Protect Before You Publish: Understanding Your IP Rights

The excitement of publishing your research can be overwhelming, but if you share your findings too quickly, you risk giving away your innovative ideas for free. In the academic world, timing is critical. Knowing your intellectual property rights before making your research public can mean the difference between owning a patent and losing it for good.

The Problem

In academia, there is often immense pressure to publish quickly, especially in highly competitive fields. Unfortunately, rushing to publish without safeguarding your intellectual property (IP) can destroy its commercial value. In many countries, even minor public disclosures—like presenting a poster at a conference or sharing abstract information—can prevent you from securing a patent. In fact, studies show that 50% of researchers who publish prematurely lose their patent rights.

This is a trap that many face, driven by the desire to boost their publication records. By the time researchers realize the importance of IP protection, it may be too late—their ideas may have already entered the public domain.

Understanding IP rights in research

The Possibility

It is entirely possible to achieve both academic recognition and commercial protection. Many successful researchers collaborate with their university’s technology transfer offices or IP lawyers to file for provisional patents before submitting their manuscripts. This proactive approach protects your innovation and allows you to publish your work, maintaining doors open for future licensing or entrepreneurial ventures.

The benefits are clear. Your research can gain significant credibility in academic circles while also preserving its market potential. For example, researchers who secured patents before publishing often reported a 30% increase in research funding and collaboration opportunities.

Researcher conducting experiments in a laboratory

The Solution

The Translational Research Forum offers invaluable insights on how to protect your work prior to publication. You will learn:

• When and how to file provisional patents

• What constitutes “public disclosure” in various countries

• How to collaborate with tech transfer offices to expedite filings

• Real-world timelines that illustrate the pathway from research to protection to publication

  
  

You will also hear actual experiences from researchers who nearly lost their IP and those who successfully navigated these challenges, acquiring both prestigious journal articles and valuable patents.

Approaches to Monetizing your Research

1 December 2025 at 10:00 – 4 December 2025 at 16:00Lekki

Register Now

Call to Action

Don’t let your breakthrough slip into the public domain. Learn how to secure your rights before you publish.

👉 Reserve your spot now—because protecting your IP is just as important as sharing your findings.