Welcome back to another week of Bells & Whistles.
Before we dive in, we’re delighted to share that the SpicyIP Summer School 2026 has successfully wrapped up! If you’d like to catch a glimpse of the sessions and highlights from the programme, be sure to check out our social media pages, where we’ve shared updates, photographs and moments from the Summer School.
Separately, the SpicyIP – jhana BlogPost Writing Competition results are out on the blog, you can check out the winners and give a read to the entries here!
Turning to this week’s edition, we’ve rounded up a mix of developments, opportunities and thoughtful reads from across the IP world along with a Bell of the Week that’s well worth revisiting.
Bell of the Week: Ananda Chakrabarty
Some bells do not merely expand the boundaries of science. They expand the boundaries of law.
This week’s bell is for Ananda Chakrabarty, the microbiologist whose name became synonymous with one of the most consequential patent disputes of the twentieth century.
In the 1970s, Chakrabarty developed a genetically engineered bacterium capable of breaking down components of crude oil. While the scientific achievement was notable in itself, the legal question it raised proved even more significant: could a living organism modified by human intervention be patented? The issue eventually reached the United States Supreme Court in Diamond v. Chakrabarty (1980). In a closely watched decision, the Court held that Chakrabarty’s engineered bacterium constituted patentable subject matter because it was not a naturally occurring organism but a product of human ingenuity.
The judgment transformed the patent landscape. By recognising that certain forms of living matter could fall within the scope of patent protection, it helped pave the way for the growth of modern biotechnology industries and shaped debates that continue today around genetic engineering, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and emerging technologies.
What makes the case particularly fascinating is that it sits at the intersection of science, innovation, ethics and law. It forced policymakers, judges, scientists and the public to confront questions that remain unresolved even today. Where should the boundaries of patent protection lie? When does discovery become an invention? And how should legal systems respond when technological progress challenges existing assumptions? And how should legal systems respond when scientific advances challenge long-held assumptions about what can be owned?
More than four decades later, these questions remain remarkably relevant. As new technologies continue to blur the lines between the natural and the artificial, the legacy of Diamond v. Chakrabarty continues to shape conversations across law, science and public policy.
Perhaps that is why this bell continues to resonate. It reminds us that intellectual property is not merely a system for protecting inventions. It is also a system that continually negotiates the boundaries of what society believes can, should and ought to be owned.
EVENTS
1. Closing the Gender Gap in Intellectual Property (IP) – Women in Sports and IP | WIPO
30 June 2026 | Virtual (Zoom) Time: 13:30 – 15:00 (Geneva Time)
This event brings together inspiring women from across the sports sector to share their professional journeys and discuss how intellectual property has supported innovation, business development and new opportunities in sport. Through their experiences, the speakers will highlight the role of IP in empowering women, fostering creativity, and shaping a more inclusive future for the global sports industry.
More info
2. Chemical Searches in PATENTSCOPE | WIPO
2 July 2026 | Virtual Time: 08:30 – 09:30 (Geneva Time)
More info | Register here
OPPORTUNITIES
1. Professor of Law | Monash University
Application Deadline: 20 July 2026
Monash University Faculty of Law is inviting applications for a full-time Professor of Law position from scholars located domestically or elsewhere. The Faculty welcomes applications from outstanding scholars in all areas of law. The successful candidate will contribute to the Faculty’s mission by driving innovative research and fostering new research collaborations aligned with its strategic goals.
More info
2. Online Course: Biodiversity Protection, Farmers and Breeders Rights | SWAYAM (offered by Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur)
Enrolment Deadline: 27 July 2026 | Course Duration: July – September 2026
Offered through SWAYAM by Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, this interdisciplinary course on Biodiversity Protection, Farmers and Breeders Rights is taught by Padmavati Manchikanti and Narendran Thiruthy. The course examines the evolving legal, regulatory, and governance frameworks governing biodiversity conservation, genetic resources, farmers’ rights, plant breeders’ rights and access and benefit-sharing mechanisms in the post-TRIPS era. It is particularly relevant for students and professionals in law, intellectual property, biotechnology, life sciences, regulatory affairs and corporate practice.
More info
3. Mittal Institute India Fellowship (MIIF) | Harvard Global Research Support Centre India
Application Deadline: 31 July 2026 | 11:59 PM (EST)
The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute–Harvard Global Research Support Centre India is inviting applications for the Mittal Institute India Fellowship (MIIF), which will host two postdoctoral scholars in India. The fellowship offers scholars the opportunity to undertake independent, self-driven research while accessing Harvard’s academic resources. Applications are open to candidates from a wide range of disciplines, including law among others. Applicants must have obtained their Ph.D. between 1 March 2021 and 31 March 2026. Preference will be given to applicants who have primarily been educated at institutions in India and who have not previously had access to Harvard’s resources.
More info
4. Fully Funded PhD Positions | ATLANTIS ERC Project, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Application Deadline: 15 September 2026
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is inviting applications for three fully funded PhD positions under ATLANTIS, a five-year ERC project. The project includes two legal-track PhD positions: Project A, focusing on the legal framework for data access by competition agencies and Project B, examining the legal regime governing the use of AI by competition agencies.
More info
Thanks to Lokesh and Niharika for the leads!
All non-sponsored listings featured here are events or opportunities free or nominally charged and ones we think our readers may be interested in. Sponsored listings will be marked as such. Unless specifically mentioned, SpicyIP has no affiliation to anything listed here. Know of an event worth sharing? Write to us at contact[at]spicyip[dot]com.
