John is a lawyer with scientific training. He is interested in the development and use of new technology because it has the ability to: drive economies forward, increase public welfare and solve important social problems. His research interests include intellectual property; patent law; patent practice; copyright; confidential information; biotechnology; pharmaceuticals; diagnostics; precision medicine; 3D printers; "green" technology; regulation of innovation; regulation of information; empirical research; doctrinal research.

Much of John's research focuses on the ability of patent law to meet its welfare-enhancing goal of accelerating the creation of new technology, with a particular focus on biotechnology and life-sciences.

John works with Dr Kathy Liddell on a research project titled, “Realising Genomic Medicine: Intellectual Property Issues Beyond the ‘Old’ DNA Patent Debates”. The project investigates two topics in which intellectual property interacts with the realisation of clinically useful genomic developments. The first topic analyses the management of IP by large-scale biobanks; and the second concerns the business models of genetic diagnostic companies and the way in which IP law interacts with those strategies.

For more information see, http://www.lml.law.cam.ac.uk/Research/research-projects/realising-genomic-medicine.