramerfr@umdnj.edu

Dr. Kramer is the Associate Director of the Office of Patents & Licensing,
and  is responsible for the patenting, marketing, and licensing of inventions developed at the Public Health Research Institute of NJMS.
Dr. Kramer is Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at NJMS,
and co-directs the laboratory of molecular genetics at the PHRI Center. 
He is an inventor of molecular beacons technology, for which he shared
the 2005 Jacob Heskel Gabbay Award in Biotechnology and Medicine. 
He is a named inventor on 29 United States patents, and is the author
of approximately 70 scientific papers.  He has been a Principal Investigator
at the PHRI Center for the past 23 years, and was a member of the faculty
of Columbia University for 17 years before joining PHRI.

Susan Rae
(973) 854-3382
raesu@umdnj.edu

Susan Rae provides management support for the Office of Patents & Licensing PHRI Center office.  Susan is responsible for maintaining patenting and licensing files and handling original agreements and documentation, record keeping, and the monitoring of royalty payments, including invoicing, billing, and preparing reports.  She interfaces with potential and active licensees, arranges marketing initiatives, and assists in the maintenance of the molecular beacons website.  Susan came to UMDNJ with a background in human services and program management.  She holds a Masters Degree from New York University.

Office of Legal Management/Patents and Licensing
UMDNJ
1 World's Fair Drive
Suite 2100
Somerset, N.J 08873

Office of Legal Management/Patents and Licensing
UMDNJ
1 World's Fair Drive
Suite 2100
Somerset

Office of Legal Management/Patents and Licensing
UMDNJ
65 Bergen Street, 12th Floor, Room 1232
Newark, NJ 07107
973-972-4705 (telephone)
973-972-7297 (fax)

Why Interact with the Patents and Licensing Office?

• Do you have research results that you believe might have commercial significance?
• Have you written a manuscript or computer program that you would like to protect with a copyright?
• Do you have a logo or distinctive message that deserves trademark protection?
• Are you thinking about seeking research support from a commercial firm?
• Are you planning to develop outside business interactions or possibly form your own business?
• Are you planning on bringing materials to, or transferring materials from, the University?

You need to talk to us!