The Chair鈥檚 research addresses the paradox of using exclusive IP rights to encourage innovation while recognizing they can also hinder access to vital technologies and knowledge. A portfolio of inter-related projects examine how open, collaborative systems can simultaneously drive innovation and more justly distribute its benefits.
Within Canada, the program critically evaluates copyright, patent, trademark, and other intellectual property laws to determine how to best support innovation. The Chair鈥檚 projects are strengthening Canada鈥檚 innovation ecosystem in response to changing economic and geopolitical dynamics, improving the treatment of Indigenous knowledge in IP regimes, and addressing the challenges of enforcing or defending rights in emerging technologies. Comparative studies also explore how Canada鈥檚 policy environment offers lessons to, and can be informed by, the approaches of other jurisdictions.
Internationally, the Chair applies mixed methods, including legal analysis, empirical studies, and action research, to align policy with sustainable development goals. Cross-disciplinary fieldwork and collaborations in countries across Africa, Latin America, and Asia examine practical challenges in areas such as AI and data governance, open biomedical innovation, and clean technology transfer. The program engages actively in global norm-setting and IP policy debates within institutions such as the World Trade Organization, World Intellectual Property Organization, World Health Organization, and African Union.
