USTAR Technology Commercialization Grant program funds multi-disciplinary projects at USU
Submitted by Jacoba Poppleton, USU
Innovations targeting markets for new antifungal agents, wastewater backflow prevention and synthetic diesel were approved in the most recent USTAR Technology Commercialization Grant round at Utah State University.
In 2009, USTAR launched the Technology Commercialization Grant (TCG) program, a funding mechanism designed to bring innovative new technologies to market from Utah’s public colleges and universities. In July 2010, the USTAR Governing Authority approved three grants submitted by USU’s internal Technology Commercialization Grant review committee.
“We are very pleased with the caliber of proposals received throughout the TCG process and in this final submission round,” said Ray DeVito, director of USU’s Technology Commercialization Office. “The USTAR TCG program has addressed a critical need in the commercialization process at USU by assisting inventors and researchers in the final stages of idea implementation to drive the technology forward.”
The USTAR TCG program supports research projects that are most likely to generate patents, technology licenses and product commercialization in the short term. Since the program began, twelve USU proposals, including nine from previous submission rounds, have received funding.
The three new approved proposals were:
Antifungal Aminoglycoside
Tom Cheng, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has invented a structurally modified aminoglycoside, FG08, that shows potent and broad spectrum antifungal activity against a spectrum of significant plant and human fungi.
“FG08 is active against a broad spectrum of significant plant and human fungal pathogens,” said Cheng, principal investigator for the project. “Greenhouse experiments have demonstrated that FG08 has potential to be used commercially as a fungicide against Fusarium graminearum, a severe disease of cereal crops.”
The antifungal agent is a feasible industrial product. Applications include agriculture, human fungal infection treatment and crop treatment. TCG funding will be used to optimize production protocol and enable field testing.
It is estimated that this technology has the potential to create 50 jobs within the state of Utah and generate annual revenues of $10 million in five years.
Backflow Prevention System Performance Testing
The Backflow Prevention System is a patent-pending device installed in wastewater pipes to prevent wastewater from damaging the interior of structures in the event of a backflow.
The system consists of a warning alarm and high-strength rubber one-way valve within a housing. The rubber flaps of the valve are attached within the housing and allow fluid to flow through a channel between the flaps in a single direction. The pressure of the fluid on the flaps during a backflow event causes the channel to seal itself against the fluid flow.
“During rainstorms, or when obstructions are present, a sewer can become backed up and wastewater can flow back into homes and businesses causing serious and costly damage,” said Michael Johnson, principal investigator and research assistant professor at the Utah Water Research Laboratory. “Many municipalities are beginning to require backflow prevention systems on new constructions, creating an opportunity for a high-quality, reliable, backflow prevention system.”
Water Prevention Solutions, LLC, a Logan, Utah start-up company, has licensed the technology. Prototypes have been constructed and a manufacturing location identified. TCG funds will be used for performance testing for back leakage, pressure, debris and reliability.
It is estimated that the backflow prevention system has the potential to create 25-30 new Cache Valley jobs as well as $10 to $12 million in revenues within five years.
Making synthetic diesel from conditioned biogas
Three Utah companies, Andigen, ADT and Ceramatec, and three universities, USU, BYU and UVU, have partnered to make synthetic diesel from manure.
Currently, biogas is used for electricity or heat; turning biogas into synthetic diesel can greatly increase profits. Conditioning biogas removes acids and other corrosives that can cause engine wear.
Applications for the technology include municipal and industrial organic waste treatment and agriculture waste treatment.
“Funding from the USTAR TCG will be used to optimize production from biogas to conditioned gas to synthetic diesel,” said Conly Hansen, USU professor of both nutrition and food sciences and biological and irrigation engineering. “With funding from USTAR, we will be able to enable production of synthetic diesel on a large scale.”
It is estimated that the production of synthetic diesel from biogas has the ability to create 50 jobs within the state of Utah and produce annual revenues around $30 million in five years.
“USTAR was designed to have a role at Utah’s research universities and assist with economic development and innovation,” said Ned Weinshenker, VP for Strategic Ventures and Economic Development at USU. “The purpose of the program is to accelerate the movement of innovative ideas and technologies out of USU and into commercial markets quickly in order to create high paying jobs in the state of Utah.”
Technology commercialization is a key component of USU’s research and outreach missions. It supports the university land-grant mandate to improve the lives of Utah citizens and to disseminate research results to the state, the nation, and the world.
The USTAR TCG program is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. For more information on USU’s program, visit
http://economicdevelopment.usu.edu/htm/t-c-grants.
For more information about first and second round TCG awardees, visit https://economicdevelopment.usu.edu/htm/in-the-news/articleID=8296 and https://economicdevelopment.usu.edu/htm/in-the-news/articleID=8698.
USU is very deserving of this. They have some great programs that I feel could be reconized nationwide with a little more funding.