UWMRF 2023 Awardees

The Research Foundation recognizes innovators
who have created startups, received issued patents, partnered with companies, and executed a license in the last year. At the beginning of June, the UWM Research Foundation acknowledged nine patents and three new technology licenses, and one UWM startup with a newly signed license. We have expanded tremendously in the past 17 years with 153 issued patents and 106 pending patent applications. We want to sincerely thank our 13 award recipients and point out that 5 of the recipients are first time awardees. This speaks to the breadth of talent we have at UWM and the variety inventions that we celebrate from water sensors to CNC machining, crop protection, kelp breeding, and pharmaceuticals. We are deeply grateful to our inventors for their exciting innovations and their partnership as we work to advance these products to the market to benefit mankind. 

**Please tune into our social media for the first two weeks in July for individual tributes and more details on each of these inventors. #award #UWM #researchers #UWMRF

Startup Awards Recognition: The Research Foundation honored individuals whose technologies and determination have led to the formation of a startup company with a new license agreement.

• • This year, Dr. Alexander Arnold, the acting CSO of Pantherics Incorporated, a co-founded startup with Dr. Stafford is advancing development of its lead compound discovered at UWM’s Milwaukee Institute for Drug Discovery and licensed from UWMRF. The lead clinical indication for their new compound is for asthma and more recently it has been found that this and other licensed compounds are effective in treating inflammation in atopic eczema. The company is actively working with commercial partners to advance compounds into clinical trials. This is their 2nd license with UWMRF, and they were recently awarded over $255,000 for a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institutes of Health and they also won first place and a $20,000 prize at the Healthcare Innovation Pitch Event during the Milwaukee Tech Week in October 2022, they have also received 2 bridge grants from UWMRF for just under $63,000.

Licensing Awards Recognition: UWM Research Foundation also awarded those technologies that have made it to the next step in commercialization and have been licensed to a company for further development. Currently the UWMRF has 45 active license or option agreements. And since our last event, we have had 6 new license agreements to outside companies.

• • Filipe Alberto, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences research focuses on breeding ideal genetic traits for giant kelp. This research is funded by the DOE for a $2M grant, enables the selection of the best performing farm traits for the plant which increases the size and yield. The cultivation of giant kelp has national significance in the energy sector for the potential development of biofuels. The licensee will use the plant materials as an efficient biofuel, bioplastic, feed, and food crop to be accomplished with domestic breeding, using traditional (non-GMO) approaches.
  • Dr. James Cook, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, has worked for decades on a portfolio of compounds selective for specific GABA A receptors in the brain. This family of patents has an exclusive license with UWM founded startup Pantherics, Inc. to focus on diseases outside of the brain related to inflammation, such as, dermatology and in the gut. This intellectual property portfolio has over 34 patents.
  • Dr. Nathan Salowitz and his team have developed a very flexible sensor to measure water flow rates, specifically for very low flow rates. This monitoring device focuses on non-toxic materials which are also cost efficient and long lasting. This project was supported with grants through the Water equipment and policy center for the past 6 years with over $300,000 and is licensed by three of our industry members.

Patent Awards Recognition:

• • Dr. Karyn Frick, Distinguished Professor, Neuroscience Area Chair, Neuroscience Major Director and CSO of co-founded startup Estrigenix Therapeutics (formed in 2018) has been awarded a patent to help commercialize a first-in-class therapeutic to treat and prevent hot flashes and dementia in menopausal women with fewer side effects than current hormone therapy. See patent, AU2018243482A1 
  • Dr. Ching-Hong Yang, Professor, Biological Sciences, and founder and CSO of T3 Biosciences, a startup established in 2012 has nearly two decades of microbiological research experience which has led to the development & commercialization of non-antibiotic agricultural products. This patent is to help control fire blight, contagious diseases caused by specific bacteria that affect apple and pear trees and is considered one of the most destructive diseases. It also has implications to help citrus cankers which affect the vitality of citrus trees and reduce marketable fruits. See patent, US11582973
  • Additionally, Dr. Yang continues his vision to create agricultural treatments beyond just crop protection with another patent intended for use in fish. This technology which will replace the need of using antibiotics in this industry sector fulfilling the ambition of his biotech firm to save human lives from antibiotic resistance in all of its forms. See patent, US11590115
  • Kyle Jansson and team have developed a dust collection device to attach to existing CNC Routing Machines which can significantly reduce the abundant dust and chip particles which are created during cutting of materials such as wood, metal, plastic, and composites, which is a major concern for CNC shops and machine operators and makes a mess on the shop floor. This device can save time and money for CNC shops, and we are currently looking for a licensing partner. See patent, US11565360
  • Dr. Junjie Niu and his student have been awarded a patent for a new coating composition with applications in self-cleaning surfaces and sensor devices. Dr. Niu and his team are focusing on coating materials which are scalable and have a long shelf-life necessary for industrial applications. See patent, US11441051
  • Drs Cook, Arnold and Stafford have collaborated with Columbia University to develop novel drugs for the treatment of asthma and inflammation. Dr. Arnold is the acting CSO of Pantherics Incorporated, a co-founded startup with Dr. Stafford and they have licensed this IP portfolio with the UWMRF. The team has extremely promising results in animal models. See patent, US11447495
  • Dr. Jim Cook has also been awarded a patent for the development of new compounds, which are intended to be used for the treatment of anxiety disorders, epilepsy and schizophrenia with reduced side effects that drugs currently on market today.  See patent, CA2979701A1 
  • Dr. Cook has also been awarded a patent which is part of a portfolio of drug compounds targeting the GABAA receptors of the brain and is focused on aiding cognition and depression. This patent is jointly owned by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Canada and is licensed to Damona Pharmaceuticals Inc, a spinout by our joint inventors, who have raised $5.5M to advance the lead molecule to FDA trials.  See patent, AU2017235665A1 
  • Another patent was awarded this year to Dr. Jim Cook and a global collaborative team for the development of new compounds to treat migraine, chronic pain, and many other central nervous system disorders. These new compounds are more selective than similar drugs on the market today. In addition, the studies have shown that these novel compounds are non-sedative and less addictive than others. See patent, US11427582

**Please tune into our social media for the first two weeks in July for individual tributes and more details on each of these inventors. #award #UWM #researchers #UWMRF