3:36 p.m., Aug. 10, 2010----Million dollar ideas are like treasured jewels -- precious and rare.

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With research taking place across campus, one of the responsibilities of the University of Delaware Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships (OEIP), through its Technology Transfer Center, is to protect and commercialize the ideas of UD faculty, researchers and students.

In addition to streamlining the patent process, OEIP has opened it up to the entire University; anyone from an undergraduate student to a tenured faculty member can disclose an invention, regardless of its stage of development. OEIP files a provisional patent on the inventor's behalf, giving them one year to develop and realize the commercial potential of their idea.

This process is unique because OEIP leverages this window to work closely with the inventor, providing advice and counsel. It not only ensures all intellectual property developed at UD is protected but also gives the inventor time to advance the research to enable a full patent.

As a result, invention disclosures, which represent the first step in the patenting process, have increased by more than 60 percent in fiscal year 2010, with 56 filed.

One UD faculty member working to patent several inventions is Mohsen Badiey, a professor of marine science who had two invention disclosures that could be used for coastal surveying and by autonomous underwater vehicles. One of the disclosures, submitted in collaboration with Aijun Song, assistant professor of marine science, called “MIMO,” provides improved accuracy for transmitting data underwater. The second prototype provides accurate position and velocity information of underwater moving objects. When combined, these two technologies equate to underwater GPS.

Blake Meyers, UD professor of plant and soil sciences, has developed software in the area of genomics that analyzes and identifies genes that are regulated in development or in response to stress. These genes are then applicable in plant biotechnology to introduce special traits.

Two invention disclosures filed by marine science professor Kathryn Coyne show promise in various areas. Coyne has discovered an algicidal compound capable of killing harmful dinoflagellates, such as Pfiesteria, while having no significant effect on other algal species. There appear to be parallels between the mechanism in the compound that causes death of the algae and anti-cancer treatments.

Project managers from the Technology Transfer Center are working with each of these professors to develop commercialization strategies and identify partners to bring these technologies to market.

For more information on the available technologies developed at the University of Delaware, visit the OEIP website.

Article by Meredith Chapman