ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 20, 1996 TAG: 9603200011
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-10 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: ALLISON BLAKE
Faculty inventions and discoveries last year earned Virginia Tech more than $1 million for the first time.
That was up from $626,295 in royalties for 1994, when 20 patents were recorded. In 1995, that number rose to 29 patents, according to surveys issued by the Association of University Technology Managers.
VTLS Inc., a private library software company that started as Virginia Tech Library Systems in 1985, has grossed the most money over the years, a university spokeswoman said. But throughout the university, scientists such as David G.I. Kingston are honing discoveries.
Kingston's research is on the anti-cancer compound taxol, derived from the rare Pacific Yew tree. He has obtained a patent along with colleague Jingyu Liang on a form of taxol. Kingston also worked with other colleagues to earn a patent for their method of converting cephalomannine, also a compound from the same yew tree, to taxol.
The boost in the patent portfolio of Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties Inc. "augers well for the continued growth in our licensing and commercialization effort, which for the first time last fiscal year, generated revenues in excess of $1 million," said Mike Martin, executive vice president of the Tech corporation.
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM/Staff. Vinod Chachra's VTLS Inc. has grossedby CNBthe most money over the years.