As a 麻豆原创 Pegasus Professor and chair of materials science and engineering department, Seal takes his research down to the nanoscale.

He focuses on cerium oxide nanoparticles known as nanoceria. These specialized nanoparticles are versatile and can be tailored for a variety of medical applications.

Since arriving at 麻豆原创 in 1997, Seal has 92 麻豆原创 patents to his credit, with more than 450 journal papers. A pioneer in nanoceria research for the biomedical sector, his work focuses on the nanoscience of advanced materials processing and materials science and engineering.

Nanoceria and Biomedical Applications

As Seal continued his research, he realized nanoceria was being used for microelectronic processing, but not yet in the biomedical sector. 鈥淲e at 麻豆原创 are the first ones to show that this has wonderful properties,鈥� Seal says. 鈥淲e filed a patent and were the very first to show nano cerium cell survivability,鈥� he says 鈥淭hen of course, after that, the field has really blossomed. There is a wide range of applications in biomedical sciences 鈥� from cancer research to bone regeneration, tissue regeneration and radiation protection. All from this almost accidental discovery made at 麻豆原创.鈥�

Since then, Seal and his research team have found that nanoceria are non-toxic and great carriers for delivering therapeutic agents and have regenerative oxidative properties.

Seal says that the nanoceria structure can be tweaked depending on the application.

鈥淚n layman’s terms, I would say I create openings in that crystal structure that I can tinker with,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is where the functional materials come in. I can take one opening and use it to send something, maybe I can load a drug on it. I can take another opening and keep it open to destroy nasty radicals produced by cells that are not needed.鈥�

Seal says that nanoceria鈥檚 versatility enables companies to put them in pills or injectables. 鈥淭he sky’s the limit,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 also recent data that when combined with drugs, the nanoceria material actually protects the good cells, while the drug kills cancer cells even more potently.鈥�

Seal鈥檚 cerium oxide research has led to four technologies that he co-developed with Kenneth Liechty, division chief of pediatric surgery and vice chair of surgery research at the University of Arizona. Liechty was previously at the University of Colorado鈥檚 Anschutz Medical Campus, which is where he and Seal had collaborated.

Seal and Liechty combined 麻豆原创鈥檚 nanoceria platform with the University of Colorado鈥檚 experience in microRNA (miRNA) to engineer a specialized miRNA that can assist with diabetic wound healing. Found in all human cells, miRNA plays important roles in many biological processes such as cell proliferation or development of specific cell functions and characteristics.

Wound Healing for Diabetic Patients

Seal and collaborators leveraged the cerium oxide molecules to deliver specialized miRNA to an enflamed wound site in patients with diabetes to correct the inflammatory response at the molecular level. Once there, the molecules shorten the time of diabetic wound closure and help avoid the complications associated with impaired diabetic wound healing as those with diabetes often experience slower wound healing.

The molecules specifically combat excess reactive oxygen species molecules, which may build up as a result of prolonged inflammation and ultimately delay proper wound closure and healing. With that kind of inflammatory response, the body can produce a build-up of excess reactive oxygen species molecules, which then leads to increased oxidative stress inside cells.

Nanosilk Fibers to Protect Skin and Treat Injuries

Nanosilk fibers created from silkworms or spiders is another unique healing invention developed by 麻豆原创 and the University of Colorado.

The patented invention includes biocompatible and hypoallergenic compositions to heal, protect and strengthen skin. It also employs a combined nanoceria-miRNA specialized composition.

Silk comprises two proteins: fibroin and sericin. The silk core is fibroin, often used to make surgical sutures because it is non-toxic and biocompatible with human tissues. Fibroin solution converts to many forms, including films, sponges, gels and powders.

During their research, the inventors found that applying a layered system of silk fibroin fibers in solution and spun mat formats can effectively protect and strengthen skin, especially in weak areas that are injury-prone or stressed repetitively.

Also, they found that when integrated with cerium oxide molecules conjugated with the miRNA, the silk fibroin fiber solution and mat enhanced wound healing.

鈥淲e are now using biodegradable material to deliver therapeutics in disease sites,鈥� Seal says. 鈥淪ilk ceria composite is one of them 鈥� it鈥檚 green and sustainable technology.鈥�

The solution of silk fibroin fibers may be applied as a spray, liquid, form or gel, and the fibroin mat can be applied as a mat, sheet, gel or fiber.

The invention can be used as a protective layer to improve the skin鈥檚 elasticity, thus preventing or reducing injury, even minor blisters and skin ulcers. It can also treat a variety of wounds, and it can be used to treat injuries to subcutaneous tissue.

Nanoceria and miRNA for Tissue Regeneration

麻豆原创 and the University of Colorado collaborated with the University of Pennsylvania to develop a nanoceria-miRNA conjugate that not only assists with wound healing, but with tissue regeneration and angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels).

鈥淵ou need angiogenesis, and you need blood vessels to grow,鈥� Seal says.

For instance, after a heart attack, the invention aids recovery by reducing the body鈥檚 inflammatory response and helping it to generate new tissue for blood vessels.

As with diabetic wounds, heart attacks can cause the body to produce excess reactive oxygen species, increase oxidative stress and inflammation.

Offering both treatment and prevention, the patented invention can significantly mitigate heart damage and prevent adverse ventricular remodeling during recovery.

Treating and Preventing Lung Injury

Seal says that his earlier work 10-15 years ago on lung injury and cancer therapy radiation helped to develop new technology with the University of Colorado to promote lung repair, reduce lung inflammation and help treat or prevent pulmonary diseases or conditions.

鈥淲hen you treat the lungs with nanoceria, the good cells around the lungs are protected from the radiotherapy while the radiotherapy is killing the cancer cells,鈥� Seal says. 鈥淭he cerium oxide has this bifunctionality to protect the good cells from the radiation.鈥�

He explained that the nanocerium oxide has multivalent states, meaning the invention鈥檚 nanoparticles can stay silent when they want to and stay active when needed.

鈥淲hat we have seen in nanoscale depends on the microenvironment in the cell,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t can switch back and forth.鈥�

The cerium oxide and miRNA compositions of the invention can be administered in different forms as a spray or a pump.

Seal says he plans to continue promoting the commercialization aspect of technology developed within his department.

鈥淚’m really a proponent of people creating new IPs and taking them to the next level,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he world of nanomaterials is quite intriguing and the potential benefit of the nanomaterials, nanotechnology is immense.鈥�

Researcher鈥檚 Credentials
Seal is a 麻豆原创 Pegasus Professor, 麻豆原创 trustee chair, and chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Seal joined the department and the Advanced Materials Processing Analysis Center, which is part of, in 1997. He has an appointment at and is a member of 麻豆原创鈥檚 prosthetics Biionix faculty cluster initiative. He is a past director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 NanoScience Technology Center and Advanced Materials Processing Analysis Center. Seal received his doctorate in materials engineering with a minor in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the University of California Berkeley.

Technology Available for License
To learn more about Seal鈥檚 work and potential licensing of these 麻豆原创 technologies or for more information about sponsored research opportunities, contact Andrea White (andrea.white@ucf.edu) at (407) 823-0138.

The conference, which has been held annually for over 20 years, advertises itself as the 鈥渓argest innovation pipeline on the planet.鈥� It has connected over 20,000 inventions with industry partners.

Bruder and Welch鈥檚 invention, which is awaiting a patent, resulted from research looking for ways to improve wearable headgear people use when entering AR environments. The new tech allows the user to magnify objects in real time, mimicking how our eyes naturally magnify and adjust objects with the blink of an eye.

Current AR technology allows users to magnify objects but only from photos or by activating other steps in the headgear. Bruder and Welch鈥檚 invention, however, implements machine learning to allow users to focus and react in real time. Users can even utilize hand gestures to customize the degree of magnification.

The team鈥檚 initial research shows the technology can be applied to magnify heads, allowing users to observe facial expressions in greater detail. Users can also gain a tactical advantage by magnifying objects such as cars or equipment. In the future, Bruder expects it may be used to enhance military and commercial surveillance.

This technology has been years in the making, the collaborators say.

Bruder has a master鈥檚 degree and a doctorate in computer science from the University of M眉nster in Germany. In 2016, he left his native Germany to start working at 麻豆原创, where he met Welch, a Pegasus Professor who co-directs the housed at IST. They鈥檝e been working together ever since. A year ago, they submitted an invention disclosure and began the process of commercializing their research.

鈥淏efore I joined 麻豆原创, I鈥檇 never seen this level of interest in the research I鈥檓 doing,鈥� Bruder says. 鈥淭his university, and my institute in particular, are tremendously good at making connections between basic researchers like me and people in the industry.鈥�

During the commercialization process, the Technology Transfer Office helped Bruder and Welch file for a patent, and suggested potential uses for the research they wouldn鈥檛 have imagined otherwise.

Jennifer McKinley, who leads business development for the Department of Physical Sciences, encouraged the duo to submit their innovation to the TechConnect Conference. McKinley also delivered the presentation for the award-winning technology in November on behalf of the research team. The technology was also recently recognized at the 2021 Spatial User Interaction Conference, receiving the 鈥淏est Poster/Demo Award.

Welch is no stranger to innovation. Since arriving at 麻豆原创, his research has helped produce at least 10 patents.

Others connected with 麻豆原创 were also recognized at the conference, held late last month.

This year, materials science and engineering grad Christina Drake 鈥�07PhD participated in the Innovation Showcase, with a nanoparticle disinfectant spray her company, Kismet Technologies, is developing in collaboration with two other 麻豆原创 professors. At the 2020 virtual conference, Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering Fudong Liu received a Defense Innovation Award for his work using catalysts to minimize pollutants in engine exhaust.

The National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association on the number of patents received and filed through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Only the first institution listed on the patent is credited. The shows 麻豆原创 on a steady trajectory of growth, climbing five spots in the world rankings and four nationally.

With 46 patents, 麻豆原创 was ahead of Carnegie Mellon, Texas A&M and Penn State, and just behind Ohio State (48) and Michigan State (47). The University of California system (597), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (383) and Stanford University (229) took the top three spots. UF ranked the highest among the Florida universities, coming in 11^th with 140 patents.

鈥淧atents is one measure of our growth and impact,鈥� says Elizabeth Klonoff, vice president for Research at 麻豆原创. 鈥淲e are strategic about selecting the inventions for patent protection to ensure fiscal responsibility and to maximize the potential of receiving valuable patents. Steady growth of 麻豆原创鈥檚 research base, inventions, patents and industry licensing partnerships feeds our economic ecosystem, which brings not only financial benefit to 麻豆原创, but also solidifies our place as a top-tier research institution. Doing our part means we benefit the local community and the society at large by contributing to technological advancements that improve people鈥檚 lives and drive the economy.鈥�

Some of the 46 patents secured in 2020 have been licensed to companies, which invest in taking the product to market. That means more jobs and often investing in facilities, which all impact the economy. For example, one of 麻豆原创鈥檚 patents for a natural killer-cell therapy against cancer, was licensed to a local company, which was recently acquired by Sanofi, an international pharmaceutical company. Patents are a long-term investment for a university, says Svetlana Shtrom 鈥�08惭叠础, director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Technology Transfer Office.

鈥淧atents themselves do not generate revenue,鈥� she says. 鈥淟icensing patents to industry partners to facilitate transformation of promising research results into valuable products brings true benefit to the university and society.聽 Our data has shown that it takes on average 5 years for 50% of our inventions/technologies to be licensed.聽 It takes an additional 3 to 5 years or longer for companies to commercialize technologies licensed from the university and to begin selling products.聽 The benefit to the university is realized when these products positively impact the well-being of our society through improvements in technology and public health.鈥�

Here are some of the inventions and technologies that led to patents in 2020.

Nanoparticle platform stimulates production of natural killer cells

Lead researcher: Associate Professor of Medicine Alicja Copik,

This invention relates to a nanoparticle-based platform for generating potent natural killer (NK) cells for cancer and anti-viral treatment. NK cells are part of the body鈥檚 immune system and can kill tumor cells and virus-infected cells. The nanoparticle platform contains agents that stimulate the NK cells to increase their numbers, essentially creating an army of NK cells. This technology is licensed and in development for clinical use.

Combination drug treatment to treat neurological disorders

Lead researcher: Professor of Medicine Kiminobu Sugaya,

This invention relates to a combination therapy to treat neurological disorders such as Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and Parkinson鈥檚 disease. , and phenserine, which reduces the production of toxic amyloid plaques in the brain. Mice treated with this combination therapy had increased neural stem cells production and improved performance in memory tasks.

Drug characterization for FDA

Lead Researcher: Associate Professor Debashis Chanda,

This invention relates to a system that can accurately identify the chirality (molecular mirror images) of drugs, proteins, DNA and other molecules at lower detection limits than conventional detection systems. The new technology enables pharmaceutical companies to identify both enantiomers (right- and left-hand versions) of a molecule. Pharmacological and toxicological characterization of chiral molecules plays a crucial role in the Food and Drug Administration approval process since some enantiomers can cause toxic or severe side effects.

High Performance Energy Storage

Lead Researcher: Assistant Professor YeonWoong (Eric) Jung,

This invention relates to low-cost, non-toxic novel materials that enable next-generation supercapacitors to outperform current state-of-the-art energy storage technologies. The new hybrid core/shell nanowires enable manufacturers to produce flexible supercapacitors with exceptional charge鈭抎ischarge endurance for portable, lightweight consumer electronic devices.

High-power lasers

Lead researcher: Associate Professor Arkadiy Lyakh,

This invention relates to new quantum cascade lasers that provide the ultra-high output power, brightness, and beam quality needed for applications such as hyperspectral imaging, infrared illumination, and military countermeasures that protect aircraft against shoulder-fired heat-seeking missiles.

Track contamination in wetland environments

Lead Researcher: Professor Ni-bin Chang, Civil Engineering Department,

This invention relates to two novel velocimeter devices that assist in the measurement of low-flow velocity and direction of water in both wells and wetland environments. Tracking the movement of nutrients, metals, sediments, and other contamination in slow-moving water is challenging, and these new device designs are easy to use, cost-efficient, have improved accuracy, and are equipped with wireless communication units.

Eco-Friendly Targeted Removal of Fire Ants

Lead researcher: Associate Professor Joshua King,

, such as fire ants and termites, without the use of pesticides. The and provides large volumes of hot water (approximately heated to boiling temperature, 212^oF) to a targeted area. The technology can be used as an alternative to chemical mound treatments or chemical baits in areas unsuitable for pesticide application such as parks and wildlife preserves.

麻豆原创 and other public universities in the Florida High Tech聽Corridor聽region 鈥� the University of South Florida and University of Florida 鈥� together were awarded 309 U.S. utility patents last year, more than 1陆 times the number of patents granted to other globally recognized centers of innovation, including North Carolina鈥檚 Research Triangle and the University of Texas System.

鈥淭his achievement by the Corridor Council’s three universities demonstrates the strength of Florida’s innovation ecosystem and its role as a catalyst for statewide economic growth,鈥� says Florida High Tech Corridor Council CEO Paul Sohl, retired Navy rear admiral.

The 2020 TechConnect Defense Innovation Award is a recognition for a technology that removes more than 90 percent of pollutants from engine exhaust at low temperatures by utilizing novel environmental catalysts with universal, scalable fabrication techniques. The award recognizes the best technologies submitted to the conference for their potential to positively impact national security.

Engineering Professor Fudong Liu and his environmental catalysis team member Shaohua Xie developed the technology with an eye toward automakers, who need to meet increasingly stringent government emissions standards. But the tech also has a number of potential applications.

Liu joined the Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering and the university鈥檚 Catalysis Cluster for Renewable Energy and Chemical Transformations in 2018. He has a doctorate in environmental science and has published more than 80 peer-reviewed journal articles with more than 6,300 citations.

Catalysts spark and speed up chemical reactions and are critical in industries that transform raw materials into products. 麻豆原创鈥檚 tech expedites chemical reactions to help reduce harmful emissions from automobiles. The Office of Technology Transfer showcases innovations at national conferences to identify prospective licensing partners to transform inventions into impactful products.

The conference brings together defense, private industry, federal agencies and academia together to accelerate state-of-the-art technology solutions that will safeguard national security. Typically, the conference is held in a city, but this year it is virtual because of COVID-19.

Other technologies 麻豆原创 will showcase at the conference Nov. 17-19 are:

• An autograft-extracting device for autologous osteochondral transplantation.

Engineering Professor Sang-Eun Song developed a bone and/or cartilage removal device to harvest a precisely defined autologous graft for mosaicplasty, a technique in which bone and cartilage (‘osteochondral’) lesions are repaired by harvesting and transplanting cylindrical plugs of bone and cartilage.

• Uncooled Frequency Selective LWIR detector for Chemical Sensing.

CREOL and NanoScience Technology Center Researcher Debashis Chanda developed a chemical sensing system that narrows emission lines of various gas molecules, which cannot be detected with present day broadband detectors.

But often those electronic records are incomplete, which isn鈥檛 good for patients and means doctors often have to file multiple times with insurance companies to get paid. That鈥檚 lost time and revenue.

A professor at the 麻豆原创 has developed a computer model that allows healthcare facilities to determine how complete their patients鈥� electronic records are in real time. Once doctors or their front office staff can spot the issues, they can address them. That would translate into more complete information so doctors can make better decisions about patient care. Also, this technology should translate into better reimbursement rates.

鈥淥ur method doesn鈥檛 spot what is missing in each individual electronic record,鈥� says health management and informatics Associate Professor Varadraj Gurupur, who was assisted in this pursuit by Ayan Nasir, a doctoral student with the 麻豆原创 School of Medicine. 鈥淏ut it gives each record a rating of how complete it is based on what鈥檚 missing. For example, if a work phone number is missing, that鈥檚 one score. But if blood test records are missing, that鈥檚 a higher score because that data is more important in the treatment of the patient. I think this is a valuable tool for patient care, but also for rural clinics that really need to be sure to get reimbursed for their services.鈥�

These rural clinics often struggle, Gurupur says. Cash flow is always an issue and can make the difference between staying open and closing. That often leaves residents who live in these areas hours away from the next closest medical care facility.

The usefulness of this technology and possible commercialization opportunities were investigated with the financial support of the National Science Foundation I-Corps grant, and the university has now received a patent. That means it is available to license and that healthcare offices and hospitals can begin using it.

Gurupur, who is a computer scientist by training, recognized the need for the technology after working in a hospital administration office doing data processing while he earned his master鈥檚 degree in computer and information sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Because he knew computers, he was soon finding ways to connect systems and he started to spot gaps.

He joined 麻豆原创 in 2014. Thanks to the I-Corps grant he obtained in 2019 he was able to conduct a national survey, which looked at the challenges with standardizing electronic health records. He and his team members spent seven weeks traveling and interviewing healthcare professionals at conferences to discuss the challenges and discovered his idea could potentially make a difference for patients and doctors.

Gurupur has multiple degrees including a doctorate in computer engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Before joining 麻豆原创 he was an assistant professor at Louisiana Tech University and Texas A&M University – Commerce. He also had industry experience having worked in multiple computer-related positions at the Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Center in Birmingham and the UAB Hospital. Aside from teaching and conducting research at 麻豆原创, Gurupur currently works as a walk-in researcher at Veterans Affairs in Orlando.

In May, 聽a cell-based cancer immunotherapy that utilizes a nanoparticle developed at 麻豆原创 to stimulate a patient鈥檚 natural cancer-killing cells, headed to Phase II clinical trial.

College of Medicine Associate Professor Alicja Copik and her team developed the technique in 2016 and then co-founded the company CytoSen to take the concept to market. In 2019, the company was acquired by Netherlands-based bio-pharmaceutical firm Kiadis Pharma, which saw the potential to develop new treatment options for cancer patients.

Last week, Kiadis licensed a bundle of technologies 鈥� including the one developed at 麻豆原创 鈥� to Sanofi in a deal estimated about $1 billion. If the technologies advance through clinical trials and are approved, royalties would follow from commercial sales of products on the market.

Sanofi is based in France and employees more than 100,000 people in 100 countries. The company has 91 products in clinical trials. In 2019, it was ranked the eighth largest pharma company in the world based on sales of about $27.7 billion.

鈥淭he licensing of Kiadis鈥� CD38KO K-NK cells is particularly exciting for Sanofi since we will be studying this cell-based therapeutic with our recently FDA-approved treatment for patients with difficult-to-treat multiple myeloma, in hopes of bringing even more options to these patients with this hematologic cancer,鈥� John Reed, the global head of research for Sanofi, says in a press release. 鈥淎t Sanofi, we are committed to pioneering treatments that address unmet healthcare challenges. Innovative collaborations, such as this partnership with Kiadis, have the potential to expand the clinical benefits of our medicines by combining them with synergistic partnered therapeutics to deliver improved outcomes for patients.鈥�

Natural killer (NK) cells are part of the body鈥檚 defense system and act as an army to protect us from invaders such as viruses and infections. Copik discovered a way to make NK cells even more powerful 鈥� by stimulating them with nanoparticles that multiply them and heighten their killing ability 鈥� and then use the cells to fight cancer. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what it is all about,鈥� she says, 鈥済iving patients a fighting chance of cancer survival.鈥�

Copik鈥檚 story about natural cancer-killing cells illustrates one of the paths university research can take to the marketplace where it can change lives. This is why universities invest in that help innovations get patented and licensed to industry. The commercialization process can take years.

鈥淥ur office is grateful to have the unique opportunity to partner with industry to bring the most promising technological advances developed by our dedicated researchers to market to impact global healthcare and improve quality of life,鈥� says Svetlana Shtrom, 麻豆原创鈥檚 director of Office of Technology Transfer.

麻豆原创 ranked 29^th among public universities in the nation this year, up from 31^st in 2018. Worldwide, 麻豆原创 ranked 65^th compared to 75^th last year. The world rankings include public and private institutions. Patents are one indicator of a university鈥檚 success in bringing discoveries and inventions into the marketplace, where they can make a difference.

The rankings released today are compiled by the National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association. The groups come together to issue annual rankings as a way to highlight the important role universities play in discovery and bringing inventions to the market where people can benefit from the research conducted around the world.

The 2019 rankings were calculated using the number of utility patents granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. For patents assigned to more than one entity, credit is given to the first named entity. 麻豆原创 has made the list every year since the rankings began in 2013. 麻豆原创 secured 44 patents in 2019.

The University of California system as a whole ranked first with a total of 631 patents followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (a private institution) which secured 355 patents. The University of Texas had 276. University of Florida, University of South Florida, Florida International and Florida State also ranked on the list.

The 44 patents secured by 麻豆原创 in 2019 cover a broad range of disciplines from medicine and nanotechnology to power-grid restoration technology and biofuels.

鈥淥ur patent-ranking achievements are a credit to university researchers who are developing critical technological solutions with global impact and creating opportunities for meaningful collaborations,鈥� said Svetlana Shtrom, director of the Office of Technology Transfer.聽 鈥淥ur team brings these solutions to the marketplace by partnering with companies and entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into successful products.鈥�

Among some of the inventions that led to patents in 2019:

Natural Killer Cells to fight Cancer

Lead researcher: Assistant Professor Alicja Copik, College of Medicine

Copik discovered a way to supercharge Natural Killer (NK) cells. These white blood cells kill virus-infected cells and cancer cells. Copik and her team developed a new NK cell-therapy platform, which has been licensed to Kiadis Pharma, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company. The new approach utilizes specially designed nanoparticles to stimulate the NK cells. This stimulation increases the number of NK cells and enhances their cell-killing ability. The technology has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to start Phase II clinical trials.

Marine Product to Fight Antibiotic Resistant Strains

Lead Researcher: Associate Professor William Self, College of Medicine

Self led a team that found that puupehenone, a marine natural product, can inhibit the growth of the bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. difficile). It is among the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections and can lead to life threatening colon inflammation. Although antibiotics are a common treatment, they are ineffective against antibiotic-resistant strains of the bacteria. The puupehenone compounds may also be effective against antibiotic-resistant strains of C. difficile.

Blending colors

Lead Researcher: Associate Professor Debashis Chanda, Nanoscience Technology Center

Chanda used nanotechnology to develop a new color-changing surface, tunable through electrical voltage. The technique allows for the whole red-blue-green spectrum simply by changing the voltage through the nanostructure. The discovery means more vibrant and realistic pictures on screens such as those on televisions or smartphones as well as potential use in wearable fabrics that could change color.

3D Printing Innovation

Lead Researcher: Research Associate Jack Stubbs, Institute for Simulation and Training

This patent is a core pillar of the burgeoning additive manufacturing patent portfolio coming out of the PD3D Lab at the Institute for Simulation and Training. Led by Stubbs, the team is focused on improving 3D printing whether it is the printer hardware, the software to run the printers, or the products and tools that can be printed with them. This patent is particularly important as it describes a method for designing parts with tunable physical properties. Simply put, complex shapes with a variety of different textures, rigidity, structures and colors are able to be printed in one part. This allows for the most realistic possible representation of a 3D printed part,聽 allowing printing of human-like anatomy that looks and feels like the real thing.

Adaptive Power Grid Restoration

Lead Researcher: Amir Golshani 鈥�17, College of Engineering and Computer Science

While a doctoral candidate, Golshani worked with professors Wei Sun and Qun Zhou on research pertaining to power grids. Golshani worked to develop an adaptive restoration decision support system to determine restoration actions both in planning and real-time phases and which would adapt to constantly changing system conditions. The system would help in times of blackouts or other disruptions to the energy grid to prioritize and accelerate repairs to restore power.

Inexpensive Biofuels

Lead Researcher: Research Professor Richard Blair, College of Sciences

This invention provides an efficient and inexpensive method to produce biofuels and specialty chemicals without using toxic or high-temperature chemical processes. Blair led the team that develop the hydrolysis technology that enables companies, such as biorefineries, to use 鈥渟olid-to-solid catalysis鈥� to break down a wide range of biomass materials, including materials with tough-to-break-down feedstock and other types of agricultural waste.

College of Medicine Associate Professor Alicja Copik and her team developed the technique in 2016 and then co-founded the company CytoSen to take the concept to market. In 2019, the company was acquired by Netherlands-based bio-pharmaceutical firm Kiadis Pharma, which saw the potential to develop new treatment options for cancer patients.

Today, Kiadis Pharma, announced it received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to start its NK-REALM Phase II clinical trial. It had submitted the request to develop K-NK002, as an adjunctive therapy to use with people receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to fight blood cancers. The goal would be to add it to the standard care delivered to these patients to reduce the rate in which the cancers come back.

鈥淚t takes years to make a discovery that doesn鈥檛 get a lot of attention at the time, but later it can make a huge difference,鈥� Copik says. 鈥淚鈥檓 so happy to see this moving forward with hopes it will soon make a positive impact on cancer patients. That鈥檚 what it is all about, giving patients a fighting chance of cancer survival.鈥�

Copik, a native of Poland, arrived in the United States 22 years ago. After completing her doctorate and post-doctoral fellowships, she began studying natural killer cells, and then moved to 麻豆原创.

Natural killer (NK) cells are part of the body鈥檚 defense system and act as an army to protect us from invaders such as viruses and infections. Copik discovered a way to make NK cells even more powerful 鈥� by stimulating them with nanoparticles that multiply them and heighten their killing ability.

Kiadis Pharma鈥檚 study will evaluate K-NK002 produced using Kiadis鈥� proprietary PM21 technology platform licensed from 麻豆原创. This technology enables high dose, low cost, scalable and industrial production of NK-cell therapy without the risk of residual tumor cells in the final product. This is the first human trial using drug produced with Kiadis鈥� PM21 technology, according to the company鈥檚 press release. The study will enroll 64 patients at leading transplant centers in the U.S.

鈥淭his is a great example of successful technology transfer of academic science to commercialization for the benefit of patients,鈥� says Svetlana Shtrom, director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Technology Transfer Office. 鈥淩esearchers make discoveries. We protect this valuable intellectual property. They either spin out a company and take it to market or we license the innovation to a commercial partner who can take it to market, to where it is needed to make a difference. That鈥檚 the powerful role of universities working in partnership with businesses. That鈥檚 how the technology-transfer ecosystem works to benefit our communities.鈥�

Researchers at 麻豆原创鈥檚 invented Bold & Gold, a water-filtration media that removes pollutants from stormwater, wastewater and agricultural applications. Made from natural and recycled materials including sand, clay, tire chips and compost, the product is an eco-friendly biosorption technology that is effective and affordable. Studies show the material is effective at removing up to 75 percent of nitrogen, 95 percent of phosphorus and other pollutants found in septic water, which helps reduce algae blooms, keep ground water clean and prolong the life of septic systems.

Technology Transfer Office鈥檚 mission is to bring discoveries to the marketplace through intellectual property protection, marketing and licensing processes and connecting 麻豆原创 researchers with companies and entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into successful products. The office worked with inventors to patent and trademark the filtration media.

The award recognizes the efforts made by those who 鈥渟upport a better world through the commercialization of academic research.鈥� 麻豆原创鈥檚 submission was selected from a field of 40 entries from around the world.

Technology Transfer director Svetlana Shtrom says the success of this project is attributed to the collaboration between the university inventors, Martin Wanielista and Ni-Bin Chang, and Environmental Conservation Solutions, a Central Florida startup company that manufactures the product. ECS found a variety of applications for the filtration media, including green roofs, site septic systems, stormwater retention or detention ponds, silviculture, agriculture, geothermal discharge and aquaculture.

鈥淲e recognize that technology transfer plays a small but critical role in making our world a better place now and for generations to come,鈥� Shtrom says. 鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of the work my team does and how we can all work together to make an impact.鈥�