<p>Standrews, yes, the patents resulting from Federally-funded grants may be filed; the Federal government allows us to do so. The Constitution established the patent office to make discoveries profitable. I do it through my university patent office (not privately through a patent attorney) and my university sells the technology to interested parties, such as drug companies. I’m the inventor, but the university is the patent holder.<br>
I don’t know how or when the system of overhead charges to the Federal government got started (certainly it’s been around for a long time; I recall discussion of it when I was in college) but the logic is this: grants fund the research at universities, and universities supply the physical space, electric light, heat, air conditioning, elevators, bathrooms, photcopying machines, secretarial staff, and much more so universities need to be reimbursed for what they shell out. Our rate of 56% is actually pretty low; there are places were the rate is over 100%: meaning every $10,000 in grant funds brings in at least $10,000 in overhead funds to the university or research foundation.</p>