Nanotech devices for biology research, a new way to pasteurize milk, improvements in cellular phone systems and new strawberry varieties were among the 41 patents issued to 32 Cornell inventors during fiscal year 2005-06. They were honored Oct. 24 in a recognition ceremony presented by the Cornell Center for Technology, Enterprise and Commercialization (CCTEC) in Statler Ballroom B.

Jason Koski/University Photography

"Cornell has a long history of its faculty and staff inventing and receiving patents," said Richard Cahoon, acting executive director of CCTEC. "Since Ezra Cornell received U.S. Patent No. 3456 on his 'mole plow' for laying telegraph cable, Cornell inventors have received hundreds of patents in many different technical fields. CCTEC is currently working with inventors at Cornell on the transfer of patented inventions to the commercial sector through licensing, so inventors and Cornell will realize the transformation of their research advancements to market innovations for the public good."

In the five years ending with 2004, CCTEC and its predecessor, the Cornell Research Foundation (CRF), received 990 invention submissions from Cornell researchers, secured 912 U.S. patents, completed 373 license agreements and launched 36 startups. Between 1990 and 2004, net income from patent licensing was $26.2 million.

An event to recognize Weill inventors will take place in New York City Dec. 8.

The inventors recognized, with their departments and titles of their patents, were:

• Harold G. Craighead, Applied and Engineering Physics; Jonas Korlach, Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology; Michael Levene, Applied and Engineering Physics; Watt W. Webb, Applied and Engineering Physic; and Stephen W. Turner, Applied and Engineering Physics: Zero-Mode Clad Waveguides for Performing Spectroscopy with Confined Effective Observation Volumes.
• Harold G. Craighead, Applied and Engineering Physics; Jonas Korlach, Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology; Mathieu F. Foquet, Applied and Engineering Physics; Michael Levene, Applied and Engineering Physics; Stephen W. Turner, Applied and Engineering Physics; and Watt W. Webb, Applied and Engineering Physics: Method for Sequencing Nucleic Acid Molecules.
• Michael L. Shuler, Biomedical Engineering: Self-Priming Micropump.
• Albert J. Sievers, Physics: Miniaturized Holographic Fourier Transform Spectrometer with Digital Aberration.
• Nikolay I. Agladze, Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics: Miniaturized Holographic Fourier Transform Spectrometer with Digital Aberration.
• Ray J. Wu, Molecular Biology and Genetics: Method of Making Water Stress or Salt Stress Tolerant Transgenic Cereal Plants.
• Gregory T. Baxter, Biomedical Engineering; and Sandip Tiwari, Electrical and Computer Engineering: Electronic Gain Cell Based Charge Sensor.
• William A. Shaben, Plant Biology: Air Flow Monitoring and Control System with Reduced 0 Alarms.
• Brent M. Ledvina, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Mark L. Psiaki, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Paul M. Kintner, Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Steven P. Powell, Electrical and Computer Engineering: Real-Time Software Receiver.
• Geoffrey W. Coates, Chemistry and Chemical Biology; and Lewis Fetters, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Functionalized Poly(ethylene-co-syndiotactic propylene).
• Theodore G. Clark, Microbiology and Immunology: Diagnostic and Protective Antigen Gene Sequences of Ichthyophthirius.
• Dan Luo, Biological and Environmental Engineering: Controlled Nucleic Acid Delivery System.
• Zygmunt J. Haas, Electrical and Computer Engineering: Methods and Systems for Concurrent Paging of Mobile Users in Cellular Networks and Independent-Tree AdHoc Multicast Routing.
• Norman G. Ducharme, Clinical Sciences; and Richard P. Hackett, Clinical Sciences: Throat Support Device and Methods of Using Same.
• Steven Ealick, Chemistry and Chemical Biology: Mutant Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase Proteins and Cellular Delivery Thereof.
• Christopher R. Loss, Food Science; and Joseph H. Hotchkiss, Food Science: Carbon Dioxide as an Aid in Pasteurization.
• Steven V. Beer, Plant Pathology: Oomycete-Resistant Transgenic Plants.
• Edwin C. Kan, Electrical and Computer Engineering: Chemoreceptive Semiconductor Structure.
• Sandip Tiwari, Electrical and Computer Engineering: Scalable Nano-transistor and Memory Using Back-side Trapping.
• Courtney Weber, Horticultural Sciences; and Kevin E. Maloney, Horticultural Sciences: Strawberry Plants Named "L'Amour" and "Clancy."