skip to content
 

Email

k.liddell@law.cam.ac.uk

Faculty Contact Details

Room: T12

Tel: 01223 330 086


Director of the Centre for Law, Medicine and Life Sciences; Professor of Intellectual Property and Medical Law

D.Phil (Oxon), LLB (hons) (Melb), BSc (Melb), MBioeth (Monash)

CV / Biography

Kathy Liddell is the Herschel Smith Reader of Intellectual Property and Medical Law.

She is also the Founding Director of the Cambridge Centre for Law, Medicine and Life Sciences, and a member of the Cambridge Centre for IP and Information Law.

Kathy undertook her doctorate in law at the University of Oxford focussing on the regulation of controversial genetic technologies in morally pluralist societies. In addition to substantial experience in academia, Dr Liddell has worked in private legal practice and in public sector legal services for a health department. This work history has provided her with a solid knowledge of commercial realities and needs, as well as experience in legal policymaking. She has degrees in law and science from the University of Melbourne and bioethics from Monash University, and is a strong advocate of interdisciplinary research.

Dr Liddell’s research focuses on health, medicine and society, with the aim of understanding and improving the legal frameworks that govern and support innovation in this field. A key theme in her research is to examine ways in which intellectual property rights help and hinder the translation of medical discoveries into effective, affordable clinical treatments and diagnoses, and how such frameworks could be modified to be more effective and just. Currently, Dr Liddell is involved with an international collaboration which aims to investigate intellectual property law in five areas of bioinnovation: (i) repurposing pharmaceuticals; (ii) antibiotics; (iii) biologics; (iv) rare diseases; and (v) machine-learning based precision medicine/genomics.

Dr Liddell's research also examines regulatory techniques to control the development and delivery of medicine.  For instance she is the principal investigator in research grants involving international transfers of health data under the GDPR, information law clinical diagnosis and negligence, and antibiotics resistance.  Other research, not currently the focus of large grants, includes regulation of diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, clinical trials, precision medicine, biobanks and bioresources, machine learning in healthcare, DCD organ transplantation, human stem cells and other regenerative technologies, gene editing, the use of biomaterials and biodata in medical research, and human enhancement. 

Dr Liddell uses a wide range of legal methodologies in her research including in-depth statutory and case law analysis, normative analysis drawing on moral and political philosophy, policy development drawing on regulatory theory, empirical investigations (including interviews, surveys and patent mapping), and expert meetings.  She has been a key member of research teams developing new empirical methodologies to evaluate the impact of patent protection on life sciences innovation. 

Dr Liddell has taught on a variety of courses iincluding Law and Ethics of Medicine (tripos seminar); Law, Medicine and Life Sciences (LLM Paper 1); Intellectual Property (LLM Paper 12), Intellectual Property (tripos Paper 45) International Intellectual Property (LLM), Tort law supervisions (Downing college) and the Law PhD Research Methodologies course. She also supervises research theses at all levels includng PhD students.

Dr Liddell is also a Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne where she teaches 'Law and Emerging Health Technologies' (intensive LLM course).

 

Note: Publications can be accessed by clicking 'triangles' below.

 

Publications

 

Books

The Limits of Consent (ed) (Oxford University Press, 2009)

Co-editor(s):
O Corrigan, J McMillan, M Richards and C Weijer
ISBN 13:
ISBN 9780199231461
Published Jan 2009

Articles

"Isolating residents including wandering residents in care and group homes: Medical ethics and English law in the context of Covid-19" (2020) International Journal of Law and Psychiatry (1 Dec)

Co-Author/s:
A Ruck Keene, A Holland, J Huppert, B Underwood, O Clark, S Barclay
Citation:
(2020) International Journal of Law and Psychiatry (1 Dec)
DOI:
10.1016/j.ijlp.2020.101649
Published: Dec 2020

"Social, cultural and economic aspects of antimicrobial resistance" (2020) 98 Bulletin of the World Health Organisation 823-823A

Co-Author/s:
T Minssen, K Outterson, S Rogers Van Katwyk, P Batista, C Chandler, F Ciabuschi, S Harbarth, A Kesselheim, R Laxminarayan, M Osterholm, L Price, S Hoffman
Citation:
(2020) 98 Bulletin of the World Health Organisation 823-823A
DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.20.275875
Published: Dec 2020

"Ethical principles and a practical approach to support policy making through the next phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond" Clinical Medicine

Co-Author/s:
Z Fritz, J Huppert, R Holton, J Fuld
Citation:
Clinical Medicine
Published: Forthcoming

"International Transfers of Health Data between the EU and US: A better approach for the US to ensure an ‘adequate’ level of protection" (2020) 7(1) Journal of Law and the Biosciences lsaa055

Co-Author/s:
Laura Bradford, Mateo Aboy
Citation:
(2020) 7(1) Journal of Law and the Biosciences lsaa055
Published: Nov 2020

"COVID-19 contact tracing apps: a stress test for privacy, the GDPR, and data protection regimes" (2020) 7(1) Journal of Law and the Biosciences lsaa034

Co-Author/s:
Laura Bradford, Mateo Aboy
Citation:
(2020) 7(1) Journal of Law and the Biosciences lsaa034
Published: Sep 2020

"Allocating Medical Resources in the Time of Covid-19 – Letter to the Editor" (2020) The New England Journal of Medicine 382

Co-Author/s:
S Martin, S Palmer
Citation:
(2020) The New England Journal of Medicine 382
Published: Jun 2020

"Who gets the ventilator? Important legal rights in a pandemic" (2020) 46 Journal of Medical Ethics 421

Co-Author/s:
J Skopek, S Palmer, S Martin, J Anderson, A Sagar
Citation:
(2020) 46 Journal of Medical Ethics 421
Published: Jun 2020

"One year after Vanda, are diagnostics patents transforming into methods of treatment to overcome Mayo-rejections?" (2020) 38(3) Nature Biotechnology 279

Co-Author/s:
Mateo Aboy, Cristina Crespo, Neil Davey, John Liddicoat, Timo Minssen
Citation:
(2020) 38(3) Nature Biotechnology 279
Published: May 2020

"Deciding who gets the ventilator: Will some lives be lost unlawfully?" (2020) Journal of Medical Ethics Blog

Co-Author/s:
J Skopek, S Palmer, S Martin, J Anderson, A Sagar
Citation:
(2020) Journal of Medical Ethics Blog
Published: Apr 2020

"The Effects of Myriad and Mayo on molecular test development in Europe and the US: Interviews from the Frontline" (2020) 22 Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law 785

Co-Author/s:
Johnathon Liddicoat, Mateo Aboy
Citation:
(2020) 22 Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law 785
Published: Oct 2019

"How does emerging patent case law in the US and Europe affect precision medicine?" (2019) 57(10) Nature Biotechnology 1118-1126

Co-Author/s:
Mateo Aboy, Cristina Crespo, Glenn Cohen, John Liddicoat, Sara Gerke, Timo Minssen
Citation:
(2019) 57(10) Nature Biotechnology 1118-1126
Published: Oct 2019

"Mayo's impact on patent applications related to biotech, diagnostics, and personalized medicine" (2019) 37 Nature Biotechnology 513-518

Co-Author/s:
M Aboy, C Crespo, T Minssen, J Liddicoat
Citation:
(2019) 37 Nature Biotechnology 513-518
Published: May 2019

"Continental Drift? Do European Clinical Genetic Laboratories have a Patent Problem?" (2019) 27 European Journal of Human Genetics European Journal of Human Genetics 997-1007

Co-Author/s:
J Liddicoat, A McCarthy, S Hogarth, M Aboy, D Nicol, S Patton, M Hopkins
Citation:
(2019) 27 European Journal of Human Genetics European Journal of Human Genetics 997-1007
Published: Mar 2019

"Was the Myriad decision a 'surgical strike' on isolated DNA patents, or does it have wider impacts?" (2018) 36 Nature Biotechnology 1146

Co-Author/s:
M Aboy C Crespo, J Liddicoat, M Jordan
Citation:
(2018) 36 Nature Biotechnology 1146
Published: Dec 2018

"After Myriad, what makes a gene patent claim 'markedly different' from nature?" (2017) 35(9) Nature Biotechnology 820

Co-Author/s:
Mateo Aboy, Johnathon Liddicoat, Matthew Jordan, Cristina Crespo
Citation:
(2017) 35(9) Nature Biotechnology 820
Published: Sep 2017

"Myriad's impact on gene patents" (2016) 34(11) Nature Biotechnology 1119

Co-Author/s:
M Aboy, J Liddicoat, C Crespo
Citation:
(2016) 34(11) Nature Biotechnology 1119
DOI:
10.1038/nbt.3719
Published: Nov 2016

"Fair and Equitable Treatment and National Patent Law Flexibilities" (2016) 19(1) Journal of International Economic Law 145-174

Co-Author/s:
M Waibel
Citation:
(2016) 19(1) Journal of International Economic Law 145-174
DOI:
10.1093/jiel/jgw012
Published: Feb 2016

"Transplanting suboptimum organs: medico-legal implications" (2015) 386 Lancet 719-721

Co-Author/s:
M Dyson, C Watson, N Padfield, JA Bradley, K Saeb-Parsy
Citation:
(2015) 386 Lancet 719-721
DOI:
10.1016/S0140-6736(15)61413-1
Published: Aug 2015

"Drug-resistance mechanisms and tuberculosis drugs" (2015) 385 (9965) Lancet 305-7

Co-Author/s:
CU Köser, B Javid, MJ Ellington, S Feuerriegel, S Niemann, NM Brown, WJ Burman, I Abubakar, NA Ismail, D Moore, SJ Peacock, ME Török
Citation:
(2015) 385 (9965) Lancet 305-7
DOI:
10.1016/S0140-6736(14)62450-8
Published: Jan 2015

"Should healthy volunteers in clinical trials be paid according to risk? Yes." (2009) 339:b4142 British Medical Journal

Co-Author/s:
E Jones
Citation:
(2009) 339:b4142 British Medical Journal
DOI:
10.1136/bmj.b4142
Published: Oct 2009

"The phantom menace of gene patents" (2009) 458 (7237) Nature 407-9

Co-Author/s:
S Gaisser, M Hopkins, E Zika, D Ibarreta
Citation:
(2009) 458 (7237) Nature 407-9
DOI:
10.1038/458407a
Published: Mar 2009

"Patents as Incentives for Translational and Evaluative Research: the case of genetic tests and their improved clinical performance" (2008) 3 Intellectual Property Quarterly 286-327

Co-Author/s:
S Hogarth, D Melzer, R Zimmern
Citation:
(2008) 3 Intellectual Property Quarterly 286-327
Published: Jul 2008

"Genetic tests for common diseases: new insights, old concerns" (2008) 336 (7644) British Medical Journal 590-3

Co-Author/s:
D Melzer, S Hogarth, T Ling, S Sanderson, R L Zimmern
Citation:
(2008) 336 (7644) British Medical Journal 590-3
Published: Mar 2008

"Closing the gaps - enhancing the regulation of genetic tests using responsive regulation" (2007) 62(4) Food and Drug Law Journal 831-48

Co-Author/s:
S Hogarth, T Ling, S Sanderson, R Zimmern, D Melzer
Citation:
(2007) 62(4) Food and Drug Law Journal 831-48
Published: Oct 2007

"Medical Research Involving Incapacitated Adults: Implications of the EU Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC" (2006) 14 Medical Law Review 367-417

Co-Author/s:
J Bion, D Chamberlain, C Druml, E Kompanje, F Lemaire, D Menon, B Vhrovac, C Wiederman
Citation:
(2006) 14 Medical Law Review 367-417
DOI:
10.1093/medlaw/fwl011
Published: Aug 2006

"The European Clinical Trials Directive Revisited: The VISEAR Recommendations" (2006) 69(1) Resuscitation 9-14

Co-Author/s:
D Chamberlain, et al
Citation:
(2006) 69(1) Resuscitation 9-14
DOI:
10.1016/j.resuscitation.2005.12.004
Published: Apr 2006

"Beyond Bristol and Alder Hey: The Future Regulation of Human Tissue" (2005) 13(2) Medical Law Review 170-223

"Emerging Regulatory Issues for Human Stem Cell Medicine" (2005) 1(1) Genomics Society and Policy 54

Co-Author/s:
S Wallace
Citation:
(2005) 1(1) Genomics Society and Policy 54
Published: Feb 2005

"Biolaw and Deliberative Democracy: Regulating Human Genetic Technology in a Morally Pluralist Society" D.Phil thesis, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford, 2003

Citation:
D.Phil thesis, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford, 2003
Published: Jun 2003

Book Chapters

"Morality, Religion and Patents" (with Simon Ravenscroft), Patents on Life: Religious, Moral and Social Justice Aspects of Biotechnology and Intellectual Property (2019) (Cambridge University Press, 2018)

Published Dec 2018

"IP Policies for Large Bioresources: the fiction, fantasy and future of openness (2019)" (with J Liddicoat, M Jordan), Global Genes, Local Concerns: Legal, Ethical and Scientific Challenges in International Biobanking (Edward Elgar, 2018)

Published Dec 2018

"The Origins and Structure of the TRIPS Agreement" (with WR Cornish), TRIPS plus 20: From Trade Rules to Market Principles (Springer, 2016), pp. 3-51

Publisher:
Pages:
3-51
ISBN 13:
978-3662481066
Co-Author/s:
H Ullrich, RM Hilty, M Lamping, J Drexl
Published Feb 2016

"Immorality and Patents: the exclusion of patents contrary to ordre public and morality" in A Lever (ed(s)), New Frontiers in the Philosophy of Intellectual Property (Cambridge University Press, 2012), pp. 140

Pages:
140
ISBN 13:
9781107009318
Published Jul 2012

"The Health Impact Fund: A Critique", Incentives for Global Health (Cambridge University Press, 2010)

"Litigation: Effects on Medical Research", International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioural Sciences (Pergamon, 2001), pp. 8995-8999

Publisher:
Pages:
8995-8999
Co-Author/s:
N. J. Smelser and Paul B. Baltes
Published Nov 2001

Conference Papers

"Should we change EU law to disallow DNA patents?" (Philomathia Forum, Third Annual Symposium, 'Body politics: the dilemmas of regulating new technologies' (8 Nov 2016))

Co-Author/s:
J Liddicoat
Conference:
Philomathia Forum, Third Annual Symposium, 'Body politics: the dilemmas of regulating new technologies' (8 Nov 2016)
Published: Oct 2016

Reports

Precision Medicine: Legal and Ethical Challenges

Co-Author/s:
J liddicoat, J Skopek
Body / Institution:
University of Cambridge & Hong Kong University
Published: Apr 2017

Open Innovation with Large Bioresources: Goals, Challenges and Proposals (Workshop Report)

Co-Author/s:
J Liddicoat
Body / Institution:
University of Cambridge
Published: Dec 2016

Realising Genomic Medicine: Intellectual Property Issues (Workshop Report)

Body / Institution:
Centre for Law, Medicine and Life Sciences & Centre for Science and Policy
Published: May 2015

Human Bodies in Medicine and Research: Regulatory frameworks and their impact: a comparative report on the literature. A Report for the Nuffield Council on Bioethics for use in its report on Human Bodies in Medicine and Research (Working paper 2011)

Body / Institution:
Nuffield Council on Bioethics
Published: Oct 2011

Regulating Pharmacogenomics: An overview of developments in various countries and industry response to regulatory initiatives: A report for Health Canada

Co-Author/s:
S Hogarth, T Ling, D Melzer, S Sanderson, R Zimmern
Published: Mar 2006

Legal and Governance Framework for 'Personal Data for Public Good: Using Health Information in Medical Research'

Reference Number:
ISBN 1903401119
Body / Institution:
Academy of Medical Sciences, London
Published: Jan 2006

Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Stem Cell Research and Therapy

Co-Author/s:
Oonah Corrigan, John McMillan, Alison Stewart and Susan Wallace
Body / Institution:
Cambridge Genetics Knowledge Park
Published: Mar 2005