Research &
Innovation
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
From the Senior Vice President The University of South Florida has grown into a research powerhouse, and 2012 has been a year of exciting milestones and accomplishments for USF Research & Innovation, with the increasing success of the university and our faculty nationally and around the world. USF is one of four Florida public universities classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in the top tier of research universities (RU/VH), a distinction attained by only 2.3 percent of all universities, and one of 40 public research universities nationwide that is designated as both very high research activity and as community engaged by the Carnegie Foundation. We are ranked 50th in the nation for research expenditures among U.S. universities, public and private, by the National Science Foundation (2010). The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked USF as the fifth fastest growing research university in the U.S. from 2000-2010. USF faculty compete successfully at the national and international level for peerreviewed grants and contracts. In FY2012, USF was awarded a record $411.1 million in research contracts and grants. The College of Marine Science won one of eight research centers worldwide, funded at $11 million by BP; the College of Nursing ranks in the top 25 nursing schools nationwide to receive research funding from the National Institutes of Health in fiscal year 2011; and our Pediatric Epidemiology Center has received $400 million of NIH funding. We have a strong focus on innovation and the translation of research from the lab to the market. USF had a record breaking 98 patents granted in 2012, and 52 license/ commercialization agreements, including the formation of 10 start-up companies. We are 10th in the world among all universities for U.S. granted patents, the second year in a row we’ve been recognized as a global leader among universities. Our local USF chapter of the National Academy of Inven-
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tors boasts 240 USF inventor members, all with U.S. patents, of whom five were recently elected as NAI fellows. We were ranked nationally in the top 20 for licensing income in 2010, according to the Association of University Technology Managers. Our faculty are recognized with national and international awards and honors. For example, in 2012, USF was in the top 10 of all institutions worldwide for Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), with 15 professors elected to the prestigious, AAU-recognized honor. We were ranked 110 among all of the world’s universities in a ranking of faculty scholarly publications, according to High Impact Universities (2010). USF is now ranked fourth among the country’s most veteran-friendly schools by Military Times Edge. Our Veterans Reintegration and Resilience Initiative is fostering research collaborations and state-of-theart research to help wounded warriors, military veterans and their families. In the works are plans to build a unique multidisciplinary research and clinical facility focused on veterans’ reintegration, rehabilitation and resilience. The success demonstrated in these few highlights and the stories told within these pages is the direct result of the dedication and commitment of our faculty, colleges, departments, institutes, centers and partnerships. Together, they guide and direct the university’s progress through their research, teaching, scholarship and innovation, working side by side with students, colleagues, partners, and the community to find real world solutions to real world problems.
Paul R. Sanberg, Ph.D., D.Sc. Senior Vice President for Research & Innovation, USF System President, USF Research Foundation, Inc. Executive Director, Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair Distinguished University Professor
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USF Research & Innovation Paul R. Sanberg, Ph.D., D.Sc., Senior Vice President for Research & Innovation, USF System, and President, USF Research Foundation, Inc. Lt. General Martin Steele, USMC (ret.), Associate Vice President for Veterans Research
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Sudeep Sarkar, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation Pearl Bigfeather, Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Karen A. Liller, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation Rhonda Hendrix, Chief Operating Officer
There is an incredible spirit of invention at all levels of our university—from undergraduates up to many of our distinguished professors—and it extends out into our community. What is particularly exciting about this culture of innovation that we are developing is it inspires our community to think about the future differently. By creating an environment where risk-taking is supported and even celebrated, our faculty, staff and students won’t be afraid to fail. More importantly they will be inspired to succeed.
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Valerie McDevitt, J.D., Assistant Vice President, Technology Transfer Office/Patents & Licensing Cheryl Byers, Assistant Vice President, Research Integrity & Compliance Rebecca Puig, Assistant Vice President, Sponsored Research and Research Financial Management Robert Engleman, D.V.M., Director, Comparative Medicine Bill Baker, Ph.D., Director, Center for Drug Discovery & Innovation Patty Gamble, Chief Financial Officer & Director, USF Research Foundation Allison Madden, Director, USF Research Foundation Operations Tracey Swartz, Director, Innovation & Incubation Program
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USF System President Judy Genshaft
Research & INNOVATION | Annual Report 2012 3
Innovative
Research A By ANN CARNEY | USF News
Shaw’s motivation came from within. For nearly five years he struggled with a classic hospital-acquired bacterial infection following surgery to treat a developmental hip condition. Today Shaw, 35, is a molecular biologist and associate professor in the Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology at USF. He is a preeminent researcher in the field of bacterial pathogenesis, and one of only 3 percent of NIH awardees to serve as principal investigator on an R01 research grant before the age of 36. Shaw is part of the world-class research enterprise at USF—an enterprise
that has seen unprecedented growth in recent years.
In the 2011-2012 fiscal year, USF broke the $400 million mark for research awards, earning more than $411 million in total awards and contracts. The university ranks 10th worldwide among universities granted U.S. patents, according to the Intellectual Property Owners Association. And in the latest rankings by the National Science Foundation, USF was ranked among the top 50 universities in the nation, public or private, for research expenditures. “We have transitioned into a major research institution in the last 10 years,” says Paul R. Sanberg, senior vice president for Research & Innovation at USF, and a leading neuroscience researcher with about 100 health-related U.S. and foreign patents. “Research and innovation have become very inherent in our culture.”
USF ranks 10th worldwide among all universities, public or private, granted U.S. patents, according to the Intellectual Property Owners Association. 4 Research & INNOVATION | Annual Report 2012
Photo: AIMEE BLODGETT | USF News
s a teenager growing up in England, Lindsey “Les” Shaw was captivated by bacteria, so much so that he devoted his high school science project to finding ways to kill the ubiquitous microorganisms.
(2 Sidebars: NAI & Faculty Research Awards to come)
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USF was absolutely my first choice among American universities. There’s a massive push here for translational science—for developing new drugs. I knew I could make a
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difference.
– Lindsey “Les” Shaw
Research & INNOVATION | Annual Report 2012 5
USF researchers today are advancing the frontiers of medicine, science, engineering and the arts. The university is a leader in the study and treatment of brain disease; veterans reintegration and resilience; sustainability; infectious disease; and photovoltaic technologies—using cells to transfer energy from sunlight. The USF Pediatric Epidemiology Center, the data and technology coordinating hub for nearly every major Type 1 diabetes clinical trial worldwide, has become the epicenter for global juvenile diabetes research under the direction of Jeffrey Krischer. It’s no accident, Sanberg says. USF is investing heavily in research and scholarly work. The university is aggressively pursuing out-ofstate grants and research contracts, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and turning the spotlight on technology transfer—bringing scientific discoveries to market.
Ideal research environment It’s the ideal environment for researchers like Shaw, whose work is focused on the pathogenesis and epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a bacterium notoriously adept at acquiring resistance to antibiotics. MRSA is a leading cause of human disease in the world today, and the most common cause of death by a single agent in the United States. “USF was absolutely my first choice among American universities,” says Shaw, who joined USF in 2007. “There’s a massive push here for translational science—for developing new drugs. I knew I could make a difference.” “Every university talks about interdisciplinary science,” he continues, “but it feels very forced. At USF, it’s not. It’s organic; it’s in the system.” In his lab, Shaw works with other USF scientists—chemists and biologists—to develop novel antibiotics that can treat and kill Continued on page 8
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Celebrating Faculty The accomplishments of 13 USF faculty members took center stage in the fall at the annual Outstanding Research Achievement Awards and the Excellence in Innovation Awards, both sponsored by USF Research & Innovation. Nine faculty members received the Outstanding Research Achievement Award, established in 2003 to recognize faculty who have received exceptional recognition of their research with preeminent awards, grants or publications in top journals during the previous calendar year. The open competition is judged by the USF System Research Council. Four faculty members received the Excellence in Innovation Award, recognizing exceptional achievement in technological innovation and its transfer to practice, industrial partnerships and/or commercialization during the previous calendar year. The award program was established in 2009. Both programs recognize the integral role of faculty in creating new knowledge and advancing the culture of research excellence at the university.
Outstanding Research Achievement Award Winners 2012 Photos: clockwise from top left
Roger Ariew, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences Shannon Bassett, Assistant Professor in the School of Architecture and Community Design, College of The Arts Eric Buhi, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Community and Family Health, College of Public Health John Carter, M.D., Associate Professor and Director of the Division of Rheumatology in Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine Marty Gould, Ph.D., Professor of English, College of Arts and Sciences Brent Small, Ph.D., Professor in the School of Aging Studies, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences Lindsey Shaw, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, College of Arts and Sciences Sidney Pierce, Ph.D., Professor in Integrative Biology, College of Arts and Sciences Ivan Oleynik, Ph.D., Professor of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences
“As USF continues its rapid ascent among nationally ranked research universities, we are proud to promote, support, and celebrate the faculty who make it happen,” says Paul R. Sanberg, senior vice president for Research & Innovation at USF. “Both of these award programs were created to acknowledge our best scholars, inventors and entrepreneurs, and to inspire continued high-quality research and innovation throughout the university.” The 2012 faculty research award recipients represent a wide range of research fields including science, medicine, public health, engineering and the arts.
Excellence in Innovation Award Winners 2012
Photos: clockwise from top left
Robert Byrne, Ph.D., Distinguished University Professor of Seawater Physical Chemistry, College of Marine Science Stuart Hart, M.D., Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morsani College of Medicine Dennis Kyle, Ph.D., Distinguished University Health Professor of Global Health, College of Public Health* Roman Manetsch, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences* *Awarded jointly
Research & INNOVATION | Annual Report 2012 7
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– Paul Sanberg
Maximizing research success USF Research & Innovation is dedicated to maximizing the success of USF researchers, like Shaw, and growing the research enterprise, even in times of uncertain funding.
& Licensing; Research Financial Management; Research Integrity & Compliance; Sponsored Research; the USF Research Foundation; the USF Research Park of Tampa Bay; and the Tampa Bay Technology Incubator. Each area plays a critical role in advancing research and innovation at USF.
The office is also charged with protecting the intellectual property of the university.
“It’s a very conducive and supportive environment,” says USF neuroscientist Cesar Borlongan, a pioneer in stem cell therapy research, who investigates how adult stem cells harvested from bone marrow or umbilical cord blood can be prodded to repair stroke-damaged regions of the brain. USF Research & Innovation facilitates the administrative leg of Borlongan’s research.
It works closely with faculty in a number of important areas: Comparative Medicine; the Center of Excellence for Drug Discovery & Innovation; Patents
“It’s a two-way street. Having open communication and good interaction between scientists and administrators creates a good
“Our number one job is to support these researchers, even in compliance issues, to help them do these studies as efficiently as possible to create new knowledge,” Sanberg says.
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Photos: Pg. 8, AIMEE BLODGETT | USF News; pg. 9, ERIC YOUNGHANS | USF Health
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We have transitioned into a major research institution in the last 10 years. Research and innovation have become very inherent in our culture.
MRSA. The team is making progress. “We have a couple of decent leads, a couple of patents on compounds.”
environment,” he says, an environment that breaks down barriers and promotes collaboration.
Ground-breaking translational research Borlongan and his colleagues at USF are challenging existing dogma—a long-held belief that the brain cannot be repaired. “Our research is showing the potential of adult stem cells,” he says, adding that his team is not interested in studying embryonic or fetal stem cells. “There is compelling evidence that adult stem cells are potent and able to become other types of cells—brain cells and bone cells.” Adult stem cells, Borlongan explains, are flexible. When coaxed, they can mimic other cell types. In the instance of stroke, the cells can be injected near the damaged area of the brain. The implanted cells get signals from the surrounding environment and can fill the missing block of cells, effectively repairing the damage. “It’s fascinating; it challenges the traditional view that adult cells are primarily committed to that type of cell,” Borlongan says. “We are not trying to build new organisms. We are trying to repair damage to existing tissue.” The ground-breaking work is making its way from the laboratory into the clinic where it could have huge implications for human health. Currently, seven clinical trials for adult stem cell therapy for treatment of stroke are under way in the U.S. Three of those trials are based on research at USF.
University-wide focus
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In January, First Lady Michelle Obama praised USF’s efforts to address the needs of military service members, veterans and their families through a research-based reintegration and resilience initiative.
The university’s College of Nursing is conducting studies on post-traumatic stress disorder to improve the emotional health and quality of life for veterans with disabilities. Researchers in the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences are working to improve prosthetic devices for soldiers and veterans who have lost limbs in combat, including young amputee soldiers who want the option of returning to the battlefield.
Our research is showing the potential of adult stem cells. There is compelling evidence that adult stem cells are potent and able to become other types of cells.
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– Cesar Borlongan
At USF’s Global Center for Hearing & Speech Research, scientists are investigating new treatments and devices for veterans who have suffered speech and hearing loss. And, a multidisciplinary team of researchers is investigating Research & INNOVATION | Annual Report 2012 9
s U.S. patents awarded to USF line the walls of the Technology Transfer Office in the USF Research Park.
“We are doing so much,” says Sanberg, adding, “We don’t have the infrastructure of 100, 200 years. We are getting where we want to go with less means.” With less means and creative partnerships.
Partnerships to advance science The USF Research Park, located on the Tampa campus, links researchers to businesses in need of research partnerships. Occupancy in the park, which opened in 2008, is at 95 percent, with 47 resident and 17 affiliate companies focused on biotechnology and life sciences research and entrepreneurship. The park is home to USF CONNECT, a network of innovation-based companies, research, government resources and business development tools,
including the USF Research Foundation and the Tampa Bay Technology Incubator. The incubator program helps grow successful companies with a range of support services, such as access to USF researchers and critical costly research equipment. To date, TBTI has incubated more than 50 companies, creating 350-plus jobs in the region and more than 130 partnerships with USF faculty. It’s the kind of collaboration, Sanberg says, that “helps create jobs, brings innovation and new technologies to society faster, and introduces a sense of business, milestones and project management to the university setting.” It’s the kind of collaboration that helps build an ever-stronger national research university and a powerful economic and intellectual driver for the state. It’s the kind of collaboration that changes lives. n
Story first appeared in USF Magazine Winter 2012
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Photo: Pg. 10, KATY HENNIG | USF News
novel treatments, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, for traumatic brain injury.
Inventors Academy Spend just a few minutes with Paul R. Sanberg, senior vice president for Research & Innovation at USF, and one thing becomes abundantly clear— translating academic research into marketable inventions is more important than ever. For the past 20 years, patented intellectual property originating at universities and nonprofit research institutions has played an increasingly vital role in the global economy. These new inventions, Sanberg says, have created new jobs, spurred economic development, helped solve complex problems and improved quality of life. So it’s no wonder Sanberg, an inventor himself with about 100 health-related patents worldwide, wanted to find a way to celebrate academic invention and help foster culture change at the university by acknowledging the importance of patenting and commercialization. In 2009, he conceived the idea for an exclusive membership organization dedicated to honoring, recognizing and encouraging academic inventors. Launched in 2010 at the University of South Florida, Sanberg’s National Academy of Inventors (NAI) recognizes investigators at universities and nonprofit research institutes who translate their research findings into inventions that may benefit society. Today the prestigious academy works closely with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Association of University Technology Managers, and lists more than 2,000 individual members from over 45 member institutions, including Georgetown University, Boston University, Emory University, the California Institute of Technology and the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth. Members must be affiliated with a member institution and be a named inventor on one or more patents issued by the U.S. patent office. The organization edits its own multidisciplinary journal, Technology and Innovation, and holds an annual conference. In 2012, NAI launched its inaugural Fellows program to recognize academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society. The 101 NAI Fellows, inducted by the U.S. Commissioner for Patents at the NAI’s second annual conference, represent 56 prestigious universities and non-profit research institutes and collectively hold more than 3,200 U.S. patents. “The overwhelming success of the NAI, and the increasing interest we are receiving from universities and inventors around the world, makes a strong statement about the changing culture of research at universities today,” says Sanberg. Research & INNOVATION | Annual Report 2012 11
By the Numbers
Innovation 2012
Primary Sources of
Federal Funding FY 2012
Funding by
Project Type FY 2012
Department of Veterans Affairs Other DHHS
11%
Additional Sponsored Activities
43%
6%
National Science Foundation
6%
Department of Defense
Department of Education
3%
Other Federal
Research
50%
5%
National Institutes of Health
9%
60% Training
Research $203,261,120
National Institutes of Health $99,848,722
Training $30,505,032
Other DHHS $17,959,432
Additional Sponsored Activities $177,295,080
Department of Veterans Affairs $10,201,433
Total $411,061,232
National Science Foundation $9,982,908 Department of Defense $8,400,805 Department of Education $5,670,930 Other Federal $14,522,498
Total Federal $166,586,728 12 Research & INNOVATION | Annual Report 2012
Graphics: ANNE SCOTT | USF News
7%
Sources of
External Funding FY 2012
Federal Government
40%
State/Local Government
Other
7%
15%
Private
55%
Private Partnerships
45%
Corporate
22%
Foreign
1%
Foundation State/Local Government $60,051,057
15%
Private Partnerships $184, 423,447 Federal Government $166,586,728
Total $411,061,232
Research & INNOVATION | Annual Report 2012 13
By the Numbers
Multi-Year Trends Issued U.S. Patents 2001-2012 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
16 16 22 23 23 29 31 31 37 67 91 98
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 3 1 1 4 6 5 4 6 4 5 8 10
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License Agreements per Fiscal Year 12 60 11 55 10 50 9 45 8 40 7 35 6 30 5 25 4 20 3 15 2 10 1 5 0 0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 7 13 7 11 20 21 23 28 25 37 36 52
60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Graphics: ANNE SCOTT | USF News
Start-Up Companies per Fiscal Year
Contract & Grant Awards 10 Year History Millions $450 $400 $350 $300 $250 $200 $150 $100 $50 0
02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11 11/12
Federal% 48% 44% 47% 48% 40% 48% 48% 52% 46% 40% n Federal $122.7 $128.0 $134.5 $149.3 $121.9 $171.5 $184.6 $203.2 $180.3 $165.5 n Total
$254.8 $290.1 $287.2 $310.2 $308.4 $360.1 $380.3 $394.1 $391.8 $411.1
Research & Development Expenditures 10 Year History Thousands $450,000 $400,000 $350,000 $300,000 $250,000 $200,000 $150,000 $100,000 $50,000 0 Federal%
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
43% 50% 53% 55% 54% 58% 61% 62% 63% 61%
n Federal
$84,108 $106,102 $126,906 $142,580 $153,737 $158,442 $169,911 $190,949 $246,016 $245,410
n Total
$197,894 $213,429 $240,021 $259,218 $285,941 $272,661 $278,419 $309,456 $309,828 $400,679
Research & INNOVATION | Annual Report 2012 15
USF Research & Innovation 3702 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 175 Tampa, FL 33612-9444 813-974-5570 Fax: 813-974-3348 www.research.usf.edu
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