Purdue officials report double-digit increases in research funding

Purdue officials report double-digit increases in research funding and the number of new companies created from Purdue technologies.

“In the past few years, our Office of Technology Commercialization has met or exceeded our Big Ten peer institutions' averages in technology commercialization when compared to our research expenditures.”

Richard O. Buckius, Purdue's vice president for research, reported a record $342.2 million in sponsored research programs for fiscal year 2008-09. That represents an 18 percent increase in federal support and a 2.2 percent increase in industry research support from the previous year.

Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO of Purdue Research Foundation, reported a 50 percent increase in new companies created from university technologies for calendar year 2008. The number of new startups created from Purdue technologies went from eight in 2007 to 12 in 2008.

"Purdue is one of the country's premier institutions for education and research, and it is critical that we continue to be a leader in discovery, developing new technologies and moving those technologies to the public," Buckius said.

Many of Purdue's research programs already align with areas of national and international need including:

• Life and health sciences
• Energy, environment, water and climate change
• Security, defense and space sciences
• Cyber/information technology
• Science, technology, engineering and mathematics education

"The discoveries have a real-world impact and have led to better ways to treat cancer, improve nutrition, create new fuel sources, fight terrorism, protect our food supply and more," Hornett said. "For example Cook Biotech, a Purdue Research Park-based company, has helped more than half a million people around the globe heal from traumatic wounds, whether they are children burned by a hot cup of coffee or soldiers serving in Iraq or Afghanistan."

The Purdue Research Foundation's Office of Technology Commercialization works with faculty and staff to patent and license Purdue's discoveries.

"We have a successful track record of moving our discoveries from the laboratory to the market, and it completes the cycle of 'Discovery with Delivery' in the university's strategic plan," Hornett said. "In the past few years, our Office of Technology Commercialization has met or exceeded our Big Ten peer institutions' averages in technology commercialization when compared to our research expenditures."

According to 2008 Big Ten data, for every $100 million of research expenditures, Purdue ranks first in invention disclosures, new patent applications, and number of license and option agreements.

Source: Purdue