OTC Invention of the Year Reception

University of Maryland Announces Inventions of the Year

The University of Maryland Inventions of the Year for 2005 are an improved data correction strategy for analyzing metabolomic profiles in for example, toxicology screening; a novel class of biomaterials for use in tissue engineering; and an improved catalyst for hydrogen fuel cells.

The winners were announced Monday, April 10 at an annual reception to honor the inventions and inventors of 2005. Each year a panel of judges including University of Maryland personnel and industry experts selects one winner from groups of finalists in each of three categories: information science, life science and physical science. The winners are chosen based on the creativity, novelty and potential benefit to society of each of the inventions.

Two of this year’s winners won in categories beyond their departmental appointments. The winning inventors of the life science technology have departmental appointments in the A. James Clark School of Engineering; the winning technology in the physical science category includes inventors from the College of Chemical & Life Sciences and the A. James Clark School of Engineering. This is a shining example of the multidisciplinary science and research being conducted at the University of Maryland.

Also announced at the reception was the Award for Entrepreneurship, which honors a technology that has received significant interest from venture capitalists. The award is sponsored by the Maryland Technology Development Corp. (TEDCO) and was presented to NetImmune, Inc., a Maryland start-up company established with technology developed by University of Maryland inventors Mehdi Khandani and Mark Shayman.

Information Science Invention of the Year
Data Normalization Strategy for Metabolomic Profiling Analysis
Harin Kanani, Maria I. Klapa

The emerging science of metabolomics provides technology for measuring the metabolic status and overall biochemical events associated with a cellular or biological system. It refers to the quantitative identification of free metabolite pools. The potential applications for metabolomic technologies are very diverse, including the pharmaceutical, agricultural and industrial biotech fields. Metabolomics has the promise to enable detection of disease states and their progression, monitor response to therapy, stratify patients based on biochemical profiles and highlight targets for drug design.

Most often, finding the metabolic fingerprint of a biological system utilizes Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Prior to performing metabolomic analysis of biological samples using GC-MS, the sample has to undergo chemical transformation (derivatization). It is the composition of the original sample’s derivative that is measured using the GC-MS equipment. Current metabolomic analyses ignore the biases (40 percent on average, while they may reach 150 percent for some metabolites) that may be introduced in the statistical analysis, thus skewing biologically relevant conclusions. There are currently no methods to correct the metabolomic profiles for such differences, thereby decreasing significantly – for some classes of metabolites in particular – the accuracy of metabolomic analysis.

University of Maryland researchers have developed a data correction strategy, including both experimental and algorithmic components, that enables such correction and reduces the coefficient of variation in the quantification of all metabolites to 4 percent on average without jeopardizing the high-throughput nature of metabolomics. This is the first strategy that greatly improves the accuracy of GC-MS metabolomic analysis results. A University of Maryland start-up company will be based on this novel technology providing customized software solutions for accurate metabolomic analysis and sample analysis services. A U.S. patent application is pending.

Life Science Invention of the Year
Novel Degradable Biomaterials
John Patrick Fisher, Sachiko Kaihara, Jennifer Lynn Moreau, Parth Modi

Strategies for tissue engineering usually involve three components: a biocompatible scaffold, chemical signaling factors, and transplanted cells. The scaffold acts as a site for cell attachment and proliferation. Once the scaffold is implanted it will lead to regeneration of native tissue. The few synthetic degradable polymers studied previously as scaffolds for tissue engineering applications have critical drawbacks. To overcome these drawbacks, University of Maryland researchers have developed a novel class of biomaterials.

Previously developed degradable polymers are based upon an ester polymer backbone. These polymers degrade when water is added to the ester linkage of the polymer backbone. The disadvantage to these materials is that their degradation products are acidic. As the scaffold degrades, the local acidity of the native tissue increases, leading to an increased inflammatory response and further premature degradation of the scaffold.

The newly developed biomaterials overcome the problems with the acidity and premature degradation. The degradation of these novel biomaterials will not significantly affect the local acidity of the native tissues, thus making them ideal scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. A U.S. patent application is pending.

Hydrocarbon (HC) fuels are currently the source for producing the majority of commercial hydrogen. Hydrogen produced from HC fuel sources contains relatively high levels of carbon monoxide (CO) impurities that can interfere with its use as a fuel in Proton-Exchange Membrane fuel cell applications.

University of Maryland researchers are believed to be the first to have invented a nanoparticle architecture with unique catalytic activity. The state-of-the-art catalyst is more efficient at activating hydrogen in the presence of CO contaminants and the catalyst simultaneously oxidizes CO to carbon dioxide. No other catalyst reported to date exhibits such dual-purpose efficiency. This novel nanoparticle can potentially be used as a superior anode catalyst for hydrogen fuel cells. A U.S. patent application is pending.

About OTC

The Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) at the University of Maryland was established in 1986 to facilitate the transfer of information, life and physical science inventions developed at the university to business and industry. In the past 19 years, OTC has recorded more than 1,500 technologies, secured more than 225 patents and licensed nearly 750 technologies, generating more than $22.6 million in technology transfer income. In addition, more than 40 high-tech start-up companies have been formed based on technologies developed at the university.

Photos from the 2005 Invention of the Year Reception: April 10, 2006

OTC Thanks Its Sponsors of the 2005 Invention of the Year Reception:

Arent Fox PLLC;
Carter, DeLuca, Farrell & Schmidt LLP;
The Chandler Law Firm;
Dykema Gossett PLLC;
Elmore Patent Law Group, PC;
Lowe Hauptman & Berner LLP;
Maryland Technology Development Corp. (TEDCO);
Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan P.C.;
Rosenberg, Klein & Lee;
Sterne Kessler Goldstein Fox P.L.L.C.;
and Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P.