Trademark-free Presentation of Ligation-based chemistries?

[SamCurt]

Hi,

I am going to have a brief TA-lecture involving next-gen sequencing and I'm now preparing the materials.

While the DNA pol-based chemistries (454, Solexa, Ion Torrent etc) are easy to explain, I found the ligation-based chemistries (SOLiD, Complete Genomics) a bit difficult to teach without a visual aid.

On the other hand, I wanted to avoid mentioning any trademarks as possible--so anyone have a good presentation of Ligation-based next-gen chemistries that bears no trademarks...?

Thanks in advance!

[Simon Anders]

Why don't you want to say the names of the companies and products you talk about? Or are you talking about copyright, not trademarks?

[SamCurt]

Why don't you want to say the names of the companies and products you talk about? Or are you talking about copyright, not trademarks?

I was talking about trademarks. I am not really feel like speaking, for example, "Illumina sequencing," in a class lecture, as I don't feel like I'm trying to promote products to students.

[rskr]

Why don't you want to say the names of the companies and products you talk about? Or are you talking about copyright, not trademarks?

That is what salesmen who probably get paid much more are for. Academic integrity, it is refreshing.

[pmiguel]

Much of the original work that underpins the SOLiD's methodology was done in George Church's lab. It was published in Science (more details in the supplement). There is actually an instrument system based on this technology called the "Polonator".
The ligation chemistry is actually pretty straight-forward. It is the color space stuff that is more mind-bending. But that is an independent concept.

--
Phillip

[SamCurt]

The ligation chemistry is actually pretty straight-forward. It is the color space stuff that is more mind-bending. But that is an independent concept.

Ligation isn't that difficult, but provided pyro, reversible terminator and microconductor methods are all variations of the extension chemistry (IMO reversible terminator is just Sanger-on-a-chip) , it'd be a bit of a work to get people to switch gears.

[Simon Anders]

I was talking about trademarks. I am not really feel like speaking, for example, "Illumina sequencing," in a class lecture, as I don't feel like I'm trying to promote products to students.

Makes sense. In a way, the companies had the same problem when they first published their work and so had to coin a phrase for it besides their trademark which the journals certainly would not have liked to see in the title. Maybe look for these papers, they should have well-done, but trademark-free illustrations. (Googling for "[technology name] publications" usually gives a list; look through the early ones.

[rskr]

Makes sense. In a way, the companies had the same problem when they first published their work and so had to coin a phrase for it besides their trademark which the journals certainly would not have liked to see in the title. Maybe look for these papers, they should have well-done, but trademark-free illustrations. (Googling for "[technology name] publications" usually gives a list; look through the early ones.

What about patents, will the patents be trademark free? That could be a good source if they are, and they will be in the public domain as soon as they expire.

[GenoMax]

But if you were not going to make them aware of who the current market leaders are in the respective technologies then you would not be giving them a comprehensive picture.

Many of the companies have videos on their sites that explain how the technology works. Why not use those links? It is publicly available information.

I was talking about trademarks. I am not really feel like speaking, for example, "Illumina sequencing," in a class lecture, as I don't feel like I'm trying to promote products to students.

[ECO]

I think it's naive to put one's head in the sand regarding company commercialization of technologies.

While I don't advocate talking like it's a commercial, I see it as a disservice to your audience if you DON'T say something like "sequencing by synthesis as commercialized by Solexa-->illumina".

[rskr]

I think it's naive to put one's head in the sand regarding company commercialization of technologies.

While I don't advocate talking like it's a commercial, I see it as a disservice to your audience if you DON'T say something like "sequencing by synthesis as commercialized by Solexa-->illumina".

The standards of academic citation cover this cite the patent, cite the paper, however trademarks aren't really cite-able. IE, claiming that the process as discussed in class is essentially that of Illumina Solexa could create problems regarding trademark infringement. That is the purpose of trademarks.