Material Transfer Agreements

The transfer of materials and research tools is an essential part of scientific research. When an external party wishes to receive material from a researcher at Rockefeller, or provide materials to a researcher at Rockefeller, this activity should be documented in the form of a material transfer agreement (MTA), a legal document used to define the terms and conditions for the exchange of materials. OTT reviews and negotiates MTAs to ensure that the interests of Rockefeller and its researchers are protected.

Receiving Materials

MTA Request Form for Receiving Materials.

Rockefeller researchers should submit any material transfer agreement from an external party to OTT by completing the above online request form.

Once OTT receives the submission, we will begin working on the MTA, which may include contacting you for more information. We will negotiate the terms with the provider and keep you updated on the progress of the MTA. OTT will coordinate signatures with the HOL investigator and the provider organization.

Providing Materials

MTA Request Form for Providing Materials

Rockefeller investigators who wish to transfer material to an external party should submit an MTA request to OTT by completing the above online request form.

Once OTT receives the submission, we will begin working on the MTA, which may include contacting you for more information. When possible, we will use the UBMTA, a preset agreement that hundreds of academic organizations have agreed to sign off on through a simple implementation letter for each transfer. Please note that export controls for certain materials require greater scrutiny, including from groups outside of OTT. We will negotiate the terms with the provider and keep you updated on the progress of the MTA. OTT will coordinate signatures with the HOL and the recipient organization.

Confidential Disclosure Agreements

A Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA), also often referred to as a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is a legal document between two or more parties that governs the disclosure and use of confidential information exchanged between the parties. CDAs are often required to protect Rockefeller intellectual property and confidential (unpublished) information when companies are evaluating a Rockefeller technology for licensing or considering an industry sponsored research project, but these agreements can also provide for one-way flow of information from a third party to Rockefeller or the two way flow of confidential information. Rockefeller researchers who desire to receive or disclose confidential information to an external party should submit the request to OTT by e-mailing either the Business Development & Licensing professional they work with most frequently, or Jenna Trimboli, jtrimboli@rockefeller.edu.

Once OTT receives the submission, we will begin working on the CDA, which may include contacting you for more information. We will negotiate the terms with the other party or parties and keep you updated on the progress of the CDA. OTT will coordinate signatures with the HOL investigator and the other organization(s).

In requesting a CDA, in order to help expedite review, it is helpful to provide the following information upon making your request:

• the purpose of the discussion (e.g. possible research funding, potential license)
• the nature of the exchange (one way receiving/disclosing, two way)
• the identifier of any RU technology to be discussed
• the contact information for the other party
• the length of time during which you want to engage the other party in discussions