This course examines a variety of legal, policy, scientific, social, and ethical issues in the realm of biotechnology. Topics covered include:

1. Foundational technologies, such as recombinant DNA technology

2. Current applications, including nanobiotechnology and synthetic biology

3. Human subjects research and institutional review of clinical trials

4. Regulatory oversight by federal agencies

5. Academic-industry relationships

6. Data privacy and security issues

7. Protection of intellectual property

This course introduces students to the basic concepts and doctrines of copyright law. Topics covered include:

1. Foundational principles of copyright law

2. Copyright in special issues, such as software, architecture, and databases

3. Derivative works, work for hire, and joint authorship

4. The doctrine of fair use

5. Copyright issues raised by new technologies that facilitate copying

6. Digital works and information technologies

This course examines the legal, policy, and compliance challenges raised by efforts to protect the Internet and other forms of networked computer systems from attack by hackers, organized criminal groups, terrorists, and others. Topics include:

1. Threats to cybersecurity

2. Domestic and international Internet governance

3. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act

4. U.S. and European Union privacy law and personal data protection

5. War, international terrorism, and U.S. surveillance law

6. Private information infrastructure and the law of emergencies

7. Emerging compliance frameworks for cybersecurity

This course introduces students to the legal regime governing information privacy, data protection, and data security in the European Union. Topics covered include the privacy jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, the EU Data Protection Directive and the General Data Protection Regulation, data protection authorities, international data transfers, and cybersecurity in Europe.

This course explores the federal regulatory scheme designed to protect the privacy and security of health information. Topics covered include:

1. Entities and information to which HIPAA applies

2. When consent is required for the use and disclosure of health information

3. Types of health information requiring heightened protection

4. Use of health information for research and marketing

5. Security measures required to protect digitized health information

6. Individuals’ right to access their health information

7. Business associate agreements

8. HIPAA compliance and enforcement

This course provides an overview of the basic doctrines of patent law, as well as related rights such as trade secret law and drug law exclusivity under the Hatch-Waxman Act. Topics covered include:

1. Standards and procedures for obtaining patent protection

2. Patent infringement litigation

3. The relationship between patent protection and trade secret law

4. The role of patent law and litigation in the pharmaceutical industry

This course explores common law and statutory protection of ideas, trade secrets, and trademarks. Topics covered include:

1. Acquisition and loss of trademark rights

2. Registration and licensing

3. Problems of infringement, dilution, and misappropriation of trademarks

4. Fair use and Internet use of trademarks and related remedies