discovery. innovation. impact.collaborations with st. peter’s health partners, the new york neural...

Discovery. Innovation. Impact.

University at Albany Research Report2011-12

Implementing Emerging Solar Energy Technologies

A product of research by Dr. Richard Perez of the

Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC), the Solar

Load Controller is a patented technology. The University

at Albany’s Office of Technology Development is currently

seeking partners for University development or licensing.

See page 3 for more information about this project.

Buffer Storage

Perez et al., ASRC

SOLAR LOAD CONTROLEnd-user standpoint : maximize [monthly] demand reduction

12011-12University at AlbanyRESEARCH REPORT

The impact of University at Albany research is wide-ranging. Our scientists are

developing solar energy resources; advancing novel approaches to treating

diseases using RNA technologies; helping governments implement technology;

using evidence-based research to inform public policy; commercializing knowl-

edge; and utilizing nanotechnology to enable global competitiveness. We are also

training professionals.

Research expenditures totaling $337.4 million in 2010-11 reflect the scope of

work. UAlbany ranked an impressive 58th out of 697 higher education institutions

in a 2009 National Science Foundation survey of research expenditures.

This report provides an overview of UAlbany’s vast research enterprise, highlights key pillars of strength and features

examples of innovation driving economic development.

Vice President for Research James A. Dias

Research is a powerful engine. Discovery yields new knowledge, spurs innovation and generates impact.

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Implementing Discoveries of Climate and Biodiversity Research 2

Translational Impact of Life Sciences Research 4

Leveraging Information and Computational Technology 6

Exploring Political-Economic Possibilities in Public Policy 8

Alain Kaloyeros / Marlene Belfort 11Research Leaders

Creating a Culture of Innovation and Entrepreneurship 12

Technology Transfer and Commercialization 14

Data Bank 16

Atmospheric Sciences

Implementing Discoveries of Climate and Biodiversity Research

University at Albany scientists in the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC) and Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences (DAES) are making impressive inroads in the quest for climate sustainability that will also enhance economic growth. More than $5.1 million in 2010-11 funding for this research area supplies weather-sensitive industries with critical information for planning future decisions, including the following UAlbany projects:

• Wei-Chyung Wang, ASRC professor, is U.S. Chief Scientist for three joint research efforts with China, assessing the socio-economic impact of increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases.

• DAES Assistant Professor Ryan Torn is reducing errors in the predictability and dynamics of mesoscale weather systems – work now supporting the wind energy industry.

• Professor Kenneth Demerjian of ASRC continues groundbreaking investigations into the impact of pollutants upon populated urban areas, critical for developing systems that improve air quality.

• ASRC aerosol microphysics scientist Fangqun Yu uses global models to enhance both knowledge of solar variation on Earth’s climate and temperature change projections associated with human activities.

• Lee Harrison of ASRC helped develop a solar measurement instrument manu-factured and sold by Massachusetts-based Yankee Environmental Systems, and now partners with the company to develop inexpensive yet effective weather reconnaissance devices for exploring the inner workings of hurricanes.


UAlbany biologist Gary Kleppel is helping New

York State control biological invasions while

supporting agriculture.

In cooperation with public and private sector

partners, Kleppel has developed a protocol

that uses livestock for vegetation management.

Invasive plants threaten native biodiversity and

cause millions of dollars in damage to farm and

forest land. Kleppel found that these plants

can be targeted for grazing by sheep, reducing

the enormous manpower and herbicide costs

required to control them.

Access to land is a major barrier to getting started

in agriculture. In collaboration with the Depart-

ment of Environmental Conservation, Kleppel is

developing a program through which beginning

farmers will be trained to use his “targeted

grazing” protocol and will then be allowed to

graze their livestock on designated parcels of

state land without charge. The result is that New

York State gets free land management, while

hundreds of new agricultural jobs are created.

The program is particularly suited to transitioning

military veterans interested in agriculture to civilian

life by providing training and a framework for

generating real income.

In the meantime, Kleppel and his students

continue to study the environmental impacts of

grazing and to seek new ways to improve environ-

mental quality while generating food and fiber.

Atmospheric science researchers at UAlbany

are bringing innovative ideas and solutions to

businesses around the globe.

Richard Perez of the Atmospheric Sciences

Research Center has invented and patented the

Solar Load Controller (SLC) to better integrate

solar energy in satisfying overall power demand.

Industrial and business power consumers, such

as “big-box stores” and Energy Management

Systems, have steadily increased use of solar

energy to control costs, but demand reduction

has been compromised locally through such

occurrences as passing clouds.

SLC reduces load when needed by reacting to the

availability of solar energy, measuring the output

of the solar generation systems and taking

demand-side remedial action as needed to realize

maximum potential benefit. Early estimates suggest

SLC could save over $50-$100 per KW of installed

capacity per year.

Department of Atmospheric and Environmental

Sciences Assistant Professor Paul Roundy analyzes

how rainfall organizes in the tropics and influences

the global atmosphere through generation of rain-

related heat. His forecast products track the

evolution of various types of these tropical weather

systems. Several firms looking to invest in natural

gas now use his information to help predict the

likelihood of above or below normal temperatures

for regions in the U.S. and Europe. Such weather

information is also important for companies

working in the renewable energy sector such as

Albany-based AWS Truepower, a UAlbany research

partner. In the case of wind and solar power, for

example, it is crucial to have information about

wind and sunshine respectively and scientists in

both DAES and ASRC contribute to the research

that deals with this.

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Left to right: Richard Perez, Paul Roundy

Right to left: Gary Kleppel with Torri

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Translational Impact of Life Sciences Research

The University at Albany’s impact in life sciences research is growing dramatically.

Faculty in the life sciences were awarded a total of $15.2 million in national grants in 2010-2011 to support their investigations. Researchers are shedding new light on the molecular basis of life processes and disease, as well as potential treatments. Tuberculosis infections and the transmission of West Nile virus are among the many challenges they are tackling. Through public and private partnerships, The RNA Institute is creating a culture of scientific innovation as it advances the promise of RNA research in addressing diseases.

Collaborations with St. Peter’s Health Partners, the New York Neural Stem Cell Institute, the Trudeau Institute, the New York Department of Health Wadsworth Center and other institutions are building regional strengths in this critical area.

Recognition of the potential economic benefits of this work came in two awards through New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “Open for Business” grant competition: $2 million to The RNA Institute to promote biotech translational research and $1 million for the East Campus, home of the School of Public Health and Cancer Research Center, to further develop a biotech hub in the Capital Region.


In UAlbany biologist Mary Katherine Gonder’s

hands, the tools of modern molecular genetics

are providing new information about the history

and lives of chimpanzees in areas of Cameroon

and Nigeria, which encompass the Gulf of Guinea’s

Biodiversity region.

Her research focuses on understanding why

Cameroon is an engine of diversification for

chimpanzees and explaining the complex pattern

of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVcpz) infection

in chimpanzees in the region. Her findings may

offer insights into origins of HIV-AIDS, as well as

inform conservation practices.

SIVcpz, the likely progenitor of HIV-1 groups M

and N, is found in one of the two subspecies

in the region, the central African chimpanzee (Pan

troglodytes troglodytes). However, it does not

appear to occur naturally in the other subspecies,

the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (P. t. ellioti),

although the sample tested to date remains small.

Through examinations of genetic data from wild

chimpanzees and those living in sanctuaries in

Africa, Gonder’s team found that the Nigeria-

Cameroon chimpanzee exhibits reproductive and

genetic distinctiveness that has clearly separated

it from other chimpanzee subspecies for the last

several hundred thousand years, but that central

and east African chimpanzees stopped exchanging

genes with each other only relatively recently.

Working to develop a novel generation of

diagnostics and therapeutics are three UAlbany

professors affiliated with The RNA Institute:

Hua Shi and Al Millis, Department of Biological

Sciences, and Li Niu, Department of Chemistry.

Their laboratories use relatively short pieces of

RNA known as aptamers as material to design

and generate molecular partners to seek out and

bind to either normal or disease proteins. Because

these RNA-based structures exhibit wide-ranging

utility in probing and manipulating biological

processes, they are potentially the building blocks

of highly specific medical interventions to treat

cancer, diseases linked to neurodegeneration,

and other illnesses. Recently, the first aptamer-

based drug was approved by the U.S. Food and

Drug Administration for treatment for age-related

macular degeneration.

Research in the Shi, Millis and Niu laboratories,

supported by grants from the National Institutes

of Health, American Cancer Society, Muscular

Dystrophy Association of America, and U.S.

Department of Defense, is focusing on metastatic

cancers and neurological disease via activation

or inhibition of cellular activities, delivery of

therapeutics or commandeering cellular defense

mechanisms to target diseased cells. The three

scientists have been awarded patents and

submitted patent applications for this and other

research.

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sLeft to right: Li Niu, Al Millis, Hua Shi

Left to right: Matthew W. Mitchell, Mary Katherine Gonder, Paul Sesink Clee

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Leveraging Information and Computational Technology

Addressing the challenges and opportunities of our information society, University at Albany researchers make their mark in areas such as the behavior of terrorist organizations, new computing approaches for large networks and the use of information to advance fair trade. Their work in the information and computational technology field attracted $3.9 million in support in 2010-11.

Exemplifying the scope and quality of work in this area are two computer science professors, Siwei Lyu and Jeong-Hyon Hwang, both of whom have received Faculty Early Career Development Awards from the National Science Foundation.

Lyu is developing new methods to detect digital images that have been altered, work that could have applications in criminal justice investigations. Wang is developing new open-source computing approaches for large, frequently changing networks used in business, science, transportation and government.

Another kind of network – the North American coffee network – is the focus of a project designed to provide consumers with information about how, where, and by whom products are being manufactured and brought to market in the North American Free Trade Agreement region. The project is led by Center for Technology in Government Director Theresa Pardo.


A University at Albany interdisciplinary research

team is turning computer games into powerful

learning tools.

In partnership with 1st Playable Productions, the

team is developing a video game to train people

to recognize and reduce cognitive biases routinely

used. Such biases can lead to bad decisions in

critical matters, including national security.

Led by College of Computing and Information

Professor Tomek Strzalkowski and co-investigator

Jennifer Stromer-Galley of the Department of

Communication, the team also includes Laurie

Feldman and Elana Gordis from the Department

of Psychology.

The CYCLES (Cycles of Your Cognitive Learning,

Expectations, and Schema) project is supported

by an $8.7-million contract from the U.S. Air

Force, and is sponsored by the Sirius Program

of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects

Activity, an arm of the federal Office of the

Director of National Intelligence.

The non-commercial game will teach players

how to recognize six common decision-making

biases: confirmation bias, fundamental attribution

bias, bias blind spot, representativeness bias,

anchoring bias and projection bias. The goal

is to reduce players’ dependency on bias in

real decision-making situations by as much

as 65 percent. It is intended to be relevant to

intelligence community analysts.

Rockefeller College professors Victor Asal and

R. Karl Rethemeyer are collecting and analyzing

extensive data on terrorist and extremist

organizations through their main project, dubbed

Big Allied and Dangerous (BAAD).

They are gathering two major categories of data

about terrorist groups. One includes organizational

information such as home base, ideology, size,

financial support, territorial control, and number

of fatalities, as well as the pursuit of chemical,

biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN)

weapons. The other is social network data,

which characterizes relations between terrorist

organizations as well as between countries and

terrorist organizations.

Asal, of the Department of Political Science,

and Rethemeyer, of the Department of Public

Administration and Policy, are also using

quantitative data in innovative ways in other work

conducted through Rockefeller College’s Project

on Violent Conflict, which they co-direct. Along

with colleagues Kathleen Deloughery and Ryan

King, they are doing a nationwide county-level

analysis of factors related to hate crimes and

terrorism.

Asal’s and Rethemeyer’s work is supported by the

U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department

of Homeland Security.

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sLeft to right: R. Karl Rethemeyer, Victor Asal

Left to right: Jennifer Stromer-Galley, Tomek Strzalkowski

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Exploring Political- Economic Possibilities in Public Policy

Public policy research at University at Albany touches upon a broad range of disciplines, including education, public health, international affairs, and social welfare, with interdisciplinary programs also engaging experts in such fields as computing and information sciences, sociology and psychology. These investiga-tions often serve not only government policymakers, but also those of industry and the nonprofit sector.

Yvonne D. Harrison of the Department of Public Administration & Policy has developed an on-line self-assessment diagnostic tool to enable nonprofit organi-zation boards to evaluate themselves and obtain best-practices strategies to improve overall board performance.

Public Policy Associate Professor Ik Jae Chung’s recent work focuses on policy that impacts the efficacy of solid waste management and its level of environmental risk.

Theresa Pardo, director of UAlbany’s Center for Technology in Government, is developing models of social and technical interactions in cross-boundary information-sharing and integration. Her work has gained support from government and international corporations, including Microsoft and SAP.

In addition, UAlbany public policy researchers in the last year have tackled such current critical political-economic topics as the effects of terrorism upon national elections, outcomes of economic sanctions upon rogue nations, and the workings and effectiveness of the Federal Reserve Board.


To foster economic and social development, many

nations look to enhancing education programs.

New policy regimes, such as large-scale

international tests and global treaties to increase

education quality, are now more prominent.

Domestically, curriculum governance involving

testing and standards are more prevalent.

Gilbert A. Valverde of UAlbany’s Department of

Educational Administration and Policy Studies

researches the challenges this policy environment

poses, focusing on how international and domestic

policy can promote quality educational opportunities

to improve the lives of children worldwide.

Valverde has helped NASA, UNESCO, the World

Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Develop-

ment, national ministries, and research institutions

define curriculum and evaluation policy challenges,

identify courses of action, and evaluate outcomes.

A member of the influential Working Group on

Standards and Evaluation of the Program to

Promote Educational Reform in Latin America,

Valverde also researches international tests in

countries performing poorly. As director of the

Educational Research Consortium, he has con-

ducted groundbreaking longitudinal studies of

opportunities in mathematics and reading in the

Dominican Republic.

In 2011, Valverde was elected to become 2013-

2014 president of the Comparative and Interna-

tional Education Society, the premier scholarly

organization in the world dedicated to cross-

cultural understanding, academic achievement

and societal development.

Hundreds of individuals erroneously convicted of

rape, murder, and other serious felonies, many

of whom spent decades in prisons and/or were

under the death sentence, have been exonerated

by DNA evidence. Some studies estimate that

wrongful convictions in the U.S. occur in three

percent or more of annual felony convictions.

School of Criminal Justice researchers James

R. Acker and Allison D. Redlich delve into this

complicated subject in their 2011 book, Wrongful

Conviction: Law, Science, and Policy (Durham, N.C.;

Carolina Academic Press).

Acker and Redlich’s work addresses issues of law,

science and policy related to wrongful convictions

in the American justice system. Organized in the

form of a casebook, the book includes detailed

analyses of forensic science, jailhouse snitches,

false confessions, prosecutorial misconduct,

ineffective defense counsel and unreliable

eyewitness accounts.

The authors observe that many of the problems

contributing to wrongful convictions are well

known, but criminal justice systems still struggle

for remedies.

Acker is a well-published expert in the areas of

death penalty law and judicial uses of social

science research. Redlich is internationally

recognized for her studies on police interrogations

and false confessions, particularly involving

vulnerable populations, such as persons with mental

illness and juveniles.

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sLeft to right: Allison D. Redlich, James R. Acker

Gilbert A. Valverde

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Under the strategic vision, pro-active support and critical

investment of Governor Andrew Cuomo, the College of

Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) continues

to chart a revolutionary course for educational and

research excellence. That effort is driven by the CNSE’s

groundbreaking model for partnerships between academia,

industry and government. Together, they are increasingly

viewed as a national paradigm to fuel innovation and

enable global competitiveness.

Alain Kaloyeros, CEO of UAlbany’s NanoCollege, embodies

a new breed of 21st century academician: a professor

and researcher who not only embraces but delights in

the role of entrepreneur. Under his leadership, CNSE is

recognized as a world-class powerhouse in integrating

pioneering education with leading-edge research.

The impact, in economic terms, is stunning. In just over

a decade, CNSE has attracted more than $14 billion

in public and private investment, over 300 worldwide

corporate partners, and nearly 3,000 high-tech jobs at its

unparalleled Albany NanoTech Complex.

Across the state, CNSE has catalyzed $28 billion of

investment and the creation and retention of more than

12,500 jobs. It has broadened its considerable footprint

through CNSE-led enterprises in Utica, Syracuse

and Rochester that leverage both the NanoCollege’s

resources and the strengths of those regions.

Yet what truly energizes Kaloyeros and his colleagues

is the knowledge that in some ways, the story is just

beginning to unfold – a reflection of the game-changing

nature of nanotechnology innovation, and CNSE’s standing

as the global hub for nanoscale know-how.

A plethora of nanoelectronics research, development

and commercialization programs, from faculty research

to collaborations with CNSE’s industrial and government

partners, are enabling development of faster, more

powerful, energy-efficient computer chips. Meanwhile,

CNSE is leading the world’s inaugural and exclusive

Global 450 Consortium that will develop the first chips

on the 450mm wafer platform.

In accordance with Governor Cuomo’s regional blueprint

for economic development, the NanoCollege is deploying

its unmatched intellectual and technological assets across

upstate New York to accelerate research that addresses

society’s most important issues.

That includes critical programs to enrich health care,

including improved diagnosis, treatment and prevention

of cancer and other deadly diseases; rapid development

and delivery of nanomedicines; enhanced organ transplanta-

tion; and safeguarding exposure to nanomaterials in the

workplace.

Meanwhile, CNSE’s growing green energy portfolio is

highlighted by advances in CIGS-based photovoltaic

technologies through the CNSE-led U.S. Photovoltaic

Manufacturing Consortium, along with technologies to

improve battery storage and lessen reliance on the grid.

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known,”

said astronomer Carl Sagan. In today’s nanotechnology

era, that “somewhere” is CNSE, and the stars have already

begun to align.

Alain Kaloyeros: A New Breed of Scholar

Alain Kaloyeros

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RESEARCH LEADERS RESEARCH LEADERS


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A groundbreaking scientist in the field of genetics and

biochemistry, Marlene Belfort has received a host of

prestigious honors, most notably her election to the

National Academy of Sciences.

Of particular significance to her, however, is the award

for mentoring she received from the American Society

for Microbiology.

The award recognizes what those who work with her

already know. Belfort is a dedicated mentor, passionate

about guiding and fostering young scientists.

At UAlbany’s RNA Institute, Belfort focuses that zeal on

attracting and nurturing a cluster of accomplished young

scientists, while contributing her considerable scientific

expertise.

Belfort joined The RNA Institute in 2011 after a distin-

guished 33-year career as a research scientist at the

Wadsworth Center, the research-intensive public health

laboratory of the New York State Department of Health.

While there, she made major discoveries in the field of

genetics, the study of organisms’ hereditary information

encoded in DNA and RNA. She provided new insights

into genome organization, and the role of introns, mobile

elements, and RNA biology in the evolution of life.

She has served on and chaired prestigious committees

for such organizations as the National Institutes of Health

(NIH) and the National Academy of Sciences. Belfort is on

the editorial board of several respected scientific journals

and serves on advisory boards to biomedical research

organizations. She also became a faculty member in the

Department of Biomedical Sciences at UAlbany’s School

of Public Health, where she was awarded the rank of

Distinguished Professor. She trained and mentored

dozens of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

Her work has appeared in more than 160 leading scientific

publications. For about 25 years, her two main grants

from the National Institutes of Health have been funded

continuously; together these grants total about $1 million

a year.

As UAlbany prepared to launch The RNA Institute, Belfort

played an important advisory role. Now, she serves as

part of the impressive team working to make the Institute

a center of translational research for RNA-based drug

discovery.

When providing young scientists with the support they

need, Belfort cites parallels between life in the lab and

raising a family. In “The Win-Win Potential for Motherhood

and Science” published in Current Biology, Belfort writes,

“creative cooking enables original experimentation, while

regimentation in the lab translates into organization in

the home.”

She emphasizes the critical importance, in both arenas, of

collaboration which, in turn, can help young scientists achieve

balance and success in their work and personal lives.

Under Belfort’s guidance, collaboration may even help

aspiring scientists write better. She is working on a partner-

ship between The RNA Institute and the New York State

Writers Institute to do just that.

Marlene Belfort

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YMarlene Belfort: Stellar Researcher and Mentor

RESEARCH LEADERS RESEARCH LEADERS

University at Albany research has been a springboard for

a number of successful spin-off companies supporting

business and enhancing society. Two of these enterprises

recently expanded into the international arena: Albany-based

AWS Truepower and X-Ray Optical Systems, Inc. (XOS).

AWS Truepower is one of the world’s

leading meteorological and engineering

consulting firms specializing in wind

and solar energy. Former UAlbany

Atmospheric Sciences Research Center

researcher Bruce Bailey has served

as the President and CEO since the company’s founding

in 1986.

In 2011, AWS Truepower acquired Meteosim Truewind S.L.

of Barcelona, Spain. The move brought the company’s

reach of science and technology-driven solutions to the

European, Latin American and Asian markets.

The late Walter Gibson, a 25-year UAlbany faculty

member and physicist, was a pioneer in semiconductor

detectors, X-ray optics, and X-ray analysis techniques.

In 1998, he co-founded X-Ray Optical Systems, Inc. and

remained the company’s chief technology officer until his

death in 2009.

A leading global provider of materials-

analysis equipment for industries

needing to control material quality

and performance of X-ray optics and

instruments, XOS was acquired in

2012 by Danaher Corp., a manufac-

turer of scientific equipment doing business in more than

125 countries.

Through its research and outreach programs, the University at Albany is leveraging

knowledge for the economic benefit and stability of businesses and governments

worldwide. The Professional Development Program’s public service training initiatives, the

good governance and policymaking efforts of the Center for International Development,

UAlbany’s Small Business Development Center, and individual research initiatives fostering

entrepreneurship all underscore the University’s commitment to enhancing progress

and prosperity.

Business incubator managers now

have a resource designed to make

comparisons and recommendations,

and provide links to additional

resources on how to improve their

programs’ operations and performance.

The “Web-Based Toolkit” complements a comprehensive

study, “Incubating Success: Incubation Best Practices

That Lead to Successful New Ventures,” for which David

Lewis, associate professor in UAlbany’s Department of

Geography and Planning, is the research director and

lead author.

The project was a collaborative effort among UAlbany;

the University of Michigan’s Institute for Research on

Labor, Employment and the Economy; the National

Business Incubation Association; and Cybergroup Inc.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic

Development Administration, the study examined

business incubation programs throughout the U.S. and

across industry sectors, and identified which practices

contributed most to incubator client success, including:

• Emphasizing job creation and nurturing entrepreneurial

climate in the community;

• Establishing synergy among multiple practices, policies,

and services;

• Showcasing clients to the community and potential

funders;

• Frequent collection of client outcome data;

• Use of a not-for-profit model, and;

• Support from local government agencies, economic

development groups, universities, or other incubator

sponsors.

Creating a Culture of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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The following faculty members earned prestigious awards for their research accomplishments and scholarly achievements.

Ronald Toseland, School of Social WelfareSelected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, 2010

Steven Messner, Department of SociologySUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, 2010-11

Lawrence M. Schell, Departments of Anthropology and Epidemiology and BiostatisticsSUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, 2010-11

Iris Berger, Department of HistoryUniversity at Albany President’s Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activities, 2010-11

Istvan Kesckes, Educational Theory and PracticeUniversity at Albany President’s Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activities, 2010-11

JoAnne Carson, ArtUniversity at Albany President’s Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activities, 2010-11

Fatemeh Shahedipour-Sandvik, College of Nanoscale Science and EngineeringUniversity at Albany President’s Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activities, 2010-11

The RNA Institute at University at

Albany teamed up with Waltham,

Mass.-based Thermo Fisher Scientific,

Inc., in 2012 to challenge students to

develop commercially viable RNA-

technology projects.

The Thermo Fisher Student Venture Fund unites under-

graduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows

from the School of Business, the College of Arts and

Sciences and the Institute to develop inventions and

submit project proposals aimed at advancing both the

technology and commercialization of RNA science.

The Venture Fund is made possible through a $133,900

gift from Thermo Fisher Scientific, a world leader

in serving pharmaceutical and biotech companies,

hospitals, clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research

institutions and government agencies.

Two teams from the six participating are awarded $65,000

each toward the development of proof of principle, market

analysis and a business plan, formulated through an

entrepreneurship course offered by the business school.

Winning projects are based upon scientific merit, market

potential, and synergy with existing Thermo Fisher

product lines. UAlbany owns the intellectual property

created in the projects and Thermo Fisher has the first

right to license inventions.

The Venture Fund presents an opportunity to create a

collaboration among life scientists and MBA students

that catalyzes the effective commercialization of RNA

science.

Creating a Culture of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

13

Facu

lty A

war

ds

and

Rec

ogni

tion

Nur

turin

g D

isco

very

and

Ent

rep

rene

ursh

ip

Patent and License Activity 20 —

15 —

10 —

5 —

0 —2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

■ Disclosures ■ Patent Applications ■ Patents Issued ■ Options & Licenses Executed

Mammography is a reliable tool for reducing breast cancer

mortality rates by providing early diagnosis. However,

conventional imaging techniques can miss carcinomas

and produce false positives. Some advanced research

techniques produce higher quality images, but typically

require synchrotron sources, which are large, expensive,

and not available for clinical use.

Carolyn MacDonald, professor and chair of the Depart-

ment of Physics and director of UAlbany’s Center for X-ray

Optics, devotes much of her research to the development

of X-ray technology and has patented inventions which

address both commercial and medical X-ray imaging.

Her Wide-Field, Coherent Scatter Imaging for improved

mammography, patented in 2010, would allow radiologists

to discriminate carcinoma from healthy tissue. This could

result in fewer breast biopsies, unnecessary patient trauma

and lower healthcare costs for patients and providers, and

fewer missed cancers in patients with dense breasts.

MacDonald’s 3-D Focusing X-Ray Imaging System,

patented in 2009 in collaboration with XOS, Inc., uses

clinical sources combined with an advanced optics system

to yield the higher contrast available from single energy

X-ray beams, previously possible only with synchrotrons.

Her new system works to remedy concerns in diagnostic

medicine concerning radiation dose, image contrast and

resolution, and cost.

Imp

rovi

ng M

amm

ogra

phy

Tec

hnol

ogy

Carolyn MacDonald

PH

OTO

BY

MA

RK

SC

HM

IDT

Technology Transfer and Commercialization

Patents Issued

Patent Number Issue Date UAlbany Inventors and Title____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7,776,794 8/17/10 Szaro, Ben; Castracane, James; Feng, Xiaojun — Novel biosensor

using living cells on silicon-based microarrays____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7,745,600 6/29/10 Wang, Sho-Ya — Screen for sodium channel modulators____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7,646,850 1/12/10 MacDonald, Carolyn — Wide field coherent scatter imaging for

radiography using a divergent beam____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7,618,836 11/17/09 Tokranova, Natalya; et al. — Hybrid solar cells based on nanostructures

bulk semiconductors and organic materials____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7,601,823 10/13/09 Niu, Li; et al. — Nucleic acid inhibitors of glutamate receptors

(with Cornell U.)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7,583,789 9/1/09 MacDonald, Carolyn; et al. (UAlbany and X-Ray Optical Systems)

— X-ray imaging systems employing point-focusing, curved

monochromating optics (with X-Ray Optical Systems)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7,527,997 5/5/09 Xu, Bai; et al. — MEMS structure with anodically bonded

silicon-on-insulator substrate____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7,521,252 4/21/09 Carpenter, Michael; Zhao, Zhouying — Methods of forming palladium

alloy thin films and optical hydrogen sensors employing palladium

alloy thin films____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7,508,858 3/24/09 Oktyabrsky, Serge et al. (UAlbany & Intel) — Detuned duo-cavity

laser-modulator device and method with detuning selected to

minimize change in reflectivity____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7,405,086 7/29/08 LaBella, Vincent et al. — Above room temperature

ferromagnetic silicon____________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Data Bank

University at Albany 2011 Total Expenditures by Sponsor Type (excludes College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering)

New York State 8%

Other 7%Federal 47%

Federal Flow Through 38%

Total Expenditures2008....................................... $89,437,820

2009....................................... $93,900,788

2010..................................... $103,252,474

2011..................................... $109,096,500

New York State 55%

Federal Flow Through 1%

Other 41%

Federal 3%

College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering 2011 Total Expenditures by Sponsor Type

Total Expenditures2008…................................. $107,688,331

2009…................................. $176,544,151

2010 …................................ $167,940,853

2011 ........ ............................ $228,314,475

College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering Facilities and Administrative Costs by Sponsor Type

University at Albany Facilities and Administrative Costs by Sponsor Type (excludes College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering )

10,000,000 —

8,000,000 —

6,000,000 —

4,000,000 —

2,000,000 —

0 —2008 2009 2010 2011

10,000,000 —

8,000,000 —

6,000,000 —

4,000,000 —

2,000,000 —

0 —2008 2009 2010 2011

■ Federal ■ Federal Flow Through ■ New York State ■ Other

■ Federal ■ Federal Flow Through ■ New York State ■ Other

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