Mike Perham and Ann Cannoni passing the gavel to Evelyn Chen at the 2024 Annual Meeting
Michael Perham, PhD, has been an active member and leader of LES since 2009. He has served as Chair of the Life Sciences Sector, Chair of the Life Sciences Royalty Rate Committee, Program Chair of the 2022 Annual Meeting in San Francisco, and Program Chair of the 2023 Annual Meeting in Chicago, as well as a Board member and co-chair of the Membership Committee. He is currently President-Elect of LES USA & Canada.
In his role as Director, Janelia Innovations and Open Science at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus, Michael leads the departments of Innovation Management, Information Services, and Community Relations. He directs a nimble technology transfer operation that supports initiatives in open science alongside IP and licensing operations. His career spans technology transfer and intellectual property (IP) management at the University of Texas Medical Branch, the University of Virginia, Microlab Diagnostics, and Health Diagnostic Laboratory. Over the past 12 years, he has negotiated and managed out-licensing and in-licensing agreements in health technologies, chemical innovations, and instrumentation, overseeing IP rights transfers from open source to collaborative development frameworks, managing complex IP portfolios, and spearheading litigation efforts.
Michael additionally supports local education and economic development initiatives through the Loudoun Education Foundation and Loudoun County Economic Development Advisory Council. He is a registered patent practitioner and holds CLP and RTTP designations. He holds degrees in Chemistry and Math from the University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in Biophysical Chemistry from Rice University.
Q: What is your history with LES?
A: I joined LES during my first job after graduate school, working as a Licensing Associate at the University of Texas Medical Branch. At the time, there was an energetic Assistant Director who encouraged me to get involved and became a great friend: Karthika Perumal. She later went on to serve in many leadership roles, up through LES President, which was inspiring and provided a great example.
In those early years, I attended both local and annual meetings, soaking up the excellent content from les Nouvelles, webinars, and workshops. LES offers a wealth of opportunities to stay current with licensing and intellectual property developments around the world, and it creates the space to connect with those experts and many colleagues in person each year.
When I joined HHMI about ten years ago, I began volunteering on committees and proposing sessions for the Annual Meeting. That deeper involvement helped me build strong relationships across the Life Sciences sector and among licensing professionals across industries. Many of the people I met then are still active in LES leadership today, and they have become valued friends and colleagues.
Q: What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
A: I’m proud of many things, like increasing researcher engagement and driving both impact and revenue growth at HHMI, closing gene therapy licensing deals during a time when public precedents were scarce, and managing a complex infringement case in the aftermath of Myriad and Mayo. But the gene therapy deals and the litigation stand out to me, not just because of their complexity, but because they exemplify how much I’ve benefited from the LES community.
When I was navigating disclosures and early discussions on the gene therapy technologies, I leaned heavily on LES for insights, referrals, and connections to others who had faced similar challenges. That experience inspired me to propose and co-develop an LES Annual Meeting workshop with Spark Therapeutics, focused on the first approved gene therapy. It became a platform for both learning from and contributing to the LES community. The insights I gained directly influenced the deals I eventually completed, and the experience cemented my deeper involvement with LES. It was a turning point that showed me how collaborative and impactful this community can be.
Q: What are your plans for your tenure as LES President?
A: My top priority is to elevate awareness of LES as a uniquely powerful network and hub of expertise in the IP and licensing ecosystem. LES brings together professionals from every corner of the innovation landscape, including industry, law, academia, and government, and our members are unmatched in their experience and generosity. They contribute their time and knowledge through articles, educational courses, and meetings that make LES a vibrant, welcoming community.
As President, I want to expand engagement with our chapters and increase the visibility of our content and people. That means strengthening local programming, enhancing tools for member-to-member referrals, and welcoming more emerging professionals into leadership roles. We’ll also deepen partnerships with organizations in adjacent fields like BIO, CLP, Federal Labs and regional bar associations to grow our reach and relevance.
At its core, LES is a connector. We’re at our best when our members gather, in classrooms, receptions, or anywhere, so increasing in-person events and attendance is a key part of my vision. We want people to join for the connections and return for the community.
Q: Tell us about your travels, hobbies or family life.
A: My family and I just returned from an incredible trip along the Adriatic, from Venice to Athens and down the coast. It was unforgettable. My 13-year-old son is passionate about Greek mythology, and I have a deep interest in ancient history, so standing together in the ruins of Mycenae was a powerful experience for both of us. Back home, our kids keep us on the move. He plays travel soccer, and his 15-year-old sister is a competitive swimmer, so most weekends are spent on the road.
When we’re not at sporting events, my wife and I take on all kinds of DIY projects. Over the past few years, we have completely renovated two bathrooms and a kitchen ourselves. I also make time to run, play the piano, and stay active in our local school district through a community partnership that raises funds and awards grants to support educational initiatives. There’s always something going on!
Get Social