Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia is ranked among the top 100 universities worldwide for the number of U.S. patents granted in 2012, according to a list released this week by the National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association. UGA ranked 49th among U.S. universities and 66th worldwide.
The list, based on data obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, recognizes the important role patents play in university research and moving intellectual property into the marketplace.
The 29 UGA patents issued in 2012 included a diagnostic assay for Chagas’ disease, a new soybean cultivar, persistent phosphorescence compounds, a tuberculosis vaccine platform, antimicrobial peptides, and a drug candidate for treating viral encephalitis. UGA currently has more than 400 active patents protecting its inventions.
“University inventors are the discoverers and creators of new solutions to existing problems, and, as such, are key contributors to the advancement of technology,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the NAI. “Protection of this intellectual property, through the patenting process, underpins the creation of new industries and employment.”
“Being on this list places UGA in the company of top universities around the world and highlights our robust technology transfer program,” said Derek Eberhart, director of the UGA Technology Commercialization Office in the Office of the Vice President for Research.
Top U.S. universities also listed include the University of California 10-campus system, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University. The entire list can be downloaded at http://www.academyofinventors.com/pdf/NAI-IPO-Top-100-Universities-2012.pdf
“The ranking is yet another indication of UGA’s success in moving intellectual property into the marketplace,” said UGA Vice President for Research David Lee. “UGA is deeply committed to the commercialization of university research. It is integral to our land grant mission.”
In 2013 alone, more than 40 new products stemming from UGA inventions entered the marketplace. Many of these inventions-particularly in the agricultural arena-provide a significant economic benefit to the state of Georgia.
UGA’s charter membership in NAI was announced earlier in December. NAI is an organization made up of U.S. and international universities, and governmental and nonprofit research institutions serving academic intellectual property owners in all industries and fields of technologies.
For more information about the UGA Technology Commercialization Office see www.ovpr.uga.edu/tco/. More about the Academy of Inventors is available at www.academyofinventors.com.