CARBONDALE - The business world's portfolio is similar to a college professor's vitae, a student's transcript or a working professional's resume.

And for Southern Illinois University's Office of Research Development and Administration, the department's portfolio is growing rapidly.

"We've filed all these patents. We've built up a nice portfolio," said Jeff Myers, a senior license specialist with the department.

Myers spoke from the road Thursday where he had approached a large company about licensing a SIUC professor's research that's been filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

He could not divulge details about the patent but said it holds good possibilities for Southern Illinois University Carbondale, if a contract is negotiated with a standard royalty rate for the university.

Last month, SIU finalized a contract with a Houston-based medical device-maker Cyberonics, which acquired exclusive rights to three patents from SIU researchers pertaining to stroke and brain injury nerve stimulation.

Senior Associate Jeff McLellan of SIU's general counsel office said the standard royalty rate included in the Cyberonics contract is 1.25 percent for SIU. The minimum annual payment based on that rate is $10,000. But, if the Cyberonics devices containing the patented SIU material take off in the commercial market, the payments for the university could soar into millions of dollars.

"We'll see how they do," McLellan said, noting SIU will be protected up to $2 million if Cyberonics relicenses their devices with another researcher or entity.

Myers said SIUC research and development officials will approve about 20 inventions or research projects a year to be filed with the federal patent office.

SIU has 50 patents pending for approval or disapproval.

"The government will carefully review your application and look at what's already in the public domain," Myers said. "They will also look at novelty and utility or how it can be of use to society."

Getting patents for research provides a sense of security and relief for the researchers and professors.

"When you don't patent your discoveries, companies can do so, and it really kills research if what you have been working with now belongs to someone else," said SIUC biotechnologist David Lightfoot.

"It's very difficult to get grant money to pay for the research expenses," said Lightfoot, who recently had more of his soybean research patented.

scott.fitzgerald@thesouthern.com

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