Additional information can be found at the University of Kentucky's Intellectual Property web-site.

Examples of Patents Derived from KTRDC-supported Research
5850019  Promoter (FLt) for the full length transcript of peanut chlorotic streak caulimovirus (PCLSV) and expression of chimeric genes in plants. December 15, 1998, Indu B. Maiti and Robert J. Shepherd.

5994521  Full length transcript (FLt) promoter from figwort mosaic caulimovirus (FMV) and use to express chimeric genes in plant cells. November 30, 1999, Indu B. Maiti and Robert J. Shepherd.

6018106  Use of yeast poly (A) binding proteins and their genes for broad range protection of plants against bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens. January 25, 2000, Arthur G. Hunt, Qing-Shun Li, Jianjun Yang and Carol Von Lanken.

6337432  Materials and methods useful to affect growth and development of lepidoptera larvae. January 8, 2002, Douglas Lee Dahlman, Bruce Allen Webb and Indu Bhushan Maiti.

6342654  Use of HRMA Proteins and their genes for broad range protection of plants against bacterial fungal and viral pathogens. January 29, 2002, Qingshun Li, Songhai Shen, Arthur G. Hunt and Sheng Yang He.

6388170  Bidirectional promoters and methods related thereto. May 14, 2002, Susheng Gan, Mingtang Xie, and Yuehui He.

6420547  Use of the full length transcript (FLt) from mirabilis mosaic caulimovirus to express chimeric genes in plants. July 16, 2002, Indu Maiti, Nrisingha Dey and Robert Shepherd.

6476293 Use of bacterial acetate kinase and their genes for protection of plants against different pathogens. November 5, 2002, Arthur G. Hunt, Glenn B. Collins, Christopher Lawrence, Qingshun Li and Santanu Dasgupta.

6730826 Plant trichome gland specific gene promoter. May 4, 2004. George Wagner, Susheng Gan, and Erming Wang.

6730826 Methods to identify plant metabolites. January 24, 2006. Deane L. Falcone and John M. Littleton.

Commercialization
KTRDC (and formerly THRI) research has begun to generate commercial activity in the form of start-up companies.

Naprogenix commercializes a plant functional genomics platform technology developed by Drs. Deane Falcone and John Littleton.

Yaupon Therapeutics Inc. is a plant natural products pharmaceuticals company deriving from research conducted by Drs. Linda Dwoskin and Peter Crooks of the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy (U.S. Patents 5830904 and 5776957). This research was supported in part by the KTRDC program (formerly THRI).

Phyllotech, founded by Drs. George Wagner and Ryan Shepherd, will develop new natural fungicides based on leaf-surface secretions.

Paratechs, is exploring novel insect-control strateies for crops, developed by Dr. Bruce Webb with assistance from KTRDC.

Technology Under Development
Use of Modified Mammalian Receptor Proteins in Genetically Engineered Plant Cells to Enable in Situ Detection of Plant Natural Products.

Methods to accelerate the discovery of new "natural products" in plants and to increase their production.

System for simultaneous expression of multiple genes driven by a single promoter.

Novel technology for efficient extraction of protein products from plants making PMPs.

New tobacco varieties and associated production systems optimized for economical, efficient production of PMPs and other proteins.

Strategies for improved disease-resistance and insect-resistance in plants.

New strategies for weed control (herbicides and herbicide tolerance) and stress tolerance in plants.