UTRF Discover 2017

DISCOVER2017 UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Where Discovery and Opportunity Connect

UTRF helps the University of Tennessee fulfill its mission in becoming a national leader in

research, discovery and innovation. UTRF’s mission is to encourage innovation, enhance research and facilitate economic development by commercializing intellectual property created from within the University of Tennessee System.

2 | UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2017

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2017 | 3

From the President In 2017 our dedicated staff at UTRF was challenged to find new and innovative ways to help UT faculty, staff, and students advance their research discoveries. As we close out the year, I couldn’t be more proud of the results.

UTRF had an all-time high of 166 invention disclosures in FY17. This number represents a 20 percent increase over last year and an incredible 100 percent increase since 2011.

Our inventors continue to develop ideas and technologies that can tackle some of the world’s most pressing problems or offer seemingly simple solutions to nagging pain points.

Patents are key to the protection and commercialization of these inventions. That’s where UTRF comes in. UTRF helps our inventors advance technologies from their labs into the marketplace to benefit society and create economic impact.

From developing new cancer therapies to a board game that helps nursing students foster critical thinking skills, UTRF has been on the forefront of licensing these technologies to companies that will take them to the next level. When UTRF facilitates those agreements, it drives economic development for the state and positively impacts our quality of life.

I am delighted to share this update, which celebrates our inventors and UTRF’s impact on innovation, new venture formation, and corporate engagement for the University of Tennessee.

Thank you to our dedicated staff for rising to the challenge. Here’s to 2018!

“UTRF helps our inventors advance technologies from their labs into the marketplace to benefit society and create economic impact.”

Stacey S. Patterson, Ph.D., UTRF President

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UTRF Staff Stacey S. Patterson, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UTRF President Richard Magid, Ph.D. ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Vice President Maha Krishnamurthy, MBA, Ph.D. ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Vice President Nghia Chiem, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Licensing Associate Stefan Schweizer, MBA, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Licensing Associate Andreana Leskovjan, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Licensing Associate Delira Robbins, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Licensing Assistant Kusum Rathore, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Licensing Assistant Mary Ann Warwick Russell J.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Staff Attorney Lakita Cavin, J.D., Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Staff Attorney Samantha Jeffers, CPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Budget Director Melissa Dos Santos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marketing Coordinator Tinieka Thrailkill, M.P.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Administrative Coordinator Dori Miller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Office Manager Teresa Cooper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accounting Assistant Kathy Richards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Business Incubator Coordinator Robyn Geron, MBA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patent Coordinator

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UTRF Board Members

Role

James Roberto, Ph.D.

Chairman of the Board and UT Battelle Representative

Brad A. Lampley, J.D.

UT Board of Trustees Member

Rhonda Rice

External Representative, Knoxville

Keith Helton, MD

External Representative, Chattanooga

William E. Evans, MD

Chair of the Research, Outreach, and Economic Development Committee of the UT Board of Trustees

George Cates

UT Board of Trustees Member

Steve Goodman, Ph.D.

UTHSC, Vice Chancellor for Research

Brendan Boyd, Ph.D.

External Representative, Kingsport

Taylor Eighmy, Ph.D.

UTK, Vice Chancellor for Research

UTRF’S 4 PRONG MISSION The mission is to encourage innovation, enhance research, and facilitate economic development by commercializing intellectual property created within the University of Tennessee System.

Research Growth

Intellectual Property Commercialization

Entrepreneurial Culture

Economic Development

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UTRF Five Year Impact UTRF PROVIDES THE TECH TRANSFER SERVICES TO FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS SYSTEM-WIDE.

~$2,776,000

~$6,014,000

Paid to UT Inventors

~$18,101,000

~$3,187,000

Industry Research Agreements

Investment in Patent Protection

~$111,075,000

TOTAL

UT Research Contracts Due to Licensed IP

~$1,285,000 ~$31, 505,000 Impact of UTRF’s Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries

Paid to UT Colleges and Departments

Capital Raised by UTRF Companies

>$173 M

UTRF by the Numbers FY17 FY16

166

LICENSING

PATENTS

INVENTION

DISCLOSURES

442

166 DISCLOSURES IN FY17

20%

141 ~100% INCREASE

ISSUED

17

STARTUP LICENSES

24

8.1

LICENSE REVENUE

PATENTS OVER THE LAST 5 YRS.

98 IN FY17

IN FY17

FY11 FY 2017 • 166 Invention Disclosures • ~ 20% increase from FY16 • ~ 100% increase from FY11

LICENSES/OPTIONS

FILED OVER THE LAST 5 YRS.

~20% INCREASE

100%

119

PATENTS

FY 2017 • 98 Patents Filed • 24 Patents Issued Over last 5 years • 442 Patents Filed • 141 Patents Issued

MILLION

Over last 5 years • Licenses/Options – 119 • Startup Licenses – 17 • License Revenue - $8.1M

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START-UP COMPANY LICENSES

PATENT PORTFOLIO

16%

51% 1% LICENSED

UNLICENSED UNLICEN

8%

4

PROVISIONAL O OVISIONA PATENTS

4

4

3

2

16%

UTT BATTELLE B BA ATTELLE

9%

PREVIOUSLY PREVIO LICENSED

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

DISCLOSURE PIPELINE

166 145

152

UT Knoxville

140

UT Institute of Agriculture r UT Health Science Center

UT Martin

116

UT Space Institute UT Chattanooga Non-UT

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

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UTRF REVENUE SHARING POLICY

FOCUSING ON DEAL FLOW

$0 $5K

# OF LICENSES & OPTIONS

50

100% 0%

45

INVENTORS

43

40 35

DEPT.

0%

0%

CAMPUS

UTRF

30

$5K $1M

25

40% 15% 15% 30%

20 15

21

21

17

10

INVENTORS

17

5 0

DEPT.

CAMPUS

$1M+

35% 20% 20% 25% FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

INVENTORS

DEPT.

CAMPUS

$3.5

3.32

$3.0 $2.5 $2.0 $1.5 $1.0

1.0

$.5 $0

FY13

UTRF

Note: After the first $5,000, distributions are made on net revenues remaining after legal fees have been deducted.

LICENSING REVENUE

LICENSING REVENUE (IN MILLIONS)

UTRF

1.32

1.55

.96 FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

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The University of Tennessee Research Foundation (UTRF) welcomed Kusum Rathore, Ph.D., as our newest Licensing Assistant.

Prior to joining UTRF, Kusum was a research scientist at 490 BioTech, a life sciences company in Knoxville, Tennessee, that develops high-quality bioluminescent human cell lines for the academic, commercial, industrial, and government research communities. Her work at 490 BioTech involved testing bioluminescent cells against environmental pollutants, such as estrogenic and androgenic disruptors. Kusum was also a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.

There, she focused on translational research involving the testing and evaluation of novel therapeutic drugs for treatment of different types of cancers in dogs and cats.

Kusum brings over a decade of research experience in microbiology, biomedical science, and molecular biology to UTRF. She was the recipient of the Young Investigator Award at the 2010 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting and was invited to participate in AACR’s 2015 Translational Cancer Research for Basic Scientists Workshop.

At UTRF, Kusum will work with researchers from departments that focus on biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, and genome science technology, including the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, the Department of Biochemistry, and the Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology.

“We are delighted to welcome Kusum to the UTRF team. Her experience in life science research will be a tremendous asset for inventors looking to bring the next biotech breakthrough from the lab to the marketplace,” said Dr. Maha Krishnamurthy, UTRF Assistant Vice President of Licensing.

Kusum obtained her Master’s degree from the University of Delhi, India, and a Ph.D. in life sciences with a focus in molecular oncology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She also received a graduate certificate in applied statistics from the University of Tennessee. Outside of work, Kusum enjoys gardening, baking, and spending time with her family. Kusum is married to Teja Kuruganti, a scientist at ORNL, they have two children Saanvi age 4, and Adharv who is 1 year old.

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2016 MCO Interns (l-r): Brian Fane, Joe Smith, Derrick Davis, and Chris Andrews

2016 HSC Intern: Helene Tournu

UTRF Commercial Analyst Internship Program The UTRF internship program offers education and practical experience for graduate students and post-graduates. It balances specific training in technology transfer, market research, intellectual property protection, licensing, and contracts with projects that introduce the interns to the daily workings of a technology transfer office.

Former UTRF interns have explored careers in technology transfer, business development, economic development, and patent law.

Our MCO intern class was featured in a video created by the UT Law School. https://utrf.tennessee.edu/mco-internship/

“Working at UTRF has been exactly the experience I needed at this point in my graduate career. I have learned about dozens of new fields of science and gained an appreciation for the intellectual property aspects of what we as engineers do. Wherever I end up in my career, my time at UTRF will have given me a new and useful skill set.�

- Brian Fane, Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering

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UTRF Welcomes Chris West

ENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE

Chris West

Funded by the US Department of Commerce under an i6 Challenge grant from the Economic Development Administration

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and the University of Tennessee Research Foundation were pleased to welcome Chris West as the campus’ first Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR).

Chris is a former Executive in the Healthcare Industry and comes to the EIR position at UTHSC with over 20 years of experience in tactical and strategic marketing for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. He brings a commercially minded viewpoint to the EIR position, as well as experience in working with cross-functional teams of researchers and clinicians.

As EIR, Chris serves as a business mentor and commercialization advisor for UTHSC researchers to aid in the translation of their research into commercial products and startup companies.

This entails working with researchers to set development milestones to improve their concept and de-risk investment, and assessing the pros and cons of different go-to-market strategies.

In addition, Chris also joined with UTRF to review applications for the UTRF Maturation Grants, an annual seed funding program that provides direct support to advance high-potential projects.

“There are fascinating innovations coming out of the university’s labs, yet many researchers

are not familiar with the tech commercialization process. I see my role as partnering with them to provide a pathway out of the lab and into the commercial realm,” says Chris.

The EIR program was established through funding from a $500,000 i6 Challenge grant awarded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration through their Regional Innovation Strategies program to UTHSC in collaboration with Memphis Bioworks Foundation and UTRF. In addition to supporting Chris’ efforts as UTHSC EIR, the award supports the expansion of two seed grant programs, the CORNET and UTRF Maturation Grants. Collectively, the expanded seed grant programs and EIR represent a new Proofof-Concept Center at UTHSC that will be a cornerstone in its efforts to develop novel medical solutions to meet regional and national health challenges.

“The Proof-of-Concept Center is an amazing opportunity to further promote the entrepreneurial culture at UTHSC as well as in the greater Memphis community,” says Richard Magid, PhD, Vice President of UTRF for UTHSC. “I am excited to welcome Chris as the center’s inaugural Entrepreneur-in-Residence and to support his efforts in helping entrepreneurs conceive and launch successful startups here and across Tennessee.”

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Express Licensing The UTRF website has expanded to offer more options in click through Express Licensing.

The following technologies are available for licensing through a click-through agreement process, reducing the time and resources associated with the traditional paper process. Prospective licensees can review the license agreement online and follow the simple automated ‘click through’ process to order and pay for non-exclusive licenses to these technologies.

Tennessee Crystal Center – TENN XC The Tennessee Crystal Center provides a unique service to the scientific community by offering high quality crystals for license. Researchers in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in UT’s College of Engineering have developed combinations of crystals which are available for use by the scientific community for cutting edge research in many applications.

Surrogate Nuclear Material and Production Program – SNAPP A method developed for crafting synthetic nuclear melt glass for forensic analysis. Synthetic glass can be used to simulate a variety of scenarios and will help develop and validate forensic analysis methods.

Process and Equipment Monitoring (PEM) Toolbox & the Process and Equipment Prognostics (PEP) Toolbox The Process and Equipment Monitoring (PEM) Toolbox is a MATLAB based set of tools that provides a generalized set of functions for use in process and equipment monitoring applications, specifically on-line monitoring systems (OLM).

The Process and Equipment Prognostics (PEP) Toolbox is a set of MATLAB based tools that facilitate fast prototyping of empirical based prognostic models developed at the University of Tennessee Nuclear Engineering Department.

Toxoplasma gondii Whole-cell Antigen for Modified Agglutination Test – TgMAT Toxoplasma gondii whole-cell antigen for modified agglutination test (MAT): Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that infects mammals and birds. A modified agglutination test (MAT) can be used to detect anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies in serum, plasma and other bodily fluid samples of animals.

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Reaching Out to Entrepreneurs UTRF supports and encourages entrepreneurship at the university and regionally. We provide and sponsor educational opportunities, networking events, pitch competitions, grant funding, and more. Mentors and UTRF staff work together to help individuals move their inventions from ideation through and beyond execution.

Opportunity Assessment

Available Space

Education/Mentoring

Access to Capital

Events

The UTRF website offers information and access to Entrepreneurial Resources in the following areas: • Opportunity Assessment: Licensing staff are available to meet with faculty and learn more about their technology to begin the evaluation process.

• Education/Mentoring: UTRF hosts and/or sponsors several educational and mentoring opportuni ties, including networking events, pitch competitions, and participation in accelerator programs.

• Access to Capital: Entrepreneurs can acquire capital through pitch competition prizes, nominat ed awards, and grant funding opportunities.

•

•

Available Space: Entrepreneurial support through business resources and services including physical space and networking connections are available.

Events: UTRF provides connections to events and resources that promote business development and growth.

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UTRF Launches Checkerboard Portfolio

The program is a new collaboration between UTRF and Three Roots Capital (3Roots) to support and mentor UT affiliated startups.

The program primarily works with entrepreneurs who are looking to commercialize UTRF technology and need guidance to take their business to the next level.

The UTRF Checkerboard Portfolio concept is unique and differentiated from initiatives that historically have been supported by UTRF. Unlike previous programs that have emphasized technology transfer and company creation, the UTRF Checkerboard Portfolio emphasizes access to capital.

Technology transfer and company creation are necessary elements of an entrepreneurship and economic development effort, but sustainability and impact are heavily influenced by a company’s ability to raise capital. 3Roots works with companies selected for inclusion in the UTRF Checkerboard Portfolio in much the same way an investment fund works with its portfolio companies.

Through the Portfolio, UTRF and 3Roots identify some of the most compelling technology startups coming out of the University. 3Roots works with these companies to develop an individualized support plan tailored to address each company’s unique needs. Services vary widely

and can include strategic planning, support for fundraising, financial planning, and making introductions to potential investors. Participating companies will also have access to an advisory/mentor team they will meet with monthly to share advice and resources, and talk about the challenges of growing a business.

“Getting companies to the stage where investors want to invest in their product or service is crucial for developing a foundation for future growth and success,” says UTRF Vice President Stacey Patterson.

“Through the Checkerboard Portfolio, we can give entrepreneurs the tools they need to raise outside capital, develop customer relationships, and above all, craft the best story they can use to sell their product or service to investors.”

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Participation in the Checkerboard Portfolio promises to be a win-win for startups and UTRF. By working with 3Roots, startup companies will gain access to knowledge, expertise, and connections in addition to what is available through the University and UTRF. Their success will translate into royalties for UTRF that can be reinvested in programs like the UTRF Checkerboard Portfolio or be applied toward technology maturation at the University of Tennessee.

Having a program like the UTRF Checkerboard Portfolio can also help attract entrepreneurial-minded students and faculty to UT, while creating a pipeline for new jobs and businesses in the Knoxville area.

Grady Vanderhoofven, President and CEO of 3Roots, gives credit to Dr. Patterson, UTRF, and UT for exploring more creative ways to support entrepreneurial faculty and students.

“This is about creating an environment at UT that is conducive to entrepreneurship, startups, and supportive of companies that can benefit the University, its students and faculty, and the community.

Three Roots Capital is pleased to be a partner with UTRF on the Checkerboard Portfolio, and to have an opportunity to bring our skills and expertise to the table to contribute to the program’s success.”

Rise and Grind is a collaborative program by UTRF, Three Roots Capital, and Best Behavior Creative Club to discuss access to capital and entrepreneurship with the University of Tennessee entrepreneurship community. The sessions offer an opportunity to network and learn more about the entrepreneurial resources available to local startup companies.

These informational sessions address challenges entrepreneurs face and offer valuable learning tools and exploration of available resources.

Chris Miller, from 3Roots, summed it up well, “Being an entrepreneur is difficult and challenging. Some days it feels like it is the raw willpower of the entrepreneur that drives progress in the business. The willingness to each morning “rise and grind” out the things necessary to grow the business and be successful. Rise and Grind is about recognizing that effort, celebrating it, and learning from one another.”

The first Rise & Grind Session featured Vendor Registry®.

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UTRF Tech Talks is a series designed to share information of interest with the research community at the UT campuses and institutes. The sessions are also available to local entrepreneurs and regional business people.

The CRISPR-Cas9 Ownership Dispute

Rollover Business Startups

Into to Technology Transfer at UTGSM

Vol Court – Intellectual Property 101

Patent Protection 101

The Plough Center & Innovative Drug Development

Technology Transfer at UT: Inventions & Commercialization

SBIR Workshop

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MATURATION GRANT FUNDING The annual grant competition provides UT faculty, staff, and students with grants of up to $15,000 to develop technologies with commercial potential.

2017 MATURATION FUND RECIPIENTS Lead Inventor

Technology

Mojdeh Dehghan

An Easy, Practical, and Immediate Saliva Neutralization and Remineralization Treatment for Tooth Erosion

Denis DiAngelo

Dynamic Ankle Orthosis for Alleviating Pain and Preserving Motion

Tayebeh Pourmotabbed

Professor of Microbiology, Immunology & Biochemistry (UTHSC)

Advancement of a Novel DNAzyme Therapy for Huntington’s Disease

Maddie Singer

Strapless CPAP Device for Sleep Apnea

Daniel Costinett

Developing Wireless Power Transfer Coil for Charging Consumer Electronics

Anming Hu

Fabrication of Flexible Supercapacitors Using 3-D Techniques

Scott Lenaghan

Development of a Library of Potential Enhancer Elements for Precise Gene Regulation

Associate Professor of Restorative Dentistry (UTHSC)

Professor of Orthopedic Surgery & Biomedical Engineering (UTHSC)

Director of Anaplastology (UTHSC)

Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (UTK)

Assistant Professor of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering (UTK)

Assistant Professor of Food Science and Technology (UTIA)

Baoshan Huang

Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering (UTK)

Xiaofei (Philip) Ye,

Professor of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, CRC (UTIA)

Higher-Value Added and Innovative Use of Biofuel Production Waste as Bio-Modifier for Asphalt Binder

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Inventor Spotlight UT faculty members are featured in each newsletter. This is an opportunity to support and encourage our UTRF inventors.

Dr. Carmen Lozzio

Dr. Ky Pohler

Dr. Guy Reed

Maddie Singer

Dr. Charles “Chuck” Melcher and UT’s Scintillation Materials Research Center

Dr. Nam Goo Kang

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2017 | 19

Technology Impact The Seed-Squirter® liquid delivery system is designed to apply a specific amount of liquid product at a specific location relative to each seed in the furrow. The correct amount of liquid product can now be delivered where the seed needs it, giving each seed a better shot at germination.

Creative Agricultural Technologies, LLC (CAT) has licensed patented disease-resistant dogwood cultivars from the University of Tennessee for production and sale by wholesale growers. These include flowering dogwood cultivars licensed to growers in Tennessee, North Carolina, Oregon and Japan. The dogwood cultivars were developed by University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture researchers.

CAT brings disease-resistant flowering dogwood trees to the nursery industry.

The University of Tennessee’s Soybean Breeding and Genetics Program, has used genetics to develop new lines of soybean with improved yields, seed composition traits and disease resistance. In extensive field trials, a new variety called Ellis, has shown excellent adaptation and performance in Tennessee, the Mid-South region, and the Southeast region of the United States.

Remarkably, for the past three years Ellis has been the number one yielding variety in many tests, including the Tennessee State Variety Test, the Arkansas State Variety Test, the Tennessee Kentucky County Test, the USDA Southern Uniform Test, the UniSouth Genetics Test and others.

Roundup Ready® Ellis and high yielding conventional non-GMO soybean varieties are being developed.

20 | UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2017

UTRF Innovation Awards The UT Research Foundation recognized dozens of UT researchers for their discoveries and commercialization efforts made within the last year at the 2016 Innovation Awards Ceremonies in Knoxville and Memphis.

“License agreements stemming from patented technologies generate revenue for the University and can develop into new companies, which contribute to local and regional economic development and impact the quality of life for Tennesseans,” said Dr. David Millhorn, President of the UT Research Foundation.

Once the University patents a technology, it can then be licensed to outside companies for further development and commercialization.

During the ceremony Dr. Stacey Patterson, UTRF Vice President also announced the first-ever Innovation Driver Award.

This special award was created this year to recognize faculty inventors who are relatively new working with UTRF, meaing they have submitted their first invention disclosure within the last three years and have

Innovation Driver Award Presentation (l-r); Dr. Stacey S. Patterson, Dr. Suresh Babu, and Dr. Ky Pohler

demonstrated an enthusiasm, an excitement and a drive to take those inventions and ideas to the commercial market.

UTRF Multi Campus Office Awards: l-r: Tom Ballard, Tom Rogers, Senator Harry Briggs, and Bill Dunne

Honorees at the Knoxville ceremony included 29 recipients of patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, as well as 12 inventors of technologies that were licensed to outside companies or who had created a start-up company based on their technology. In some cases, researchers received awards in more than one category.

Patent Plaque presentations, UTRF Start-up Award, UTRF License Certificate presentations and UTRF Maturation Grant Funding recipients were announced at the ceremony. State Senator Richard Briggs, a supporter of innovation culture, was in attendance at the event.

“The commercialization process can be really intense, and it takes patience and perseverance,” said Patterson. “So this year because of all the work that goes into the process, we wanted to recognize these newest faculty members who have shown the ambition that it takes to make an idea a commercialization success.” Four faculty members were nominated for the award, and each of them were recognized for their contributions in diverse research and technology. Nominees included; John Auxier, Alison McNabb, Ky Pohler, and Suresh Babu. Instead of picking one winner, the UTRF Licensing Team decided to choose two recipients for this honor.

The first Innovation Driver Award went to Dr. Suresh Babu, UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2017 | 21

Advanced Manufacturing in UT’s Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering as well as the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. The second Innovation Driver Award was presented to Dr. Ky Pohler in the Department of Animal Science at the UT Institute for Agriculture. They each received a $1,000 check from UTRF. “I applaud all of the award winners and everyone who was recognized,” said Grady Vanderhoofven, Fund Manager of Meritus Ventures and President & CEO of Three Roots Capital.

Vanderhoofven is no stranger to innovation. He led the creation of twelve start-up companies founded to commercialize products and services based on technology developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Dr. Guy Reed

centers. In his remarks, Richard Magid noted that 2016 had seen a record number of new inventions disclosed by the campus. Richard also detailed several new drugs and medical devices, based on UTHSC discoveries that had either recently reached the market or are shortly expected to receive FDA approval shortly.

“These new products will directly benefit thousands of patients by helping to prevent blindness, improving postoperative recovery, and

“Innovation is at the heart of everything we do, so I express my own appreciation and applaud UTRF for placing such a big emphasis on this type of activity,” added Vanderhoofven.

For the past two years, the University of Tennessee has been ranked among the top 100 universities in the world granted U.S. patents.

(l-r); Richard Magid, Duane Miller, & Chancellor Steve Schwab

treating serious cardiovascular diseases.”

In recognition of his being named of 2016 Innovator of the Year by Inside Memphis Business magazine, Dr. Reed was invited to give the Keynote address at the ceremony.

At the Memphis ceremony, 25 UTHSC researchers were honored for recent discoveries and commercialization successes at the 2016 Innovation Award Ceremony.

Speakers included UTHSC Chancellor Steve J. Schwab, M.D., UTRF Vice President, Richard Magid, Ph.D., and UTHSC Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine Guy Reed, M.D..

All of the speakers emphasized how translational research and the commercialization of discoveries into new products was an integral part of the mission of modern academic medical

UTRF Health Science Center Innovation Awards

22 | UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2017

UTRF and the I N N O V 865 ALLIANCE

UTRF is a founding member of the Innov865 Alliance. The alliance develops, supports, and promotes the Knoxville region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. It is a collaborative effort to celebrate and showcase Knoxville as a great place for entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses and increase access to capital. Innov865 Week is our signature event; however, the Alliance coordinates other activities throughout the year, including pitch competitions, educational opportunities, and social events.

At this year’s Innov865 week, startups, entrepreneurs, makers, investors, business leaders, students, and community leaders from across East Tennessee gathered to celebrate Knoxville as a great place for entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses.

Thousands participated in 20+ events over the I N N O V865 ALLI ANC E T HAweek.

N K S OUR S P O NS O R S course of the

The Etsy Maker Summit attracted hundreds of guests and spotlighted creative entrepreneurship and its power to provide meaningful opportunities.

(outlines)

Mayor Madeline Rogero with Maker City presenters at the 2017 Knoxville Maker City Summit

Knoxville was branded Tennessee’s Maker City at The Maker City Summit 2017, a gathering of the city’s artisans, small-scale manufacturers and entrepreneurs.

“Knoxville has always been a city of makers of arts and crafts and industry,” said Rogero.”

KNOXVILLE E N T R E PR E N E U R CENTER

SEPTEMBER 18 | 8:00AM

Wendy Lea, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cintrifuse and a member of the Board of Directors of TechStars speaks at Future865

Future865 explored ideas for the Knoxville entrepreneurial ecosystem. The forum emphasized local entrepreneurs and keynote speaker Wendy Lea talking about the importance of collaboration, transparency, and leadership in our entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Jetta Wong, Senior Advisor, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) at Technov865

UTRF partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL) to present the inaugural event,

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2017 | 23

CEO; Joe Hoagland, TVA Vice President of Stakeholder Relations; Mike Paulus, ORNL’s Director of Technology Transfer; and three of the

Dr. Dayakar Penumadu, UTK, Tickle College of Engineering/ Joint Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (JIAM) presents at Technov865

Technov865. Inventors from UTRF and ORNL presented a selection of their latest technologies. The event also featured several industry speakers with unique perspectives on innovation including keynote speaker, Jetta Wong, Senior Advisor, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI).

Dozens of people in attendance at Technov865

UTRF speakers included: • Dayakar Penumadu, UTK, Tickle College of Engineering/ Joint Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (JIAM) • Shigetoshi Eda, UTIA, Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries/AgResearch • Sheila Taylor, UTK, College of Nursing/Health Innovation Technology & Simulation Laboratory (HITS Lab) • Jonaaron Jones, UTK, Tickle College of Engineering/Volunteer Aerospace • Ky Pohler, UTIA, Animal Science/AgResearch • Daniel Costinett, UTK, Tickle College of Engineering

Grady Vanderhoofven speaks on Leveraging Venture Investor Principles to Support UT-Affiliated Companies

entrepreneurs in ORNL’s inaugural “Innovation Crossroads” program.

Panel discussion at The Works

The Works is a growth accelerator for start-up businesses focused on enhancing their capabilities to grow and market themselves to the best of their abilities. One of the presenters was UTRF inventor, Dr. Bruce Ramshaw. Ramshaw is the Chair of Surgery for the University of Tennessee’s (UT) Graduate School of Medicine. His company, CQ Insights, functions to to enhance patient care based on learning from real data.

Other presenters included Grady Vanderhoofven, Three Roots Capital President and Dr. Bruce Ramshaw, Chair of Surgery, UTGSM

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UTRF Joins in Development of NSF I-Corps Node UT Joins NSF Innovation Corps Program and Hosts Regional Conference for Research and Technology Commercialization The University of Tennessee (UT) is expanding its reputation as a center for innovation and technology commercialization by taking part in the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program.

I-Corps Nodes, like I-Corps South, act as feeders for the national program. They support regional needs around innovation education, infrastructure, and research and work cooperatively to build, utilize, and sustain a national innovation ecosystem.

At UT, I-Corps South participants have access to resources and programming delivered via the UT Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEI) and the University of Tennessee Research Foundation (UTRF); knowledgeable instructors who bring hands-on experience with technology commercialization; and a broad, diverse entrepreneurial network. ACEI and UTRF

are co-sponsors of the UT I-Corps South program south at UT, Knoxville.

Turning research into real-world solutions with market value was the focus of an intensive, three-week workshop. UTRF’s Assistant Vice President of Licensing, Dr. Maha Krishnamurthy, served as a lead instructor in the initial cohort.

UT Knoxville hosted the event for the first time after joining the National Science Foundation-funded “Innovation Corps” program.

NSF-funded grants of $50,000 are possible for participants whose ideas and plans for turning them into reality are deemed promising enough to win the cash to pilot them.

The lineup kicked off with a welcome from UT Knoxville Chancellor Beverly Davenport.

“I’d like to spend every day welcoming innovators, inventors, and entrepreneurs who are thinking about tomorrow and what kinds of needs can be met and what kinds of jobs are going to be created,” Davenport said.

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“There’s no better incentive than a

developed to support innovation education, infrastructure, and research.

need, a problem, around which to develop a solution. I’m excited that the University of Tennessee is bringing people together to think in terms of the end user, the applications and what use they might be.”

Participants receive feedback at the NSF I-Corps Closing

I-Corps sites provide infrastructure, resources, networking, and training to move scientific discoveries from university labs to the marketplace.

Team Presentations

Chancellor Beverly Davenport speaks at the NSF I-Corps Kickoff event

Twelve teams from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Tennessee Tech, Georgia Tech, and Louisiana Tech were selected to participate in the program at UT. The cohort marked the beginning of UT’s participation in the I-Corps South Node, one of eight regional networks

Dr. Krishnamurthy leads a session at the NSF I-Corps Kickoff

Team Presentations

Participants receive feedback from instructors at NSF I-Corps

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d e r u t Fea tors Inven

FY17

UT Inventors who submitted invention disclosures July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017 Ammar Abidi Mahshid Ahmadi Molly Albin Lorraine Albritton Hassan Almoazen Kristen Archbold Amanda Ashworth Jerrad Auxier John Auxier Suresh Babu Thomas Badon Melissa Bailey Manasi Balachandran Elizabeth Barker Cody Bateman Gary Bates Jerome Baudry Amy Beavers David Bemis Kelsa Benensky Michael Best Benhamin Blalock Charles Bond Austin Bow Joseph Bozell Duncan Brocklehurst Candace Brown Kris Brown Mark Buckner Arielle Butts David Cagna Yonghai Cao Julie Carrier Nicholas Cavopol Edward Chaum Guoxun Chen Hang Chen Hao Chen Jiangang Chen Ruirui Chen Jake Childs Stephen Chmely Chloe Chung Brett Compton Austin Conley Daniel Costinett Hantao Cui Yi Cui Mark Dadmun Michael Daugherty Seyyed Davari Mojdeh Dehghan Christian DeJarnette Vermont Dia Denis DiAngelo Kyley Dickson

Matthew Duchene Eddy Duranty Shigetoshi Eda Christopher Eley Thomas Ferrell Richard Fisher James Foster Cody Fust Yasser Gandomi Shantaveer Gangu Franklin Garcia-Godoy Valerie Garcia-Negron Rachel Gaudet Matthew Goff Michael Goin Oscar Grandas Gong Gu Zhanhu Guo Joshua Gurka Howard Hall James Halliwell Michelle Halsted Daniel Hamm David Harper Dong-Jin (Daniel) Hawng Jason Hayward Detlef Heck Ethan Hereth Tarek Hewezi Daniel Hillyard Wesley Hines Liang Hong Omid Hosseinaei Timothy Hottel Daniel Hoyer Anming Hu Bin Hu Jian Huang Jingda Huang Luo Huimin Sadie Hutson Mervyn Israel Athena Ivanoff Chris Ivanoff Monica Jablonski Asad Jan Khattak Brain Jeffries Ling Jiang Xueguang Jiang Daniel Johnson Jacqueline Johnson Aaron Johnston Pawel Jerry Jones Jonaaron Jones Nagoo Kang Zhenye Kang

Stephen Kania David Keffer Derek Kelly Stephen Kemmel Rebecca Kemmet Veerle Keppens Anahita Khojandi Vineet Kumar Khullar Kenneth Kihm Daniel King Thomas King Michael Koehler Ying Kong Jan Kosny Rebecca Koszalinski Vlastamil Kunc Michio Kurosu Nicole Labbe Michael LaCour Mary Ross Lamsen James Langdon Mark LeDoux Scott Lenaghan Russell Leonard Andrew Lepore Neiko Levenhagen Fangxing (Fran) Li Jianlin Li Jie LI Wei Li Xueping Li Yunchao Li Jun Lin Wusheng Liu Yilu Liu Yong Liu Yu Liu Leonard Lothstein Wei Lu Eric Lukosi Yiwei Ma Bivash Mandal Nawajes Mandal Rebecca Mayall Jimmy Mays Mitra Mazarei Tammy McCray Kaitlyn McDonald Nicole McFarlane David McIntosh Gianfranco Meduri Nathan Meek Charles Melcher Matthew Mench Brian Mendoza Duane Miller

Robert Miller Gustav Miranda-Carboni Nivesh Mittal Jingke Mo Bob Moore Thomas Moore Emily Ann Morin Deidra Mountain Mohamed Moustafa Dibyendu Mukherjee Jimmy Mynes Jarrod Nachtrab Ramesh Narayanan Randall Nelson Mary-Anne Kim Anh Nguyen Emeka Nwaneri Josanne O’Dell Emmanuel Okeke Dustin Osborne Glen Palmer Huaqing (Harrison) Pang Frank Park Michael Parker Ali Passian Priyam Patel Dayakar Penumadu Brian Peters Alan Pezeshki Min Pi Chris Pickett Alexander Plotkowski Ky Pohler Thamarai Ponnusamy Chaela Presley Darryl Quarles Marko Radic Art Ragauskas Mohammad Raji Kalavathy Rajan Bruce Ramshaw Radhakrishna Rao Ishita Ray Caroline Rempe Kyle Restle Timothy Rials Jennifer Richards Ben Sagot Stephen Sarles Shyam Sathanandam Tayler Schimel George Schweitzer Tiffany Seagroves Jason Seinfeld Leroy Selvidge Adam Seybert Arash Shaban-Nejad

Hesam Shams Qingxin Shi Xiaojie Shi Oleg Shylo Maddie Singer George Siopsis Rachel Slappy Jeremy Smith Mitchell Smith John Sorochan Fnu Niyanth Sridhara Tammy Stackhouse Luis Stand Neal Stewart Dan Strunk Mohan Subramanian Seyitriza Tigrek Nicholas Tissot Leon Tolbert Kevin Tomsovic Helene Tournu Cong Trinh Guru Venkatesan Daranee Versluis-Tantbirojn Jonathan Wall Michael Walsh Fred (Fei) Wang Siqun Wang Alliston Watts Daniel Webb Jacqueline Whittemore Mark Whorton Russell Wicks Jie (Jayne) Wu Linfeng Wu Ling Wu Yuntao Wu Xingru Yan Fei Yang Gaoqiang Yang Wenxuan Yao Charles Ryan Yates Stephen Young Ximin Zeng Feng-Yuan Zhang Zheyu Zhang Zhili Zhang Chonwen Zhao Jiecheng (Jeff) Zhao Qixin Zhong Lin Zhu Mariya Zhuravelva

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2017 | 27

FY 2017

PATENTS 9,382,282 Metal Catalyzed Oxidation of Lignin and Related Compounds 9,411,058 Polymer Composite Based Thermal Neutron Detectors 9,437,118 Flexible and Rigid Endoscopic Training Device (FRED) 9,447,049 Compounds for Treatment of Cancer 9,447,011 Methods, Systems and Devices for Simultaneous Production of Lactic Acid

and Propylene Glycol from Glycerol 9,453,161 Chloride, Bromide and Iodine Scintillators with Europium Doping 9,481,793 Development of a Renewable Carbon-based Bio-modifier for Asphalt Cement 9,480,593 Distraction and Mobility Back Support 9,493,403 Treating Androgen Decline in Aging Male (ADAM) Associated SARMS Conditions 9,552,911 HF-CO-B Alloys as Permanent Magnet Materials 9,561,969 New Intrinsic Complex Halide Elpasolite Scintillators 9,566,255 Methods for Regulating Retinal Endothelial Cell Viability 9,568,444 Method and Apparatus for Detection of a Biomarker by Alternating Current Electrokinetics 9,582,639 Mobile Data Collection Platform for Disaster Victim Identification 9,604,916 A Method of Treating (AR)-Positive Breast Cancers with SARMS 9,622,992 A Method of Treating Androgen Receptor AR-Positive Breast Cancers with

Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARMS) 9,624,429 Ternary Metal Halide Scintillators 9,638,813 Thermal Neutron Detector and Gamma-ray Spectrometer Utilizing a Single Material 9,649,508 Methods, Systems and Computer Readable Storage Media Storing

Instructions for Determining Patient Specific Treatment Planning Margins 9,642,925 Magnetic Nanoparticle Formulations, Methods for Making Such

Formulations, and Methods for Their Use 9,664,799 Radiation Detector for Imaging Applications with Stabilized Light Output 9,664,800 Laser Etched Scintillation Detector Blocks with Internally Created Reflectors 9,683,017 Inhibitory Peptides of Viral Infection 9,687,220 Device for Securing An Object to a Subject and Wound Closure Issued patents 7/1/2016 - 6/30/2017

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Health Science Center Office 910 Madison Avenue, Suite 827 Memphis, TN 38163 Tel: 901-448-7827

Multi Campus Office 600 Henley Street, Suite 211 Knoxville, TN 37996 Tel: 865-974-1882

DISCOVER2017 UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE RESEARCH FOUNDATION

where discovery and opportunity connect

UTRF is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that promotes the commercialization of UT

intellectual property, encourages an entrepreneurial culture, contributes to state and regional economic development, and promotes research and education to benefit the people of Tennessee and beyond.