“ For the past 90 years, UTRF has been instrumental in promoting the commercialization of UT’s intellectual property and fostering an entrepreneurial culture that empowers our faculty, staff, and students. By transforming research ideas into market-ready solutions, UTRF not only enhances the impact of our academic endeavors but also drives economic growth and progress. As an entrepreneur myself, I am deeply proud of UTRF’s legacy and its commitment to advancing innovation. “
Randy Boyd UT System President
page 5
letter from the president
page 6 celebrating 90 years
page 8 featured stories
page 18
utrf by the numbers
page 17 featured innovators
page 20 innovator spotlights
page 22
utrf student opportunities
page 24 technology maturation grants
page 25 patents issued
page 26
utrf staff
mission
UTRF protects, manages, and commercializes UT innovations, supports UT research, promotes an entrepreneurial culture, and contributes to regional economic development to benefit the people of Tennessee and beyond.
letter from the president
As we reflect on an extraordinary year, I share with great pride the remarkable achievements of the University of Tennessee Research Foundation (UTRF). This year holds special significance as we celebrate 90 years of driving innovation that transforms lives, strengthens communities, and fosters economic growth.
Founded in 1934, UTRF has played a pivotal role in bridging the gap between academic research and real-world applications. From our first patent in 1939 for a device to measure gas humidity to our recent collaborations with Moderna on cutting-edge therapeutics, UTRF’s history is a testament to our ability to make transformative advancements.
This year, we received 170 invention disclosures across the UT system and executed 36 licenses, a clear indication of the vibrancy of UT’s innovation ecosystem and the dedication of our researchers in pushing boundaries and solving complex challenges.
Our commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs is equally inspiring. Through initiatives like the Entrepreneurial Fellow Program, we are shaping future leaders in research and entrepreneurship. This year, our first Entrepreneurial Fellow, Tanner Hobson, co-founded VisualizAI, which leverages artificial intelligence to enhance healthcare analytics. Tanner exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit that UTRF champions.
The Accelerate Fund has been a powerful catalyst for early-stage ventures. This year, we made our first pre-seed investment of $150,000 in Orion Therapeutics, a company pioneering the next generation of RNA delivery technologies. This investment underscores UTRF’s commitment to empowering entrepreneurs at pivotal stages in their journey.
As we celebrate 90 years of innovation, I express my deepest gratitude to the talented UTRF team and our partners. Their expertise, dedication, and unwavering commitment drive our mission forward and inspire the impact we accomplish together.
Looking to the future, we remain resolute in our vision to promote bold ideas, nurture impactful collaborations, and create meaningful change. We are building a brighter future—one innovation at a time.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to continuing this journey with you by our side.
Here’s to the next 90 years of discovery, impact, and transformation!
Maha Krishnamurthy, PhD, MBA President, UTRF
UTRF’s Accelerate Fund Makes First Investment in UT Startup, Co-Investing with LaunchTN’s InvestTN Fund
The University of Tennessee Research Foundation’s Accelerate Fund made its first investment in Orion Therapeutics, a biotechnology startup developing next-generation RNA medicines using a novel drug delivery system. UTRF and Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN) co-invested, both contributing $150,000 of pre seed investment.
UTRF’s Accelerate Fund launched in 2023 and provides funding opportunities to help viable startups bring more UT innovations to the world. Managed by UTRF, the fund is uniquely positioned to assess new ventures created from UT innovations. Licensing professionals help identify opportunities, and the Investment Advisory Committee makes investment recommendations. Its portfolio spans a variety of industries, including mobility and human health.
ing funds, we have received so much support,” said Trey Fisher, Orion Therapeutics Chief Executive Officer and Founder. “I cherish our relationship with UTRF. We’ve worked with the organization for a decade—initially as an inventor and now as the first investment from UTRF’s Accelerate Fund. I wear this current development as a badge of honor.”
“Accelerate Fund’s mission is to invest in great UT innovations. We invest in good companies across the country that other investors will want to follow. We’ve been working with Orion Therapeutics and Trey Fisher for many years. This investment is the latest chapter in our long-standing partnership,” said UTRF President Maha Krishnamurthy. “I want to thank LaunchTN for partnering with us on this investment and the Investment Advisory Committee members for their guidance and feedback during the evaluation and investment process.”
The idea for Orion Therapeutics originated at the UT Graduate School of Medicine, where the foundational technology enabled the development of a novel gene therapy for vascular disease. Orion has since developed GENESYSTM, a unique LNP delivery platform that incorporates bioinspired lipopeptides to package, protect and precisely deliver RNA drug payloads to previously inaccessible areas of the body. This innovative approach aims to transform the development of next-generation RNA medicines, addressing unmet medical needs with enhanced precision and safety.
“I wanted to grow this company in East Tennessee. UTRF, LaunchTN, and many other regional partners have made this possible. From UTRF’s initial support protecting our core technology to LaunchTN’s Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) match-
LaunchTN’s mission is to empower innovators across Tennessee by providing capital, commercialization and connections. Powered by LaunchTN, InvestTN makes equity investments into Tennessee-located startups and venture capital funds. InvestTN is part of Fund Tennessee, a $117 million fund representing Tennessee’s allocation of the most recent State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI 2.0) $10 billion budget.
“InvestTN’s investment in Orion Therapeutics was an investment in Knoxville. Orion Therapeutics is well-represented in Knoxville and has tapped into the great resources of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. It’s a great feeling to support founders who are invested in their community,” said LaunchTN Chief Investment Officer Eller Kelliher. “UTRF’s Accelerate Fund represents a unique opportunity for the state. UTRF and the Fund’s Investment Advisory Committee were very thorough in their evaluation. They gave us the confidence to invest in life science and deep tech spaces.”
With this investment, Orion Therapeutics will achieve the final key milestones to move toward its first seed round. The company hopes this collaborative investment will serve as a beacon for other biotechnology and deeptech companies to relocate and become successful in Tennessee.
UTRF’s Decades-Long Commitment to Economic Development
UTRF plays a key role in state and regional economic development efforts at the intersection of cutting-edge research and real-world solutions. In the past two decades, UTRF has supported biofuel innovation, renewable energy projects, advanced materials and manufacturing, technology entrepreneurship, and many other impactful initiatives that enhance Tennessee’s economy.
Genera: Pioneering Biofuel and Biomass Innovation
In 2007, Tennessee committed $70 million to the University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative to help create an advanced biofuels economy. As part of this initiative, UTRF formed the for-profit company Genera Energy to build a pilot plant to test the commercial feasibility of using switchgrass as biomass to produce cellulosic fuel.
A few years later, Genera Energy was launched out of UTRF as its own independent organization. In Vonore, TN, it is now growing carbon-negative grass fiber to turn it into compostable packaging and bioproducts. In 2023, Genera broke ground on a $340 million expansion of its Sustainable Biomaterials Campus to scale up production and distribution. This expansion created over 230 additional jobs.
West Tennessee Solar Farm: Leading Renewable Energy in the Southeast
UTRF assists the University of Tennessee in the operation and maintenance of the West Tennessee Solar Farm. Completed in
2012, the 5-megawatt solar farm generates enough energy to power 500 homes annually.
The solar farm and its adjacent SPECTRUM solar museum encourage renewable energy interest and investment while educating the public about the importance of lowering greenhouse gas emissions, installing more renewable energy, and creating high-quality jobs.
UT Research Park: A Hub for Innovation and Collaboration
Cherokee Farm Development Corporation (CFDC), a nonprofit subsidiary of UTRF, operates the UT Research Park. Situated along the Tennessee River, just minutes from UT’s flagship campus in Knoxville, the UT Research Park is more than just a picturesque location—it’s a thriving hub of innovation and collaboration. This dynamic site is where cutting-edge companies and ambitious entrepreneurs connect with the brightest minds at UT, forging partnerships that spark business success.
Research at the University has yielded several Innovation Gateways that focus on economic development in advanced materials and manufacturing, artificial intelligence, energy and environment, the future of mobility, and human health and wellness. As the gateway to collaboration with the University, UT Research Park houses several established organizations, including IACMI—The Composites Institute, as well as
many startups.
The UT Research Park provides lab space for entrepreneurs and their startups, like Orion Therapeutics, who received the first investment from UTRF’s Accelerate Fund
The park is also home to the Spark Innovation Center, which provides vital support to help young techbased companies thrive. It operates a two-year incubator program and a 12-week cleantech accelerator, helping entrepreneurs to turn bold ideas into profitable ventures who stay in East Tennessee.
“Innovation is at the heart of UTRF’s mission because it drives economic development, creates jobs, and strengthens our region,” said Deborah Crawford, Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, & Economic Development, a UTRF Board member, and Chair of the CFDC Board. “By supporting groundbreaking research and fostering partnerships, we’re not just advancing technologies— we’re empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs and setting the stage for a more prosperous future for all Tennesseans.”
UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm
Innovation is Everywhere: UTRF’s DecadesLong Support of University Research
The University of Tennessee System’s core mission is to serve Tennesseans and beyond through education, discovery, and outreach to enable economic, social, and environmental well-being. UTRF is proud to support UT’s mission.
UTRF serves as the bridge between groundbreaking research and the marketplace, transforming ideas into products and services that change lives. From assisting the University with its partnerships with Moderna to fight COVID-19 to funding from industry geared towards curing systemic amyloidosis, UTRF has been a vital force driving economic growth and technological progress with various programs it runs and supports, ranging from technology maturation grants to outreach efforts and supporting UT’s larger research goals via UTRF subsidiaries.
Technology Maturation Grants
One barrier to advancing new innovations to market is funding. UTRF’s annual Technology Maturation Grants seek to alleviate this roadblock by awarding researchers up to $20,000 in direct costs. Since 2010, UTRF has awarded over $1.5 million in grant funding.
The program is open to all faculty, staff, and students across the UT System. Eligible submissions include prototypes, proof-of-concept, meaningful improvements to the intellectual property of an existing technology, and projects that address specific questions or offer improvements for potential licensees.
Innovation is Everywhere
Innovation knows no bounds. Whether helping inventors in facility services or non-STEM departments with invention disclosures and research agreements, UTRF is there every step of the way.
UTRF, with a strong team of subject matter experts, works closely with UT’s faculty, students, and staff to educate them on the commercialization process for their innovations. Earlier this year UTRF’s Knoxville office launched the Innovation is Everywhere Tour, where UTRF staff members travel across campuses, providing researchers with the opportunity to ask questions and to discuss unique needs for the commercialization of their research.
UTRF Technology Manager Emma Vetland talks with a researcher at a monthly campus tour event.
Similarly, UTRF’s UT Health Science Center team hosts a monthly commercialization discussion series for faculty, postdocs, and students, focusing on practical strategies to transform research into market-ready solutions.
The Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation
UTRF houses special-purpose entities like the Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation (CCS) to further support UT’s research. CCS operates one of DOE’s Manufacturing USA Institutes: The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI). This institute is a partnership of industry, universities, national labs, and federal, state, and local governments to drive research and commercial adoption.
IACMI is a critical player in the North American composites industry, secur-
ing a spot among the top five programs on the continent—a field that was essentially non-existent before 2015. Some notable research and development projects during the organization’s first few years include its work with Volkswagen and a bridge project in Morgan County, Tennessee.
At Volkswagen’s first innovation hub at UT Research Park, researchers helped create a novel composite liftgate for the Volkswagen Atlas. This liftgate reduces weight by 35% with a decreased investment cost.
In Morgan County, IACMI worked with member company Composite Applications Group to install a fiber-reinforced polymer bridge embedded with fiber optic sensors. This bridge is lighter than traditional concrete structures and is quickly deployed, making it optimal for rural applications.
In 2023, IACMI was the first clean energy institute to be renewed by the Department of Energy. It received federal funding across five fiscal years, with a first-year investment of $6 million. This funding builds upon the initial $70 million allocation from DOE and over $130 million from IACMI’s member partners.
Looking ahead, IACMI is relocating its headquarters and research facilities to Innovation South at UTRP Uday Vaidya, a prolific researcher, industry leader and advisor, will lead these efforts.
“As UTRF looks ahead to its next 90 years, our mission remains clear: Continue transitioning UT’s groundbreaking research into real-world solutions that benefit society,” said Maha Krishnamurthy. “I’m so proud of our team, who foster an environment where UT’s research can be translated into products and services that impact lives.”
UTRF’s Commitment to Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Impact
UTRF is a powerhouse that drives UT’s mission to turn groundbreaking research into real-world applications. With a track record of commercial success stretching back several decades and a rich innovation pipeline, UTRF is committed to transforming University research into market-ready products and fostering economic growth across the region.
“We love to receive every disclosure. It doesn’t matter at what stage or level it might be,” said Todd Ponzio, UTRF vice president of the Health Science Center Office.
Identifying Potential and Protecting Innovation
As the University’s tech transfer arm, UTRF bridges the gap between innovative research on UT campuses and practical applications that benefit society, industry, and the economy. UTRF’s work in technology transfer focuses on identifying, protecting, and commercializing intellectual property (IP) developed by UT faculty, researchers, and students.
After a disclosure is filed, the UTRF team evaluates the technology to determine if it is novel, if there is a market need, and if the market is large enough to merit investment.
“Invention is the discovery—the first idea. For example, if you come up with a new, cool recipe that is really delicious, that would be invention” said Ponzio. “Innovation, however, is the process of bringing the invention to a sustainable conclusion, to bring it to market. So, if you come up with a great recipe, innovation is serving it in a five-star restaurant.”
Some notable IP or “five-star restaurants” from the last few decades include the essential technology in N95 respirators and over a dozen hardy dogwood varieties. Additionally, numerous promising drugs are in clinical trials at UT Health Science Center,
which Ponzio believes indicates just how “challenging it can be to get products to market.”
“We’re moving full steam ahead, but drugs can take 10 years or more to go through the FDA. During this time, UTRF supports and consults with these researchers as best we can to help them move their technologies along,” he continued. “There’s a track record of success and a pretty rich clinical trials pipeline that would be the envy a lot of tech transfer offices.”
Tech Transfer is a “Contact Sport”
For the UTRF team, the tech transfer process is exceptionally partnership driven. “To quote UTRF President Maha Krishnamurthy, ‘Tech transfer is a contact sport,’” said Kusum Rathore, UTRF vice president of the Multi-Campus Office. “You need to ‘collide’ with inventors—knock on doors, walk the hallways, rattle the bushes. You need to work with them and build trust and relationships.”
UTRF’s work goes beyond patent evaluation. The office offers financial and advisory services to help innovators bring their ideas to fruition. The commercialization journey can be long and arduous, but UTRF seeks to support innovation from the ground up. Each program provides researchers with critical funding and mentorship, empowering them to navigate the early stages of commercialization.
Driving Economic Growth and Job Creation
UTRF’s tech transfer work directly impacts Tennessee’s economy by creating high-tech jobs, attracting investment, promoting industry partnerships, and improving the local workforce’s capabilities.
This growth is achieved through licensing technology to existing com
Hicham Ghossein signs a license agreement with UTRF at Endeavor Composites, joined by Uday Vaidya and UTRF’s Kusum Rathore.
panies or new startup ventures. UTRF has been proud to support entrepreneurs like Hicham Ghossein, founder, president, and CEO of Endeavor Composites, as he works to provide a zero-waste circular economy solution for composite manufacturers.
UTRF also supports and advocates for researchers like Monica Jablonski, a UT Health Science Center researcher and founder of OculoTherapy, helping them participate in accelerator programs and pitch competitions to grow their ventures. OculoTherapy offers a novel treatment, Calseetra, that addresses failures of current glaucoma medications.
By translating academic research into real-world products and solutions, UTRF promotes innovation and generates revenue that can be reinvested into further research and University programs. In doing so, UTRF aligns with UT’s larger mission of positively impacting Tennessee’s economy and beyond.
“We encourage our startups to have associations with UT,” said Rathore. “For example, Attralus, a biopharmaceutical startup established by UT researcher Jonathan Wall, has invested over a million dollars into UT research. Partnerships like this positively contribute to the economic development of the state and the University.”
UTRF Leadership at UT Health Science Center Supporting the Graduate Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
One of the University of Tennessee Research Foundation’s four key mission areas is encouraging an entrepreneurial culture across the UT System.
At the UT Health Science Center, two UTRF team members support this mission by teaching the next generation of entrepreneurs in the redesigned “Entrepreneurship in Pharm/Biomedical Science” graduate course, listed as PHAC 832 and available to graduate students throughout the system.
Throughout the spring semester, UTRF’s Todd Ponzio and James Parrett provided students with a comprehensive understanding of health technology and entrepreneurship by covering business fundamentals, regulatory considerations, intellectual property basics, and insights into future trends. The course is project-oriented, meaning students take their graduate research and con-
sider how they would translate it into a viable product or startup.
“We are encouraging students to think entrepreneurially and spread that among their lab mates, faculty advisors and others to move their technologies out of the lab or form startups,” said Parrett. “Their research has been several years of their life. From the UTRF perspective, it would be a home run for us if they could move their work into a practical application.”
Many students may have heard about intellectual property or know the basics of moving a product to market but have yet to have the time or opportunity to explore all the facets of commercializing research.
“We had a great group of students,” said Parrett. “They were engaged, and I think they found it very eye-opening because this is the stuff they don’t typically talk about in school. We witnessed people discover the entrepreneur bug.”
Ponzio acknowledged that many doctoral students will not go into research-track positions after graduating. His goal is to contribute to the success of UTHSC students by equipping them with crucial business acumen to land quality jobs outside academia.
“Nontraditional career paths have become the new traditional,” said Ponzio. “We’re making our students much more competitive for
the jobs of the future. This course gives them a competitive advantage to get better positions and become leaders in their field.”
According to Ponzio and Parrett, each class session could be a semester-long course. They don’t shy away from going “into the weeds” on complex, fast-paced topics like artificial intelligence in health technology or strategic IP considerations for startups.
“We’re going to have to update this course every time we teach it because each subject is an ever-evolving field,” said Ponzio.
Beyond promoting the graduate entrepreneurial ecosystem, the course is also designed to broadly empower researchers by taking them through a fictive commercialization journey, building confidence and competence.
“I would love for this class to be a touch point for anyone to get involved with UTRF,” said Ponzio. “We’d love to demystify the commercialization process—take some of the scariness out of it. That starts with a conversation and a little bit of education.”
James Parrett and Todd Ponzio
Entrepreneurial Fellow Program Keeps University Talent in Region
UTRF Welcomes First Fellow into Inaugural Program
Far too many research projects with commercial potential stall on the threshold of viability because graduate student innovators graduate and leave the University.
UTRF’s Entrepreneurial Fellow Program seeks to retain talented individuals in the region and invigorate the innovation ecosystem through work on projects that lead to deep tech startups.
Created out of the Venture Launch Program, the Entrepreneurial Fellow Program aims to train outstanding recent graduate students with scholarly and technical expertise for careers focused on innovation, technology development, commercialization, and entrepreneurship.
“UTRF provides fellows with stipends to advance their technologies and they receive business mentorship from the Executives-in-Residence (EIR) Program,” said UTRF President Maha Krishnamurthy. “Critically, fellows will focus solely on developing a minimum viable product during this fellowship.”
Earlier this year, UTRF hired its first Entrepreneurial Fellow, Tanner Hobson, a recent UTK graduate with a Ph.D. in computer science. Hobson applied for the program after his advisor, Jian Huang, Department of Electri-
cal Engineering and Computer Science professor, wanted him to make his technology ready for licensing.
“This work is so different than the academic world. We’re seeking the intersection of innovation and commercial viability,” said Hobson. “It’s been great having the support from UTRF to understand how to develop a product based on my Ph.D. work.”
During the Entrepreneurship Fellowship, Hobson, focused on developing a minimum viable product – an artificial intelligence-based system that provides high-powered data visualization to non-specialists utilizing a novel “Visualization as a Service” (VaaS) model. Specifically, this MVP and resulting startup, VisualizAI, are focused on medical claim denial pattern recognition and revenue recovery, which helps its users capture more of the revenue that their healthcare services have earned.
“Data analysis is a hard problem, especially for nonprofits, because they don’t have the money to hire a full-time data analyst,” said Hobson. “I’m using AI to help people understand data and make big data usable by non-experts. We want to make data science accessible.”
Huang is pleased that Hobson is the inaugural hire for the Entrepreneurial Fellow program, which will allow for a potential startup to conceptualize innovation cycles faster than going through traditional channels.
“With Hobson being the first in the Entrepreneurial Fellow pro-
gram, we are very excited to be part of this new journey and love the opportunity to help shape it, specifically to help set examples of how university research can become technology that impacts the world,” said Huang.
At the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund Award Ceremony, Huang was one of five UT researchers whose technology was awarded $50,000 to support their growth. Huang will use these funds to support Tanner’s role and development work.
“So much innovation is happening at the University of Tennessee. We want to keep brilliant individuals and entrepreneurs in the region. Programs like the Entrepreneurial Fellow Program and Accelerate Fund allow us to do just that,” said the University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd. “Congratulations to Tanner Hobson on being the first Entrepreneurial Fellow program awardee at UTRF.”
Chancellor Donde Plowman and Jian Huang
Tanner Hobson
From Theory to Practice: Students Transform Decades-Old IP into Sound Dental Solution
UTRF celebrates and supports entrepreneurship across the UT System. UTRF does this by working with students in the two-semester Senior Design course with UT Knoxville’s Tickle College of Engineering together with innovators at the UT Health Science Center. UTRF has been sponsoring such projects over the past five years.
The Senior Design project allows students to leverage their skills to address real-world challenges by advancing selected early-stage technologies to a prototyped reality. It also encourages an entrepreneurial culture and promotes commercialization through practical case-specific learnings associated with turning an idea into a tangible product.
“I had a mentor that once told me, ‘Anyone can be Einstein at the desk, but few can be Einstein at the bench.’ He meant that ideas are a dime a dozen, but it’s much harder to turn theory into practice,” said UTRF Vice President Todd Ponzio. “This program helps us collectively do just that.”
This year, Ponzio and Roy Selvidge, assistant professor in the College of Dentistry and Department of General Dentistry at the UT Health Science Center, served as stakeholders for one Senior Design project, Panacea Inc., to develop intellectual property Selvidge patented in 1985.
Four biomedical engineering seniors from the Tickle College of Engineering’s Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering Garison Howard, Jalen Barker, Bianca Harris, and Kate Ward made up Panacea Inc. They showcased their findings at the annual Senior Design Showcase at the beginning of May.
At the beginning of the course, the students were assigned roles and responsibilities, ranging from communications director to project manager.
“I was a project manager, so I was overseeing the deliverables and making sure they met the requirements that they needed to meet. I was also in charge of designing the prototypes,” said Barker. “My favorite part was the rapid prototyping, such as how fast we could go from design to prototype and then see how it worked.”
Much like in a real-world environment, they were presented with a problem: Current dental implements fail to effectively remove plaque and biofilm buildup within
Biomedical engineering students Harris, Ward, Howard, and Barker
the concave areas where the crown and root meet. They spent the next two semesters developing their solution: “Plaque Buster,” a novel interdental brush tip shape designed to reach the concave area between the teeth.
“Having an entire year to work on one project was cool,” said Howard. “It’s going to mirror what we’ll be doing after graduation. It’s a much more in-depth designing process than we were previously exposed to.”
Jeff Reinbolt, Associate Department Head, Director of Graduate Programs and Associate Professor, served as the student’s faculty advisor for the project.
“The opportunity that the students had to work with UTRF and Selvidge was very unique, and the experience will benefit them in their future careers,” said Reinbolt. “After graduation, some students will get their doctorate; others will go to medical school or work in industry. This course prepares all three groups of students for careers after graduation.”
Looking ahead, Barker and Harris already have plans after graduation. Barker will begin a master’s degree in medical technology design this fall. Harris will work as a technical solutions engineer for a healthcare software company.
“When I was interviewing for post-grad jobs, interviewers would ask me about projects I was working on in school,” said Harris. “This project was a huge thing I could touch on and discuss what I was doing for the team.”
Ryan Spencer, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of ThermaMatrix, has known he wanted to be an engineer since high school.
This desire to solve technical, complex problems prompted Spencer to pursue a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at UT Knoxville. He worked as a graduate research assistant at the Fibers & Composites Manufacturing Facility under the tutelage of UTK Professor and Governor’s Chair in Advanced Composites Manufacturing Uday Vaidya After graduation, he founded his startup, ThermaMatrix, from technology created during his doctoral research.
“Most Ph.D. students do their research and never touch it again. I’m lucky to explore further capabilities and opportunities,” said Spencer. “At ThermaMatrix, we provide inspection solutions for manufacturing. Our camera-based system scans and measures many properties, allowing us to perform quality control and assurance for manufacturing products. We hope to support many industries – from composites to aerospace to semiconductors and everything in between.”
While Spencer was pursuing his graduate degree, UTRF helped him understand the commercial potential of his research and encouraged him to submit an invention disclosure. After UTRF evaluated Spencer’s disclosure, UTRF’s marketing efforts led to the initiation of early-stage customer discovery conversations with several industry partners.
The UTRF team encouraged Spencer to participate in the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps)
Mid-South Hub program where he gained his first experience in customer discovery. UTRF awarded Spencer and Vaidya a Technology Maturation Grant to validate the commercial potential of his innovation based on industry feedback and filed patent applications.
ThermaMatrix was selected into Cohort 7 of the Innovation Crossroads program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to advance his technology. In the program’s first few months, he completed the 12-week Spark Cleantech Accelerator (CTA) business accelerator alongside his cohort and Cohort Two of Spark CTA out of UT Research Park ThermaMatrix signed an option agreement with UTRF to develop the technology further.
“I’ve been stuck in the research world for over a decade and knew nothing about business,” said Spencer. “Spark CTA was genuinely amazing for me. It helped me understand the ins and outs of running a startup and how to make it successful.”
Spencer marks the third time a UTRF innovator has been accepted into Innovation Crossroads. Hicham Ghossein, founder and CEO of Endeavor Composites, is an alumnus of Cohort 3 and Alex Stiles, co-founder of Vitriform3D, was in Cohort 6.
“Through the dedication of faculty like Uday Vaidya and programs like Innovation Crossroads, our ecosystem is primed to support startups like ThermaMatrix,” said Kusum Rathore, Vice President of the UTRF Multi Campus Office. “UTRF is an essential piece of the entrepreneurial support system. We are proud to support Ryan Spencer and his company.”
During his doctoral studies, Spencer fell in love with his work and the community, especially its collaborative spirit and ongoing support of startups and entrepreneurs.
“The city is amping up this entrepreneurial support system – it’s fascinating to be part of it. I think the city’s starting to bear the fruit of almost a decade of hard work, support, and development,” said Spencer. “I’m looking forward to what the next ten years will show. ThermaMatrix will be a part of that. We plan to stay in Knoxville.”
Spencer is currently focused on advancing his technology toward commercialization and growing his team.
“We’re still a very new company. I’m a solo founder surrounded by mentors and individuals who help and guide me,” said Spencer. “I am looking for people to join the team and our effort to provide cost-effective, non-destructive solutions for manufacturers.”
Ryan Spencer signs agreement at UTRF’s Knoxville office.
UTRF Executes License Agreement with Endeavor Composites
Entrepreneurship
in the hard tech space is not for the faint of heart. Milestones often take years to achieve. UTRF is a steadfast partner in this journey, working with innovators to turn groundbreaking innovations into reality— no matter how long the commercialization runway.
In May 2024, UTRF executed a license agreement with Endeavor Composites, a process nearly six years in the making. Endeavor Composites, founded by CEO and President Hicham Ghossein, provides a zerowaste circular economy solution for composite manufacturers. The startup intercepts fibers going to landfills and repurposes them into a nonwoven fabric to reinforce vehicles and other parts made of sustainable composites.
Composites Manufacturing for UTK and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In 2018, UTRF filed a patent application with UTK’s Vaidya and Ghossein and ORNL’s Lonnie Love. The patent issued in October 2023.
“Our journey took a little longer than usual because of the pandemic. UTRF was generous enough to give us an extension because they knew we were at home, unable to prove the technology in the lab,” remarked Ghossein. “During the negotiation process, there was an emphasis that we will win and grow together. UTRF has a vested interest in our success because if we’re successful, they’re successful.”
Ghossein began his entrepreneurial journey during his doctoral studies at UT Knoxville with his advisor, Uday Vaidya, Professor and Governor’s Chair of Advanced
Reflecting on his career journey, he is most thankful for participating in various accelerator programs, which enabled his company’s growth, technology focus and collaborations.
“We were blessed to learn from different accelerators, including the I-Corps program with UTRF and ORNL’s Innovation Crossroads,” said Ghossein. “The accelerators helped us learn what clients care about and scale our technology. We have grown from focusing only on carbon fiber to working with more than 16 fibers.”
Like many entrepreneurs beginning their journey, Ghossein worked alone for the first three years, working long hours daily to set Endeavor Composites up for success. Now, he is thankful
to have five full-time and three part-time employees. He may begin bringing on additional team members as early as May 2025, depending on traction over the next few months.
In the next few years, Ghossein aims to expand and transition production to an industrial scale, beginning with installing the company’s first pilot line. He hopes to open a significant investment round sometime in 2025 and continue engaging with the Knoxville entrepreneurial community.
“I’m proud of my team and their work, especially landing our partnership with SkyNano,” said Ghossein about a project with a fellow Innovation Crossroads graduate. “We’ve been able to help SkyNano and learn from a company that’s older and more experienced than us. That was a beautiful collaboration and a highlight because we’re both Knoxville-based companies.”
Most of all, he is grateful for his partnerships with UTRF, ORNL, Innovation Crossroads, LaunchTN, the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, the Spark Innovation Center and many other organizations and individuals in the community who have set him up for longterm success.
“The whole ecosystem has been helpful to us,” he said. “Any hard tech entrepreneur should consider starting in or relocating to Knoxville because we have a lot of resources, facilities, and people who can help mature and grow these kinds of companies.”
UT Researchers who submitted innovation disclosures
Douglas Aaron
Nour Abdoulmoumine
Mahshid Ahmadi
Shamiul Alam
Larry Alexander
John Allman
David Anderson
James Andes
Ahmedullah Aziz
Sudarsanam Babu
Kevin Bai
Manasi Balachandran
Elizabeth Barker
Philip Barnett
Brian Barth
Bernard Bediako
Tom Berg
Vijay Boda
Matthew Bringle
Conlan Burbrink
Alexis Butner
Brian Canfield
Jordan Cannon
Qing Cao
Elijah Charles
Feng Chen
Guoyun Chen
Jiajia Chen
Jiangang Chen
Matthew Chisholm
Eli Christoph
Lino Costa
Christopher Cotter
Emma Counce
Dustin Crouch
Helen Cui
Mark Dadmun
Paul Dalhaimer
Shimul Dam
Ampofo Darko
Amirhossein Davari
Joel Davenport
Isaac De Souza Araujo
Madhu Dhar
Gerd Duscher
Terry Ellis
Imran Fahad
David Fieser
Nathan Fleshner
Maddy Fomich
Romeo Fono-Tamo
Alberto Fonseca Vargas
Delaney Foster
James Foster
Cole Franz
Kevin Freeman
Eric Fussell
Zihan Gao
Ryan Garcia
Erik Garrison
Rajeshwary Ghosh
Vanina Ghossein
Evan Gildernew
Sagar Godse
Luis Gonzalez
Gong Gu
Bryson Gullett
Sijie Guo
Kimberly Gwinn
Howard Hall
James Hammer
Trevor Hancock
Zachariah Hansen
David Harper
Jon Hathaway
Elizabeth Heon
Hillary Herndon
Tarek Hewezi
Tanner Hobson
Liang Hong
Anming Hu
George Huang
Jian Huang
II Hwan Kim
Dong-Jin Hwang
Adam Imel
Md Mazharul Islam
Sergei Kalinin
Erkan Kaplanoglu
David Keffer
Heather Kelly
Stephen Kennel
Joshua Kincaid
Jonathan Kolwyck
Nicole Labbe
Eric Lass
Siris Laursen
Scott Lenaghan
Lee Leonard
Fangxing Li
Jun Li
Mi Li
Min Li
Wei Li
Xueping Li
Ziwei Liang
Jun Lin
Jian Liu
Xianfeng Ma
Daniel Mailman
Joshua Maraj
Emily Martin-Shuler
Michael Mason
Daniel Mathew
Tammy McKinley
Haylie McKinney
Autumn McLaughlin
Kyle McLean
William Meier
Matthew Mench
Xianzhi Meng
Duane Miller
Susan Miranda
Trevor Moeller
Gaddy Morales
Mark Morgan
Jacob Morton
Phillip Myer
Phattananawee Nalaoh
Ramesh Narayanan
Paul Palies
Vincent Pantalone
Jubair Pantho
Frank Park
Rob Patterson
Rachel Perkins
Brian Peters
Saurabh Pethe
Alexander Pfotenhauer
James Plank
Conrad Plaut
Thamarai Ponnusamy
Marshall Prado
Utkarsh Pratiush
Hunter Price
Preston Provins, IV
Hong Qin
Art Ragauskas
Sree Rajeev
Mohammad Reza Raji
Deborah Reed
Kayla Reid
Todd Reynolds
Austin Riggins
Valerie Ring
Garrett Rose
Troy Rowan
Joshua Saad
Stephen Sarles
David Schappel
Tony Schmitz
Catherine Schuman
Dan Scott
Frank Scott
Ioannis Sgouralis
Bhavya Sharma
Preetam Sharma
Buxin She
Avat Shekoofa
Prashant Singh
Jennifer Smith
Micholas Smith
John Sorochan
Cong Trinh
Bryce Trull
Jonathan Turnmire
Uday Vaidya
Mani Prudhvi Valleti
Jonathan Wall
Fred Wang
Hao Wang
Jiaxing Wang
Toni Wang
Weijiao Wang
Weitian Wang
Yunxuan Wang
Kip Webster
Brian Whitlock
Angela Williams
Billy Williams
Avery Wood
Jie Wu
Linfeng Wu
Tao Wu
Tianhao Wu
Yi Wu
Yin Wu
Zhongzh Wu
Chris Wyman
Zhiqiang Xie
Ching-Hsiang Yang
Darong Yang
Yongil Yang
Timothy Yates
Xiaofei Ye
Preston Young
Lu Yu
Yuan Yuan
Azizul Zahid
Ross Zameroski
Thomas Zawodzinski
Feng Yuan Zhang
Xiande Zhang
Peng Zhao
Hongyu Zhou
Vermont Dia
Andrew Dickerson
Kyley Dickson
Lei Ding
Le Ba Dong
John Duggan
Md Rahatul Islam Udoy
Enrique Izaguirre
David Jenkins
Jianxiong Jiang
Dan Jin
Jacqueline Johnson
Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes
Toby Nelson
Max Neveau
Steven Newby
Tobe Nwabueze
Paul Odom
James Osborne
Katharine Page
Larry Steckel
C. Neal Stewart
Mst Shamira Sultana
Sai Swaminathan
Alexander Terekhov
Madison Thomas
Xingyue Tian
Guilherme Zuccolotto
UTRF BY THE NUMBERS
UTRF FACILITATES MOVING INNOVATIONS FROM THE LAB TO THE MARKETPLACE TO BENEFIT THE PUBLIC AND AMPLIFY UT SYSTEM’S IMPACT.
$440M+ TOTAL FIVE YEAR IMPACT
210 LICENSES/OPTIONS
$2.0M PAID TO UT INVENTORS
$1.7M PAID TO UT COLLEGES AND DEPARTMENTS STARTUP LICENSES 25 INVESTMENTS IN PATENT PROTECTION $3.5M CAPITAL RAISED BY UTRF-AFFILIATED COMPANIES $426M
$7.1M LICENSE REVENUE
*UTK disclosure numbers encompass data for UTK, UTIA,
36 LICENSES AND AGREEMENTS
4 ACTIVE STARTUP COMPANIES
589 PATENTS FILED OVER LAST 5 YEARS
25 PATENTS ISSUED
149 PATENTS ISSUED OVER LAST 5 YEARS
innovator spotlights
Ramesh Narayanan
is a professor in the Department of Medicine, Eric Muirhead Professor of Pathology, and the Deputy Director of the UTHSC Cancer Center. In a career spanning academia and industry, Narayanan’s research for the past 25 years has focused on identifying therapeutic targets, discovering new drugs, and understanding hormonal cancers at the molecular level. In collaboration with Professor Emeritus Duane Miller, he developed a drug candidate, ONCT-534, for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. It is currently in phase one trials. “UTRF is the vanguard of all our intellectual property,” said Narayanan. “I cannot overstate how our translational researchers exist and sleep better at night because we know UTRF is taking care of us and our inventions.”
Marko Radic
is an Associate Professor in Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry at UTHSC. Radic is a seasoned researcher and inventor focused on the molecular mechanisms of autoimmune diseases and the discovery of cures for lupus. UTRF is working with Radic to discuss the potential commercial implications of his research. As a researcher, Radic acknowledges he needs to learn more about turning his work into a profitable product or business. He is grateful for his meetings with UTRF to brainstorm his work’s applicability. “I appreciate that UTRF is gently helping me understand what is involved in this process,” he said. “Discussing the best way to make a viable company, product, or idea based on our lab research is an ongoing process that requires savvy advice and input.”
Robert Trigiano
is a UT Knoxville Chancellor’s Professor and UTIA Institute Professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at the UT Institute of Agriculture. In 2005, Trigiano, along with four UTIA colleagues, cofounded a startup, Creative Agricultural Technologies (CAT), and licensed disease-resistant and new and novel dogwood cultivars to plant wholesale nurseries. CAT is one of the oldest UTRF startups in operation. With UTRF’s support, Trigiano and his team have cultivated 15 hardy dogwood varieties and Trigiano has recently developed two new varieties. To date, he has filed 68 disclosures and has 12 patents with UTRF.
Uday Vaidya
is the UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair of Advanced Composites Manufacturing, and his pioneering leadership in advanced composites and materials science has transformed lightweight, highperformance materials, driving innovation across industries. His work has fostered impactful partnerships between academia, government, and industry to tackle critical global challenges, resulting in numerous patents that underscore his ingenuity and influence. A passionate mentor, Vaidya is deeply committed to shaping the future of engineering, science, and entrepreneurship. His graduate students have launched three successful startups, and he actively supports emerging ventures across the community. Beyond his research, he led the development of InnoCrate, an innovative educational toolkit designed to introduce K-12 students to the exciting world of composites, inspiring the next generation of engineers, designers, and innovators.
innovator spotlights
Gary Bates is a professor and Department Head of the Department of Plant Sciences at UTK. His research focuses on forage species selection and sustainable forage production, among other areas. For the past few years, his work focused on a high-quality, cool-season forage grass. In the early 2000s, Bates realized no other faculty was picking up the torch to continue developing Persist, that offered higher yields, increased longevity, and decreased costs. “We planted and put extreme grazing pressure on it, selecting plants that would tolerate even more pressure. It took us 10 to 12 years to develop Persist II,” Bates said. “UTRF is a fantastic partner. It encourages our faculty to know they’ve got somebody to partner with them who can allow them to advance their work and continue to be successful.”
Jian Huang is a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Tickle College of Engineering and Director of Seelab, who is pioneering new ways to visualize large datasets, bringing information that was once inaccessible to everyday devices. Huang has created new pathways for public engagement with advanced technologies, particularly in data visualization, analytics, and AI. Huang has filed 11 disclosures with UTRF, holds one issued patent, secured two license agreements, and founded one startup. Huang was also one of five faculty entrepreneurs to receive $50,000 for their work through the inaugural Chancellor’s Innovation Fund. His startup, VisualizAI (VAI), is UT’s first artificial intelligence-based startup.
Xueping Li is a professor and Dan Doulet Faculty Fellow in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at UTK, and describes his work as “making things better.” His research focuses on complex system modeling, simulation, and optimization with broad applications. Li’s commitment to commercialization is impressive. He has filed 13 disclosures with UTRF, has one registered copyright, and has been awarded four Technology Maturation Grants to support his work. He is excited about continued collaborations with UTRF on new technologies resulting from artificial intelligence and decarbonization projects. “When you bring your technology to people’s hands and have them use it, it’s really fulfilling.”
Duane Miller has a career that is nothing short of extraordinary. He has over 100 patents, more than 400 publications, and at least three drugs that have reached clinical trials. Even in retirement, Miller continues to inspire others and spark new ideas. He remains active on UTHSC’s campus, collaborating with postdocs, research associates, and long-time colleagues. Miller is enthusiastic about mentoring young scientists and working across disciplines to bring new drugs to clinical trials. “You may be very knowledgeable in a certain disease area, but how do you get that to the market? You’re going to have to collaborate with people as you bring drugs to the market.” Miller believes in the importance of working with or establishing companies to advance scientific discoveries—a path he has successfully navigated with companies like RxBio and GTx (now Oncternal Therapeutics).
Ahmedullah Aziz is an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UTK, who stands out for his relentless drive and problem-solving capabilities. In the past two years alone, UTRF has partnered with Aziz on six patent applications. Aziz operates the Nanoelectronic Devices and Integrated Circuits (NorDIC) Lab, where his team explores the use of new materials and application driven novel device designs for emerging computing and superconducting applications. At this point in his career, his primary strategy is to pursue projects with strong commercial potential and work with UTRF to advance his research or his students’ work. He encourages them to work with UTRF to consider commercialization, whether it’s a startup or a license to an industry player. “I can confidently say that I’ve never seen a friendlier office to work with than UTRF,” he said. “They have been wonderful in helping, supporting, and guiding our research directions toward commercialization.”
utrf student opportunities
UTRF offers a variety of opportunities for students to learn about the world of technology transfer within their chosen career field. In 2024, UTRF offered the traditional commercialization analyst internship, a legal externship, and an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience. Jacob Hale is returning for his second year with UTRF as a Senior Commercialization Analyst.
The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and UTRF partnered to provide legal externships, allowing students to obtain law school credit while learning about practical intellectual property issues. UTRF also partnered with the UT Health Science Center’s College of Pharmacy to teach pharmacy students about academic pharmaceutical development at UTHSC. Students learn the process behind drug discovery and approval, and assist with technology transfer at UTRF.
Following is a list of all the students UTRF worked with over the past year.
advanced pharmacy practice experience
ANYCIA COLE
ABBEY ELKINS
KATIE JEONG
CHRISTELLE MATHIEU
HINAL PATEL
CARLOS SALGADO
DESTINY WILLIAMS
ANDREW DAROSA
KEITA INABA
TRENTON JOHNS
KUBWAYO MIKE
FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ JIMINEZ
SHAUN WAYNE
“My rotation at the University of Tennessee Research Foundation was an invaluable experience that deepened my understanding of the critical role technology transfer offices play in advancing research and translating innovations into marketable products. Through this rotation, I gained firsthand knowledge of how UTRF bridges the gap between academic research and industry, facilitating the commercialization of discoveries to ultimately benefit patients.”
KATIE JEONG PharmD Candidate, College of Pharmacy, UTHSC
legal
ANNA MARIE DEJARNETTE
MAXWELL SCHWAMM
Max Stansell received a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry and wanted to become a medical doctor. After working in a hospital, he discovered he didn’t love the field but wanted to leverage his STEM degree. He began researching law school and IP law. “Patent law lets me be involved with innovation. And I get to see great ideas and interact with all these genius inventors. I like seeing ideas come to fruition.”
MAX STANSELL
Candidate for Juris Doctor, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, University of Memphis
MAX STANSELL
commercialization analysts
ANDREA GUITIERREZ-CORTEZ LAUREN WILLIAMS
JACOB HALE
“It’s a great work environment. And now, I have new and different legal responsibilities and assignments. I’ve gotten and will continue to get a wide variety of experience because UTRF is a one-stop shop—contract work, patent prosecution and more. Many of my friends have gone on to work at other firms and have told me they wish they had a more diverse legal experience.”
As a law student who hopes to practice Intellectual Property law in the future, working as a Commercialization Analyst at UTRF has helped me to greater understand the pathway from invention to IP rights, especially in the university context. That holistic view of IP is invaluable.”
JACOB HALE
Candidate for Juris Doctor, College of Law, UTK
“Working at UTRF has given me a greater understanding of intellectual property law in action. I’ve had the opportunity to see first-hand the interplay between scientific innovation, market analysis, and IP law, whether it’s by reviewing prior art or discussing the steps of product development with companies. I’ve enjoyed learning about the university technology transfer process and being able to help support UT’s faculty researchers with commercializing their work. This experience has been a wonderful learning opportunity that will be beneficial in my future legal career in IP.”
LAUREN
WILLIAMS Candidate for Juris Doctor, College of Law, UTK
“Working at UTRF has been an invaluable experience that has allowed me to use all the tools obtained in classes and apply it to the real world of the practice of law. It has allowed me to get hands-on experience at the cross-section of scientific innovation and the law. I was able to conduct further research into the application of Artificial Intelligence and its impact on Intellectual Property which opened my eyes into a space that many people are not aware of. UTRF is an outstanding place to work at, and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in pursuing a career in Intellectual Property.”
ANDREA GUTIERREZ-CORTEZ
Candidate for Juris Doctor, College of Law, UTK
2025 technology maturation grant awardees
The University of Tennessee Research Foundation’s annual Technology Maturation Grant Program helps UT innovators advance new technologies on their path to market.
Open to all researchers, faculty, staff and students across UT campuses and institutes, the Technology Maturation Grant program provides up to $20,000 to funded proposals. In 2025, UTRF maturation grants funded eight innovations, including its first-ever awards to the Department of Public Health and College of Architecture and Design.
Jennifer Russomanno
Reality Check: Using Board Games to Teach About Social Determinants of Health and Their Impact on Health Outcomes
Maged Guerguis
Robotically Fabricated HighPerformance Panels for Sustainable Building Solutions
Ramesh Narayanan
Elucidating Crystal Structure of Activator-Bound JNK3 Protein
Junwang Xu, Hongsik Cho
Novel midR-191a Nanosomes for Diabetic Wounds
Kyle McLean
Oral Prostaglandins in Cattle
Xiaofei “Philip” Ye
Toward Market Acceptance of Decarbonizing Nitrogen Fertilizer with Plasma Technology
Santosh Kumar
Novel EV-Lip-Based Intranasal Drug Delivery Technology for Neuronal Diseases
Similarity Indices of AM ThermoMechanical-Chemical Signatures
11,705,720 Drain Current Sensing and Fault Protection Circuit Based on the Gate Voltage for Gate Current Driven Field Effect Transistors
11,718,898 Rare Earth Element-Aluminum Alloys
11,725,215 Methods for Controlling Cell Wall Biosynthesis and Genetically Modified Plants
11,723,738 Surgical Device Tip with Deflectable Joint
11,746,036 Molten Salt Assisted Pyrolysis Recycling of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites
11,754,374 Energy Absorbing Nanocomposite Materials And Methods Thereof
11,754,637 Power System Component Testing Using a Power System EmulatorBased Testing Apparatus
11,760,793 Antibody for Skewing Sex Ratio and Methods of Use Thereof
11,795,583 Plasticized Melt Spinning Process Using Ionic Liquids for Production of Polyacrylonitrile Fibers
11,801,030 Systems and Methods for Predicting Gastrointestinal Impairment
11,802,357 Systems, Devices, and Methods of Enhancing Carbon Fiber Dispersion in Wet-Laid Nonwovens
11,826,467 W/O/W Microemulsions for Ocular Administration
11,845,848 Functionalized High-Oleic Soybean Oil Wax and Emulsion for PostHarvest Treatment of Fresh Citrus Fruit
7/01/2023-6/30/2024
11,851,538 Process to Manufacture Carbon Fiber Intermediate Products In-Line with Carbon Fiber Production
11,851,545 Low Density Syntactic Foams via Matrial Extrusion Additive Manufacturing
11,873,282 Selective Androgen Receptor Degrader (SARD) Ligands and Methods of Use Thereof
11,882,889 A Fault-Tolerant Grid Frequency Estimation Method During Transients
11,896,916 Infant Tummy Time
11,923,666 Scalable and Reconfigurable Apparatus and Methods for Electric Power System Emulation
11,960,100 High-Speed Imaging Using Periodic Optically Modulated Detection
11,964,387 Methods for Improving Stability of Concentric Tube Steerable Devices Using Asymmetric Flexural Rigidity
11,987,653 Olefin Polymerizations and Printing Methods Thereof
11,996,229 Series Self-Resonant Coil Structure for Conducting Wireless Power Transfer
12,018,270 Kinase-Dead Mutation: A New Approach to Enhance Soybean Resistance to Soybean Cyst Nematode
D1,011,849 Chemical Roller
welcome new staff
In 2024, the University of Tennessee Research Foundation gained fresh talent with the arrival of two dynamic team members. CeCe Ging stepped into the role of Staff Attorney, bringing her sharp legal expertise to the organization, while Emma Vetland joined as Assistant Technology Manager, ready to drive innovation and foster impactful partnerships.
CeCe Ging
Originally from Lebanon, Tennessee, CeCe Ging received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biochemistry from Washington University in St. Louis and her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. While at UTK, she worked for a year at UTRF as one of its first Commercialization Analysts.
“I knew I wanted to go into law since I was little,” Ging said. “I also wanted to first build a strong STEM background. It just so happens that having a science background is great for intellectual property law.”
After law school, she worked in Missouri, Colorado, and Texas. Most recently, she was an IP Attorney for the Texas A&M University System. A decade after leaving Knoxville, she is excited to return to her alma mater and be closer to family.
“Interning with UTRF was my first exposure to technology transfer. Not only does UTRF serve a vital role as the connector bringing research and discoveries from the lab to real world applications and products, it also supports economic development for the State of Tennessee.”
Emma Vetland
A Pennsylvania native, Emma Vetland earned her bachelor’s degree in materials science from Pennsylvania State University. For nearly seven years after graduation, she worked for GKN Aerospace, the world’s leading multitechnology tier 1 aerospace supplier, in St. Louis and Knoxville - first as a production engineer and later as a technology project manager.
“Originally, I wanted to be on the research side. But over the years, I’ve slowly transitioned from doing lab work to being more on the project manager side and now on the technology manager side,” said Vetland.
In her previous role, Vetland collaborated with universities and research institutions. In her new role, she will be on the flip side of those interactions with industrial partners.
“Having a scientific foundation when you’re handed a project that you don’t have a strong background in gives you the tools to understand the technology quickly,” Vetland said. “I’m excited to build relationships with researchers across the University to help them get their tech out into the world.”
Maha Krishnamurthy PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT, HSC OFFICE VICE PRESIDENT, MCO OFFICE
CeCe Ging STAFF ATTORNEY
Raven Edwards MARKETING MANAGER
Gregory Sechrist TECHNOLOGY MANAGER
Emma Vetland ASSISTANT TECHNOLOGY MANAGER
Shelby Miller OFFICE MANAGER
James Parrett STAFF ATTORNEY
Rebecca Latura PATENT COORDINATOR
Tyler Newton ASSISTANT TECHNOLOGY MANAGER
Teresa Cooper ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT
Darleen Weigel BUSINESS INCUBATOR COORDINATOR
Samantha Jeffers BUDGET DIRECTOR
Tinieka Thrailkill PARALEGAL
Tulika Rastogi ASSISTANT TECHNOLOGY MANAGER
Kayleen Darrow ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT
utrf board of directors
Michael Paulus, PhD | Board Chair, UT-Battelle Representative
Bradford Box, Esq. | UT Board of Trustees Representative
Jessica Snowden, MD | Vice Chancellor for Research, UT Health Science Center, Memphis
Deborah Crawford, PhD | Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Economic Development, UT Knoxville
Chris Glover | External Representative, Chattanooga
