Koichi Sumikura is Professor at National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS). In 1998 he got a Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Tokyo, for his study on bio-engineering. During April 1998 and September 2001, he had been working at Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo. In October 2001 he got a position at GRIPS. He has been a board member of the Japan Society for Research Policy and Innovation Management since 2001. His main field of research is (1) intellectual property policy, (2) science, technology and innovation policy, (3) innovation in life sciences and (4) contribution of academic knowledge to innovation.