'I DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS A RARITY'

PULLMAN, Wash., June 29 -- Washington State University issued the following news release:

When Katrina Mealey first applied to patent her genetic test for dogs, she was greeted with questions and challenges from the patent office.

She was initially taken back, she said, but a colleague told her it was not uncommon - especially for women applicants.

"She mentioned a study that showed that if there was a woman's name on the patent application, it was more likely to get questioned than if it was a male name," said Mealey, a Regents Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the director of the Program in Individualized Medicine. "At that time, 20years ago, women faculty with patents were incredibly unusual. I didn't realize that I ...