51社区

51社区 honored faculty, staff and student inventors during an awards ceremony Feb. 26. The Inventors Dinner recognized individuals who engaged with the university鈥檚 Technology Transfer Office over the past year to commercialize their research findings, by protecting their intellectual property through the patent process.

51社区 has a successful track record in commercializing technologies. The institution has a portfolio of 102 active issued U.S. patents and 158 active issued non-U.S. patents. 51社区 received more than $110 million in royalty income from research licenses between fiscal year 2004 and 2020 to date.

51社区 received the following U.S. patents for inventions in 2019:

• Michael Held, Chemistry and Biochemistry, 鈥淒igestibility of Plant Biomass鈥�

The inventor, along with co-inventors at Michigan State University, developed a method to genetically modify plants for increased biomass and improved digestibility. The biomass from these modified plants may be used to more efficiently produce renewable energy sources, such as biofuels.

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• Howard Dewald, Chemistry and Biochemistry, 鈥淥nline Monitoring of Fuel Cell Reactions by Desorption Electrospray Mass Spectrometry鈥�

This patent describes a mass spectrometry-based method for detecting fuel cell reaction products in near real-time. This ability for constant monitoring allows operators to keep the fuel cell operating at peak efficiency.

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• Muhammad Ali and Khairul Alum, Mechanical Engineering, 鈥淏allistic Body Armor Damage Sensing Systems and Related Methods鈥�

Ballistic body armor does not always effectively prevent projectile penetration. The inventors designed a conductive layer to be attached to the underside of a ballistic plate to sense penetration and generate a signal to notify authorities of potential injuries.

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• Chang Liu, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 鈥淓ngagement Identification Using a Dynamic Pattern鈥�

A CAPTCHA is a challenge test to determine if a user is human. This patent describes a CAPTCHA whereby the user must trace a shape being generated within a background that is randomly changing. Detection of a pattern in a dynamic setting is difficult for a computer, but the human mind can quickly distinguish the underlying pattern.

鈥淢otion-Based Authentication of an Individual鈥�

The unique feature protected by this patent is the use of a motion-based authentication system in which a user traces a 鈥榩assword鈥� shape in a three-dimensional environment. The inventors previously patented a two-dimensional version for touchpads.

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• Stephen Bergmeier, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Xiaozhuo Chen, Edison Biotechnology Institute/Biomedical Sciences, 鈥淐ompositions and Methods for Glucose Transport Inhibition鈥�

This composition of matter patent covers novel anticancer compounds that inhibit basal glucose transport, resulting in tumor suppression and new methods for the study of glucose deprivation in cancer research.

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• Stephen Bergmeier and Mark McMills, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Douglas Goetz, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 鈥淚midazole and Thiazole Compositions for Modifying Biological Signaling鈥�

This patent covers new compounds that may be used in pharmaceutical compositions that modify various biological signaling processes or as reagents for biological assays. Among other things, these compounds may be therapeutically useful for the prevention and treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and to modify GSK-3 activity in the body.

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• Douglas Goetz, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Kelly McCall, Specialty Medicine, 鈥淧revention and Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease鈥�

This patent utilizes novel organic compounds to treat or reduce the risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

• Lyn Bowman, Biological Sciences, 鈥淪ystems and Methods for Estimating the Stiffness of a Bone Using Mechanical Response Tissue Analysis鈥�

This patent provides methods and systems for estimating the mechanical properties of a bone. This could be utilized as a non-radiating diagnostic test for osteoporosis or other bone disorders.

• Alexander Govorov, Physics and Astronomy, 鈥淐ompositions of Matter Having a Mixture of Strongly Plasmonic Nanorods and Exhibiting an Extinction Spectrum Transparency Window鈥�

A medium is described in which a mixture of nanoparticles is designed to create a customized transparency window of a clearly defined wavelength band. For example, visible light could be allowed through the medium while all other wavelengths would be blocked.

In addition, 51社区 honored faculty, students and staff who disclosed inventions and for whom the university filed patents. Invention disclosure is the first step in the technology commercialization process. Technology Transfer Office staff review these disclosures to determine if the intellectual property can be patented and licensed for commercial use. If so, the office files for domestic and foreign patent protection as appropriate, and works with inventors to identify licensing opportunities that can develop the technologies into useful products for the marketplace.

In addition, the Technology Transfer Office works closely with the university鈥檚 high-tech business incubator, the Innovation Center, and its state-sponsored Entrepreneurial Services Provider program, TechGROWTH Ohio, to connect inventors to business coaches and sources of seed funding that can help them launch startup companies if appropriate.

For more information about the 51社区 Technology Transfer Office, visit .