Geertrui Van Overwalle is professor emeritus of Intellectual Property Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Leuven (Belgium).
In her research, Geertrui Van Overwalle focuses on patents, genetics and their impact on access to health. The results of this research have been published in many internationally peer reviewed journals, such as Nature and Science, and in her books. She also works on this thread of research in the domain of agriculture.
In her scholarly work, Geertrui Van Overwalle also examined the legal architectures and the normative implications of open innovation initiatives. In doing so, she explores both firm-centered and community-centered open innovation models in a wide range of technologies, ranging from life sciences, over design to 3D-printing and the Internet of Things.
Geertrui Van Overwalle often contributes as an expert to the European Parliament and the European Commission. She was a member of the Economic and Scientific Advisory Board (ESAB) of the European Patent Office. She was president of the European Policy for Intellectual Property (EPIP) Research Association. She was a member of the Board of Appeal of the Community Plant Variety Office at Angers. She was also a member of the national Belgian High Council for Intellectual Property.
For more information, see https://www.law.kuleuven.be/citip/en/staff-members/staff/00015469