MARYLAND

INDUSTRIAL
PARTNERSHIPS

Celebrating 25 Years of Impact in the State of Maryland

MIPS 25th Anniversary Commemorative Collection

Creating Partners in Innovation
MIPS 25th Anniversary Commemorative Collection
Creating Partners in Innovation

MARYLAND
INDUSTRIAL
PARTNERSHIPS

Celebrating 25 Years of Impact in the State of Maryland

MIPS 25th Anniversary Commemorative Collection
Creating Partners in Innovation

Copyright © 2012 Maryland Technology Enterprise Insitute (Mtech)

A. James Clark School of Engineering

University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
www.mtech.umd.edu

ISBN 978-0-9884803-0-8
 Dedication
This book is dedicated to Dr. Herbert A.
Rabin and Dr. David F. Barbe, whose vision
and perseverance helped create and
sustain the Maryland Technology Enterprise
Institute (Mtech) and the Maryland Industrial
Partnerships (MIPS) Program.

©2012 Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech), A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland
 Foreword
Martin O’Malley, Governor, State of Maryland

The global challenges of our time—climate change, terrorism, scarce resources,
energy security, and healthcare—are driving a new wave of job-creating innovation
in education, technology and life sciences; all sectors for which Maryland has a strong
competitive advantage.
Therefore, the Maryland Industrial Partnerships, or MIPS, is critically important to
Maryland’s ability to create jobs, expand opportunity, and make our children winners
in the changing global economy.
is all happening while investing in our educational system, as every bit of MIPS funding
goes to participating Maryland universities.
To sustain job creation over the long term, a modern economy needs an engine that
continually drives advances in education and innovation. MIPS is one of those engines,
we need it now more than ever.
Congratulations to MIPS for the advances it has supported for 25 years.

Take a survey of the top technology companies in Maryland—Lockheed Martin,

Northrop Grumman, MedImmune, Martek, Digene, Black & Decker, Under Armour,
and Hughes Network Systems, to name a few. Most have been touched by MIPS while
developing products to improve our lives, protect us, serve us, sell products from
Maryland and create jobs.
Martin O’Malley
Nearly eight out of ten companies receiving MIPS grants are startups or small Governor
companies, creating a wellspring of new technologies and revenue. State of Maryland

This book illustrates the broad reach of one of our State’s most successful initiatives for
fueling innovation-driven economic growth.

Over the past 25 years, more than 500 companies have utilized MIPS funding. They’ve
sold more than $24 billion in products and created thousands of jobs in Maryland.

Of almost equal importance, MIPS grants are for university-company partnerships,

which means that not only are we connecting our top companies with our best
researchers, we are also literally training students to develop our future products. This

1
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 Foreword
William E. Kirwan, Chancellor, University System of Maryland

Twenty-five years ago Dr. David Barbe, now Director of the University of Maryland’s
Technology Enterprise Institute, put forward a vision of a new program that would
leverage the resources of Maryland’s public universities to serve the future of the
state’s economy by bringing faculty and students into collaboration with Maryland
companies to develop new products and processes. As the then-president of the
University of Maryland College Park, I was delighted to help this vision become a
reality as the Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program. From the beginning,
the primary mission of MIPS has been to create the technology products that generate
good jobs in our state, and MIPS has enabled the University System of Maryland (USM)
to do just that.
MIPS has blazed the trail in showing how effectively a relatively modest government-
funded program can help us innovate our way to success. In the intervening twenty-
five years, Maryland companies have sold over $24 billion worth of products enabled
by MIPS projects, highlighting the MIPS program’s ability to create thousands of good
jobs in our state. A new economic impact study by the Jacob France Institute of the
University of Baltimore shows that those MIPS products and the jobs they support
contribute $87 million each year in Maryland state taxes and another $70 million in
county taxes. This impact is accomplished with a budget that is currently less than $2
million per year, representing a substantial financial return to the State.
The payoff from MIPS takes many other forms as well. Good paying jobs support
the high quality of life that defines Maryland and strengthens our communities. In
addition, the innovative products developed through MIPS make our state healthier
and more productive, as the pages of this book attest.
member. This academic-industrial partnership in and of itself helps ensure both the
business viability of the idea and its technical feasibility.
Both the company and faculty member have incentives to participate and succeed. For
the company, there is access to world-class expertise and facilities, in addition to an
obvious financial incentive—funds for new, innovative product development. Faculty
members get financial support for commercially directed R&D and their students have
the opportunity to solve real world-problems in an entrepreneurial environment.
This is the MIPS formula for success in innovating our way to the future. We take great
pride in the Maryland companies that have brought innovative products to market by
accessing the expertise of the creative faculty of Maryland’s public universities. I have
no doubt that the MIPS program will see continued success in the future, providing
even more economic growth and prosperity for Maryland.
William E. “Brit” Kirwan
Chancellor
University System of Maryland

How has MIPS attained this remarkable success? The secret lies in the very structure
of the program. There must be a collaboration between a company and a faculty

3
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 A Remarkable Record of Success
The MIPS Economic Impact Study

We are very pleased to announce the recently completed economic impact study of
the MIPS program: “An Analysis of the Impacts of MIPS Program Spending and the
Commercialization of MIPS Funded Projects on the State of Maryland,” prepared by
Dr. Richard Clinch, Director of Economic Research at the Jacob France Institute of
the University of Baltimore. Dr. Clinch and his team analyzed the effects of the MIPS
program on Maryland’s economy and the return on the investment in MIPS to the
state treasury. Some highlights of the 16-page report include:
• MIPS lifetime spending of $37.0 million assisted in catalyzing the development
and commercialization of technologies that have attracted $884.2 million in
additional grant, debt, equity, and venture capital funding into Maryland.
• Several MIPS supported companies have been acquired over the past few
years and the acquisition cost of these companies has totaled over $18.0 billion
dollars.

• Research conducted by the MIPS program has found that MIPS supported Overall, the Jacob France Institute’s report paints a picture of a program that
technologies have generated $24.6 billion in cumulative sales over the past 25 continues to make a significant contribution to the Maryland economy.
years.

• Technology developed and commercialized in collaboration with the MIPS

program over its 25 year history generated over $3 billion in product sales
and supported 3,615 ongoing jobs in Maryland in calendar 2011 alone. When
the multiplier-based economic impacts associated with this activity are
included, the economic impacts associated with the production and sale of
these commercialized technologies total $4.8 billion in economic activity in
Maryland, supporting 15,191 jobs earning $1.1 billion in labor income during
2011.

• The economic impacts associated with MIPS supported technology generated

an estimated $87.3 million in state tax revenues in the year 2011 alone. These
estimated one-year 2011 state tax revenues significantly exceed the $37
million lifetime costs of the MIPS program. An estimated $70.6 million in local
government revenues was also generated by MIPS supported technologies in
2011.

5
MIPS Projects Around the State of Maryland
Distribution of companies participating in MIPS projects around the state

Industries
Aerospace Engineering/R&D
AG/AQ/FOOD Manufacturing
Bioscience Medical
Map created by BNIA-JFI

Communications Software
Energy/Environment Other

6
Lockheed Martin
Stable photochromic compounds, shape memory alloys, and
coupled cavity lasers
Project Manager: Various; Principal Investigator: R. S. Hosmane, J. Baras, Y. J. Chen, UMBC, UMD
Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 2/1/1990

Business Description
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a
global security and aerospace company that employs
about 120,000 people worldwide and is principally
engaged in the research, design, development,
manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced
technology systems, products and services. The
corporation’s net sales for 2011 were $46.5 billion.

Challenge
Lockheed sought help from MIPS-supported researchers
to increase the stability of photochromic compounds, to
improve the quality assessment of shape memory alloys,
and to gain a better understanding of the operation of
coupled cavity lasers. Lockheed and Martin Marietta merged
in 1995.
MIPS Role
In the photochromic compound project, the university Interesting Fact
researchers fabricated samples of the materials and Lockheed and MIPS have collaborated on a total of eleven
performed chemical characterization of them. This research projects.
was published in a major scientific journal. For the shape
memory alloy project, university researchers developed
a prototype smart tool post for machine tools that can
self-tune to compensate for vibration during the cutting
process, resulting in a much smoother cut. In the laser
project, the university team designed and developed
a coupled cavity diode laser, which led to an improved
understanding of this type of laser.
7
8
 Hughes Network Systems
Broadband Internet applications over satellite
Project Manager: Roderick J. Ragland; Principal Investigator: John Baras, UMD
Location: Germantown, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 3/1/1993
Business Description
Hughes Network Systems LLC (Hughes) is the world’s
leading provider of satellite broadband for home and
office, delivering innovative network technologies,
managed services, and solutions for enterprises and
governments globally. HughesNet® is the #1 high-
speed satellite Internet service in the marketplace, with
offerings to suit every budget. To date, Hughes has
shipped more than 2.8 million systems to customers in
over 100 countries, representing over 50 percent market
share. Its products employ global standards approved
by the TIA, ETSI and ITU organizations, including IPoS/
DVB-S2, RSM-A, and GMR-1.
Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in
Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales
and support offices worldwide, and is a wholly owned
subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS),
a premier global provider of satellite operations and
digital TV solutions.
Challenge
Hughes was developing a service to provide Internet to
consumers and businesses via satellite but needed to develop
a communications protocol for delivering data via satellite.
9
MIPS Role In 1997, Hughes launched DirecPC (now
Former electrical engineering graduate student Aaron
called HughesNet), the first consumer
Falk worked with Baras and Hughes’ Doug Dillion to
turn conventional wisdom on its head and develop product/service to offer Internet access via
asymmetric Internet protocols—that send data to satellite.
the satellite at one speed, and down to a modem at
another—for use over satellite. Prevailing theory at the
time held that long latency would make this impossible.
As of December 31, 2011, HughesNet had
approximately 626,000 customers.
Results
The protocols developed by Baras and Hughes are
A recent COMSYS Report on the VSAT (very
now called TIA-1008, a standard adopted intact by the
European Telecommunications Standards Institute. small aperture terminal) business credits
Hughes with 49.8 percent market share in the
Over 30 papers were published as a result of the MIPS global enterprise terminal market, double its
work with Hughes, according to Baras. Hughes has
conducted a total of 15 MIPS projects with the university.
nearest competitor.
Falk went on to chair the Internet Research Task Force, In the North American consumer market, the
which promotes research of importance to the evolution
report shows Hughes with a 48.4 percent
of the future Internet. He has chaired the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF)’s working groups on share, almost 12 percent more than its
TCP over Satellite, Performance Implications of Link nearest competitor, and notes that its satellite
Characteristics, and Datagram Congestion Control Internet subscriber base is steadily expanding
Protocol.
while that of competitors has stalled.
“Over time, we’ve probably
generated within the state of
Maryland, a large share of our
revenue—$1.5 billion a year, with a
total of close to $15 billion. About $5 billion
of that can be directly credited to the work
done through MIPS. We employ 1,500 people here in
the state. Most of them are working on businesses related to
this technology. MIPS helped develop not just a new product, but a new industry.”
– John Kenyon, Senior Vice President for Engineering, Hughes 10
 20/20 GeneSystems
Powder screening test kit for first responders
Project Manager: Liz Marcus; Principal Investigator: Norman Hansen, UMD
Location: Rockville, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/2/2004
Business Description
20/20 GeneSystems (‘20/20’) was founded in May, 2000,
to develop and promote an innovative proteomics
product line that provides drug companies, biodefense
specialists and life scientists with new tools for protein
analysis. The company’s headquarters are in the heart
of the biotechnology corridor in Rockville, Md., in close
proximity to the National Institutes of Health with which
the company has extensive collaborations.
Challenge
20/20 was developing the BioCheck® Suspicious Powder
Screening Kit, which provides a cost-effective, reliable
screening tool to quickly and easily determine whether a
powder contains biological material in order to rule out
many of the substances that cause powder incidents (e.g.
talcum powder, dry wall dust, powdered sugar, etc.). The
company needed researchers to improve, optimize, and
test the effectiveness of the product.
11
MIPS Role
Hansen had a deep background in relevant biochemistry
and had previously invented chemical agents to
kill anthrax spores, so he was quite expert in the
environment in which the test kits would be employed.
He made specific recommendations on improvements
to and the optimization of BioCheck®, and ran many tests
demonstrating its efficacy compared to generic protein
tests.
Results
20/20 GeneSystems has formed a separate division,
20/20 BioResponse, to produce, market and sell
BioCheck®. In 2010, Smiths Detection began distributing
the product worldwide.
“Dr. Hansen and MIPS were essential to
the success of this product, which has
become an international gold standard
for suspicious powder screening. Over
the past seven years, thousands of
government and commercial places
of businesses have been able to safely
and promptly resume operations
following suspicious powder incidents
through the use of this product by
first responders. BioCheck® has likely
saved hundreds of millions of dollars in
economic waste while creating many
new jobs in Maryland.”
– Jonathan Cohen, President and CEO,
20/20 BioResponse
12
 A&G Pharmaceutical
Breast cancer theranostic biomarker
Project Manager: Ginette Serrero, Ph.D.; Principal Investigator: Katherine Tkaczuk, M.D., UMB
Location: Columbia, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2008
Business Description
A&G Pharmaceutical discovers, develops, and
commercializes innovative personalized medicine products
that improve the screening, monitoring, and targeted
treatment of cancer and other human diseases. Ginette
Serrero, CEO and co-founder of A&G, has discovered and
patented (over 130 patents filed worldwide, >40 issued
patents) its unique and novel biomarker, called GP88, and
also known as progranulin. This protein is produced and
required by cancer cells and enables them to proliferate
and survive. GP88 is not produced by normal cells, thus
GP88 is identified as a novel biomarker target for diagnostic
and therapeutic product development. A&G is developing
diagnostic tissue and serum test kits based on GP88 that
will improve the early detection, diagnosis, and monitoring
of breast cancer. One of the diagnostic products—a test
kit validated for assessing GP88 in tumor biopsies—will
also serve as a companion diagnostic to anti-GP88
immunotherapy. Both the tissue and serum tests have
been validated at the University of Maryland Greenebaum
Cancer Center and supported by grants from MIPS and
the National Cancer Institute Small Business Innovation
Research (SBIR) program.
Precision Antibody™, A&G’s wholly owned, highly
automated service unit, generates revenue to fund the drug
development effort by providing customized antibodies to
leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as
well as federal laboratories, and is recognized worldwide as
a provider of high-quality, antibody-based products.
13
Challenge
Ginette Serrero demonstrated that GP88 had the
potential to be a biomarker for breast cancer, as
increasing GP88 serum levels positively correlated with Pictured, left to right: Jun Hayashi, Co-Founder and VP of Research &
Development; Ginette Serrero, Co-Founder and CEO; and Michael Keefe,
advancing disease. This initial observation needed
Chief Operating Officer, A&G Pharmaceutical
clinical validation in breast cancer patients.
“The MIPS program has been detect the disease and to monitor response to therapy
disease progression and recurrence in breast cancer
instrumental to the GP88 blood test. It’s patients.
helped the company tremendously.”
In 2010, A&G Pharmaceutical received a $1.2 million
– Michael Keefe, COO, A&G
Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant
from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for the program
MIPS Role
“Novel Targeted Therapy for Breast Cancer,” focused on
Dr. Kate Tkaczuk, from the University of Maryland
the development of a neutralizing therapeutic antibody
Greenebaum Cancer Center (GCC), performed a clinical
against a novel cancer-associated protein, GP88. A&G has
study with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients
since raised $12 million in equity capital.
stages 1 to 4. The two objectives of the study were to
determine if: serum GP88 could be used to detect breast
OncoStain 88 is currently in use as a tissue-based
cancer by measuring GP88 serum and tissue levels at the
diagnostic test to predict the risk of recurrence in early
time of diagnosis; and GP88 serum levels could be used
stage breast cancer patients.
to follow the therapy response and progression of the
disease in stage 4 patients undergoing therapy. GP88
Dr. Ginette Serrero is a UMB professor who left her
assays were conducted at A&G.
academic position to start A&G and commercialize
her discovery of GP88. She is looking forward to the
Results
culmination of her work, which could result in a robust
Correlations of GP88 serum levels with clinical
and accurate blood test for the early detection of breast
parameters such as stage, therapy response and survival,
cancer.
established the clinical utility of the GP88 serum assay to
“I can see the benefits and the
strengths of having Maryland
companies working with University of
Maryland faculty. The MIPS program
was very useful and powerful in
getting it [GP88] to the next level.”
– Dr. Ginette Serrero,
CEO, A&G Pharmaceutical
14
 Advanced Digital Forensic Solutions
Image classification technology for forensic triage

Project Manager: Raphael Bousquet; Principal Investigator: David Doermann, UMD

Location: Bethesda, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2007

“The MIPS project was a success in that
it provided us with a state of the art
image analysis technology, which was
primarily aimed at our law enforcement
users.”
– J.J. Wallia, CEO,
Advanced Digital Forensic Solutions, Inc.
Business Description
ADF Solutions is the market leader in media exploitation
and cyber forensic triage tools used for scanning
computers and peripheral devices. These easy-to-use
tools rapidly extract actionable intelligence to help
identify and capture suspects who are a threat to public
safety or national security, and accelerate prosecution of
criminals. These proven tools are actively used by field
operatives in defense, intelligence, law enforcement,
border security, and other government agencies
worldwide.
Challenge
ADF sought technologies that could identify
incriminating data faster and more accurately.
During the MIPS project, researchers collaborated with
ADF to perfect one image classification technology and
integrated several iterations into the company’s tools.
The resulting image classification technology provided
ADF with a whole new way to quickly identify
incriminating data by classifying suspect pictures into
categories of interests, saving agents time by not having
to review every single picture.
Results
The project successfully produced an advanced image
analysis technology.

MIPS Role
UMD researchers were already working on advanced
image classification technologies that were deemed a
perfect fit for ADF’s tools.

15
16
 AHPharma Food Safety Products
Radiant floor heating and LED lighting for poultry houses
Project Manager: James L. McNaughton, Ph.D.; Principal Investigator: Jeannine Harter-Dennis, Ph.D., UMES
Location: Salisbury, Maryland - Wicomico County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2012, 4/20/2010, 8/1/2008
“MIPS has provided funding necessary
to help move needed technology from
concept to market.”
– James McNaughton, President and CEO,
AHPharma
17
Business Description “MIPS funding has already had a
AHPharma Food Safety Products Inc. is an agricultural
product development company dedicated to improving
positive impact on job growth in the
animal and human health in chicken-rearing work state of Maryland, and expectations are
areas, improving agriculture-product food safety and
improving energy conservation throughout agriculture,
that it will continue to do so.”
resulting in profitability to the poultry industry and – James McNaughton, President and CEO
reducing its environmental impact.
Challenge The Radiant & Manure Burning Heat System, (funded by
The poultry industry is in a transition from an energy-
MIPS-DNR), provided an efficiently engineered, cost-
inefficient industry to an environmentally-friendly
effective prototype that the poultry industry will be able
and responsible industry. AHPharma’s activities are
to employ within the normal grow-out system, without
responding to that need.
disruption to normal BMPs (best management practices).
The system is being reviewed by national environmental
MIPS Role agencies as a method of improving animal welfare,
Dr. Harter-Dennis tested the effects of AHPharma’s LED
human-worker welfare, grower profitability and
lighting system on the growth of poultry.
significant improvements in atmospheric NH3 releases
from chicken-rearing houses.
Results
AHPharma’s AviLighting™ LED lighting system has made
an important entry into the turkey-rearing industry.
LED lights appear to save more than 75 percent of the
previously-employed lighting energy, while providing
a biological means of calming the normally nervous
breed of fowl, helping birds to conserve feed energy for
growth potential. This product line has resulted in over
$2.5M in sales for AHPharma.
 “AHPharma has been impressed
with the professionalism of the MIPS
technical personnel, as well as with
the university specialists, in assisting us
in the commercialization of this new
technology.”
– James McNaughton, President and CEO,
AHPharma

“MIPS provides an avenue for the poultry industry to get on a path of sustainable
agriculture, produce energy savings that result in quick payback and significant
grower profits, provide technology needed to meet EPA regulations to have a
positive impact on Chesapeake Bay Restoration, and providing a much needed
boost in the Maryland jobs market, not only in the manufacturing of new technology
systems, but in the marketing, installation, and maintenance of these systems as well.”
– James McNaughton, President and CEO, AHPharma
18
 Alertus Technologies
Emergency alert messaging system
Project Manager: Jason Volk; Principal Investigator: Steven Tretter, UMD
Location: Beltsville, Maryland - Prince George’s County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2002
Business Description
Alertus Technologies has a decade of experience in
developing emergency alert systems for campuses
and large-area, high-occupancy facilities. The Alertus
Emergency Notification System is designed to cost-
effectively retrofit in-building spaces through innovative
technologies such as the Alert Beacon®, while leveraging
and integrating existing facility infrastructure and IT
assets. The outcome is a single, integrated “easy button”
alerting capability to ensure timely, consistent notifications
to everyone enterprise-wide. Alertus is recognized
worldwide for its unparalleled reliability, affordability, and
interoperability. The company’s clients can attest to the
reliability of the Alertus solution, having activated the
system during real emergencies and threats to save lives,
protect property, and maintain continuity of operations.
Challenge
In 2001, a tornado ripped through the University of
Maryland, tragically killing two students and injuring
others. Unfortunately, like most campuses, the
buildings did not have a public address system. Alertus
Technologies was founded by a university student, Jason
Volk (’03, MBA ’05), then 19 years old, with an innovative
idea for equipping campuses with prominently placed,
wall-mounted, audible-visual notification appliances
using a reliable, cost-effective transmission medium,
FM radio data subcarriers. To put the idea into practice,
19
the technology would need to be optimized and
prototyped.
MIPS Role
Through MIPS, Alertus Technologies completed a
prototype of the company’s Alert Beacon® and validated
the system’s radio subcarrier technology.
Results
Alertus Technologies now has 20 employees, multi-
million dollar revenue, and a continually expanding
product line. The company has hundreds of customers,
including the U.S. Capitol and other government
facilities, universities and schools, medical centers,
military bases, and commercial facilities. Alertus’
products are distributed by Honeywell Fire Systems and
serve as a receiving device for WeatherBug’s lightning
detection stations in school systems and airports
across the country. Alertus Technologies has developed
additional products related to its Alert Beacon®,
including a text-to-speech interface for public address
(PA) systems, digital signage override software, Alertus
Desktop for computer networks, cable TV override, LED
marquees, VOIP alerts, and a fire alarm interface.
Interesting Facts
Alertus Technologies was the first student-formed
company to receive MIPS funding. Just as the company’s
MIPS project ended, Alertus received funding from an
NCIIA grant, business plan competitions, and TEDCO
grants to bring the invention to market.
Several key member’s of Alertus’ team were participants
of the university’s Hinman CEOs Program, the nation’s
first undergraduate living-learning entrepreneurship
initiative. Blake Robertson, CTO, connected with Jason in
2003 while both were in Hinman.
FEMA partnered with Alertus during the past few years
on its initiative to create a next-generation national
Integrated Public Alert Warning System. Alertus was
awarded a contract for the study and testing of its radio
subcarrier technology and has assisted in other areas
such as alerting individuals with disabilities.
“MIPS funding was pivotal. It enabled us to
validate the invention’s commercialization
potential and get onto the path to our first
customers. Without MIPS, we would not
have been able to get our first product
out the door and land those first few key
customers.”
– Jason Volk, CEO, Alertus Technologies
Alertus Technologies’ wall-
mounted Alert Beacon® captures
the attention of building
occupants with flashing strobes
and a sounder, and notifies
what the emergency is and
how to respond. The units are
typically mounted in lobbies
and prominent areas as a cost
effective solution to equip multi-
building facilities with reliable
emergency notification in the
absence of a conventional public
address system. Alert Beacons®
are today installed in hundreds
of campuses and other facilities.

20
 American Dynamics Flight Systems
Vertical take off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle
Project Manager: Paul Vasilescu; Principal Investigator: Jewel Barlow, UMD
Location: Jessup, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2010
ADFS has also developed a proprietary
tool that sits between computational
flight dynamics and computer-
automated design software that
automatically creates the most
aerodynamic shape for a particular
application.
21
Business Description
American Dynamics Flight Systems is an advanced
technology development company focused on the
development of innovative aerospace and defense
systems and technologies. The company’s vision is to
develop and field the most capable VTOL unmanned
aircraft systems (UAS). ADFS designs, develops,
manufactures, operates, and maintains revolutionary
unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including the
AD-150. The company is also developing a series of
aerodynamically optimized launchers for the Hydra 70
and APKWS weapon systems.
Challenge
ADFS is developing an unmanned aerial vehicle that
takes off vertically and shifts mid-air to horizontal
flight. Called the AD-150, the aircraft is one of the few
unmanned vehicles that can take off vertically and travel
like an airplane at speeds of the Osprey (about 240 miles
per hour). It can carry weaponry, an array of sensors or
wounded soldiers with its 1,000-pound payload.
The AD-150 is being developed for emerging U.S. Navy
and U.S. Marine Corps requirements for high-speed,
vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft
systems.
During two MIPS projects, the company sought to create
a flight dynamics model for the aircraft, as well as test
the vehicle’s propulsion system.
MIPS Role
ADFS conducted extensive, successful testing of both
a model of the aircraft and its propulsion system in the
Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel during two different MIPS
projects.
Results
ADFS was awarded four government contracts for
$680,000, acquired contracts with non-defense
companies, and increased market awareness by teaming
with contractors for a tier-one defense contract.
“MIPS allowed us to push our technology forward,
and we wouldn’t be anywhere near the maturity
of our technology if it wasn’t for MIPS.”
– Wayne Morse, President and CEO,
American Dynamics Flight Systems

22
 Amplimmune
Testing cancer therapeutic AMP-224 for enhanced immune response

Project Manager: Sol Langermann; Principal Investigator: Dean Mann, UMB

Location: Rockville, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2009

Amplimmune was founded by Johns

Hopkins University School of Medicine
Professors, Dr. Drew Pardoll from the
department of oncology and director of
the cancer immunology program, and
Dr. Lieping Chen, from the department
of dermatology/oncology and the
director of dermatology research. The
CEO, Michael Richman, has more than
24 years of experience in research, IP
and business development capacities in
companies such as Chiron Corporation
(now Novartis), MedImmune (now
Astra Zeneca), and most recently with
MacroGenics.
Business Description
Amplimmune is a product-driven company that is
developing immune-based biologics to treat patients
in the areas of cancer, autoimmunity, transplantation
and infectious diseases. In May, 2007, the company
raised $20 million in a Series A financing and moved
into a 16,000 square-foot R&D facility in Rockville, Md.
The company is a venture-capital backed company with
sufficient cash commitments to take AMP-224 through
GMP manufacturing and the completion of Phase 1
clinical trials.
Challenge
Amplimmune needed to determine if its lead drug
candidate, AMP-224, enhances the immune response in
vivo and in vitro.
MIPS Role
Amplimmune worked with Dr. Dean Mann, Professor
of pathology, microbiology and immunology from the
University of Maryland, Baltimore to bridge the gap
between mouse model studies and human clinical
trials for their lead drug candidate to see if it enhances
immune responses. The methods developed in this
collaboration are useful in testing the activity of AMP-
224 for product release, and in determining whether
patients are responding to AMP-224 treatment.
Results
In August, 2010, Amplimmune and GlaxoSmithKline
entered into a partnership and global strategic
collaboration on the AMP-224 program in a deal
generating $23M in upfront payments and worth
potentially $485M if successfully commercialized.

23
24
 AnthroTronix
Robot toolkit for rehabilitation
Project Manager: Corinna Lathan; Principal Investigator: Catherine Plaisant and Allison Druin, UMD
Location: Silver Spring, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2001
Business Description
AnthroTronix is a research and development (R&D) firm
specializing in the development of advanced interface
technology, product development for wearable
computing and robotic control systems, and design,
development, and testing of simulation tools for training
applications. The company supplies its R&D services
and advanced product development to commercial and
government customers.
AnthroTronix was founded in July, 1999, by Corinna
Lathan and Jack Maxwell Vice. In January, 2005,
AnthroTronix launched a new brand, AT KidSystems Inc.,
25
which manufactures, markets, and distributes products
emerging from AnthroTronix R&D projects.
Challenge
AnthroTronix wanted to integrate its expertise in
gestural interfaces, which the company had been
developing for video games, with the UMD Human
Computer Interaction Laboratory’s storytelling robot to
create a new robot for pediatric rehabilitation.
MIPS Role
AnthroTronix and HCIL staff jointly developed JesterBot, a
therapeutic tool for children with speech, learning or physical
disabilities. Through the product, wireless sensors were
placed on a child’s body. JesterBot could then mimic a child’s
movements. The idea was to make physical therapy fun.
Results
The MIPS research resulted in a patent, which
AnthroTronix licensed from the University of Maryland.
The next generation of JesterBot became CosmoBot,
a robot that interacts with children with and without
disabilities to promote educational and therapeutic
activities. The current version, CosmoBot V3, was tested
in a research study at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.,
and was used in physical therapy with children with
disabilities through an NIH-funded project. CosmoBot
has been tested with children with a range of abilities,
In 2010, Lathan was named one of “The 100 Most Creative People in
Business” by Fast Company. Her work with children with disabilities and
robotics has been featured in Forbes, Time, and the New Yorker. It has also
led to distinctions such as Maryland’s “Top Innovator of the Year” and MIT
Technology Review Magazine’s “Top 100 World Innovators.” Lathan was
named a Technology Pioneer and a Young Global Leader by the World
Economic Forum and is currently on their Global Agenda Council for
Robotics and Smart devices. She delivered a talk titled “Innovation, Empathy,
and the Future of Human-Machine” at TEDxSwarthmore in May, 2012.
including those with autism spectrum disorders,
Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, neurodevelopmental
disorders, and language developmental disorders.
Funding sources have included the National Science
Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and
Department of Education.
The CosmoBot character is also part of an assistive
technology product developed by AnthroTronix, Cosmo’s
Learning Systems, that includes the Mission Control input
device and accompanying educational software.
AnthroTronix now employs 15 people and has generated
over $20 million in revenues from research awards and
contracts, from Lockheed Martin, the National Institutes
of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of
Education, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency,
U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and NASA among others.
“MIPS provided us with a great opportunity
to work with cutting-edge researchers and
was core to our ability to develop products
for kids with disabilities.”
– Corinna Lathan
Board Chair and CEO, AnthroTronix

26
 Automated Precision
Algorithms and software for 3D inspection system
Project Manager: Kam Lau; Principal Investigator: Satyandra K. Gupta, UMD
Location: Rockville, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2005
Business Description
For 25 years Automated Precision, Inc. (API) has been
creating advanced metrology solutions for the world’s
leading companies. API offers a unique mix of innovative
engineering capability, superior product quality, and
outstanding customer service to improve businesses.
The API team can significantly improve the quality of
products and processes. Not only do their experts enhance
a company’s ability to perform inspections, but they also
enhance the capability of the machines producing parts.
API shows companies new ways of increasing productivity,
reducing scrap, enhancing machine accuracy, and
improving inspection efficiency.
Challenge
API sought to develop algorithms and software for
3D inspection using point cloud data after being
approached by an automobile manufacturer to solve a
part-scanning problem.
MIPS Role
UMD researchers helped develop the core of API’s
RapidScan technology, which scans but does not touch
products. Instead, it takes images using a digital camera
and creates 3D computer models from those images.
27
The images are taken while specialized light patterns
are being projected on the object using a computer
projector. Images and light patterns are analyzed
together through a new algorithm developed by Dr.
Gupta and Tao Peng, a Ph.D. student in the department
of mechanical engineering. The 3D models are then
examined against specifications for a particular product.
Systems using single light patterns are also used today,
but with limitations. If parts have holes or discontinuities,
they can fail.
“We thought, ‘why limit yourself to one light pattern’?”
said Gupta. “By using multiple patterns, we can
accurately analyze holes and discontinuities in
surfaces—within seconds.”
Results
The project enabled API to further develop and
expand the market for its family of laser 3D coordinate
measuring machines. The company has added 72 jobs
and annual revenues of $29M.
MIPS-Related Quotes
“One out of every 200 automobiles might be sampled
on a car production line,” said Aaron Sabino, Product
Manager for API. “It can take 12-18 hours to inspect a
vehicle. Hundreds of cars can go through during this
time.”
API connected with the
university after Peng
interned at the company.
API was approached by an
automobile manufacturer
to solve a part-scanning
problem.

28
 AviHome
Plenum floor ventilation for poultry houses
Project Manager: Felipe Correa; Principal Investigator: Jeannine Harter-Dennis, UMES
Location: Salisbury, Maryland - Wicomico County; Project Start Date: 2/2/2009
Business Description
AviHome is a Maryland Eastern Shore-based company
at the forefront of poultry housing technology.
Through partnerships and grant support from various
organizations, AviHome has developed a flooring system
for production chicken houses that prevents ammonia
production.
Challenge
Chicken house floors are typically covered with litter
(wood shavings and sawdust), which serves as bedding
and absorbs moisture spilled from the waterlines and/or
excreted through the birds. When the level of moisture is
not managed properly it is conducive to the bacteria and
chemical reaction that produces ammonia.
29
MIPS Role
AviHome engineers developed a patent-pending “Our flooring appears to increase
plenum flooring system with tiny holes in it that dries general bird health. Whether attributed
the area underneath the chickens, eliminates the need
for litter, and reduces ammonia emissions. to improved air quality or the lower
bacterial load challenge, we are
MIPS/DNR funding supported several trials conducted
by Jeannine M. Harter-Dennis, an associate professor at
growing a healthier heavier bird faster;
UMES, with more than 33,000 chickens, to see how the we are taking genetic potential to new
new floors performed.
levels—naturally.”
Results – Felipe Correa,
Former Operations Manager,
Trials showed that ammonia emissions were not just AviHome
reduced but virtually eliminated. Researchers found
that the ammonia-producing bacteria need a basic pH
(potentiometric hydrogen ion concentration, a measure
of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance) to thrive, and
AviHome’s flooring prevented pH from ever even going
above seven (the neutral line between an acid or base),
which prevented the production of ammonia.
AviHome reported $1 million in contracts/grants from
the USDA as a result of its MIPS project.
Darkling beetles are also a menace for
the broiler industry. They are a major
vector for disease while also damaging
to poultry houses and food safety. No
darkling beetles were found in the
AviHome system trials.

30
 Baltimore Animal Medicine
Slow-release analgesic for veterinary medicine

Project Manager: Michael Guarnieri; Principal Investigator: Louis DeTolla, UMB

Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore City; Project Start Date: 8/1/2007

Michael Guarnieri holds a master Business Description MIPS Role

of public health degree from Johns
Hopkins University. Louis DeTolla, VMD,
MS, Ph.D., DACLAM is a board-certified
laboratory animal veterinarian and
scientist with doctoral degrees from
Rutgers University and the University of
Pennsylvania.
Baltimore Animal Medicine is a privately held,
pharmaceutical preparation company specializing in
new drug delivery systems for animal medicine. The
company is developing a suite of veterinary products
that use approved drugs in new ways to slowly release
medications such as analgesics, antibiotics, and anti-
inflammatory agents.
Challenge
Baltimore Animal Medicine sought to create an analgesic
for veterinary use that is safe and effective and that
would eliminate multiple daily injections.
Researchers helped develop a new drug delivery system
for pain relief in animals following surgery that would
meet U.S. FDA guidelines for the licensing and sale
of veterinary medicines. An implantable, continuous
release tablet was tested for safety and efficacy.
Results
The FDA Expert Panel voted unanimously to
approve Baltimore Animal Medicine’s mouse drug,
Animalgesics™: “The Expert Panel concludes that
Animalgesics™ is both safe and efficacious for relief
of post-procedural pain in mice when used under the
conditions described on the proposed product label.”

31
MIPS “helped make this happen.”
– Michael Guarnieri, CEO,
Baltimore Animal Medicine

32
 Beacon Research
Stormwater filtration system
Project Manager: David M. Ayres; Principal Investigator: Allen Davis, Ahmet Aydilek, UMD
Location: Columbia, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2012
Business Description
Beacon Research is a research and development firm
focused on environmental remediation research, clean
water technology and rapid prototyping.
Challenge
Our current urban infrastructure is highly reliant on
impervious surfaces, including roadways, parking lots,
and building rooftops. Rainfall that strikes these surfaces
cannot infiltrate into the soil and subsurface, rapidly
becoming surface runoff. This runoff is conveyed away
from the source via the stormdrain infrastructure system
to minimize flooding and associated safety concerns.
As this rainfall and runoff is transported across these
impervious surfaces, particulate matter is mobilized
and transported. These particulates include soil matter
and anthropogenic particulate matter resulting from
the attrition of pavements, vehicle wear materials, and
corroded building materials. These enhanced flows and
particulate loads are directed into local receiving bodies,
causing erosion problems, toxicity concerns, and general
overall detriment to stream ecosystems. Currently, most
urban storm drains have no or inefficient treatment.
An efficient technology to address stormwater quality
in highly urbanized areas could have a major impact
in managing runoff in these areas. This issue is of
33
particular importance in the Chesapeake Bay watershed,
as particulate matter may include nitrogen and
phosphorus-containing matter. These two nutrients, in
addition to sediment, are the primary pollutants of the
Chesapeake Bay.
The premise for this work is that commercial synthetic
filter and drain elements, namely geosynthetics, can
be used as filters to remove particulate matter from
urban runoff and that the resulting technology will have
several advantages over existing stormwater control
technologies. Fundamental laboratory work to date has
demonstrated that geosynthetic filters can effectively
remove suspended solids from urban runoff through
a filtration mechanism, improving water quality; and
provide uniform flow and thereby increase the drainage
capacity of the drain system. Geosynthetics can provide
a simple treatment system and/or replace traditional
sand filters in stormwater runoff treatment systems in
urban areas, while minimizing the need for cleaning or
material replacement. These filters may also have other
filtration applications for water quality improvements.
MIPS Role
The grant from MIPS and the Maryland Department of
Natural Resources enabled Beacon Research to transfer
the laboratory-scale research into working prototypes
for testing in urban environments. Although the research
conducted in Dr. Allen Davis’ laboratory in the University
of Maryland’s department of civil and environmental
engineering proved the validity of the technology, the
applied science had not yet been proven. The MIPS
funding is assisting BRI as the company builds and tests
multiple prototypes. The project team is examining the
economy of design and replacement of geotextile filters
within stormdrains and their performance under varying
environmental conditions.
Results
While this project is underway, BRI’s range of prototypes
has been designed and constructed and are awaiting
approval from the University of Maryland and Howard
County to insert in optimal locations for testing. Once
field-testing is complete, the product is slated for a
launch in late 2013.
“MIPS allows small companies
like ours to tap into the brightest
minds and the best talent within
the University of Maryland
system as we tackle the most
challenging problems of cleaning
the Chesapeake Bay. With our
MIPS-DNR grant, we were able to
leverage our strength in design
and rapid prototyping with
the academic strengths of the
University.”
– David M Ayres, Principal Scientist, BRI
34
 Beyond Meat
Taste and product enhancement for plant protein (meat alternative) products
Project Manager: Ethan Brown; Principal Investigator: Y. Martin Lo, UMD
Location: Cumberland, Maryland - Allegany County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2011
“The MIPS program has been
enormously helpful—critical—in
bringing together the best resources
in food science to advance our plant-
based protein platforms. I’d strongly
recommend it for any Maryland
business that is interested in harnessing
the intellectual firepower available and
at work in College Park.”
– Ethan Brown, CEO, Beyond Meat
35
“After many years of trial and error with the UMD and
University of Missouri team, we were able to produce a
product line that a renowned food critic and New York Times
columnist was unable to tell apart from meat in several dishes,
proclaiming in a front page article in the sunday review that
he’d been fooled badly.”
Business Description
– Ethan Brown, CEO, Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat’s vision is to become the market leader
in the commercialization and applications of new plant
proteins. The company is focused on perfectly replacing
Living on the edge of campus, growing up, Ethan considered
animal protein with plant protein, where doing so
the University of Maryland his backyard—watching basketball
creates nutritional value at a lower cost.
greats hone their skills in Cole Field house, attending camp
at Byrd Stadium, and later earning a degree at the School of
Challenge
Public Policy, which was founded by his father, Peter G. Brown.
The size and scale of Beyond Meat’s business will be
determined by the rate of consumer adoption of their
So, naturally, when it came time to start his company (J Green
plant-based proteins. In turn, consumer adoption is
Foods, then Savage River, Inc.), Ethan returned to his Terrapin
heavily influenced by the extent to which they can
roots and called up Maryland’s Dr. Martin Lo, a leading figure
perfectly mimic the sensory experience of meat using
in the field of Food Science. He sought Dr. Lo’s help, along
plant protein.
with that of Dr. Fu-hung Hsieh’s at the University of Missouri, in
answering the question: “would we continue to raise and eat
MIPS Role
animals in such staggering numbers if a truly perfect plant-
UMD researchers were critical in addressing the
consumer-facing aspects of Beyond Meat’s underlying
based replication of meat existed?”
high-moisture extrusion platform.
Formalized through a 2-Phase MIPS grant, the UMD-Mizzou-
Savage River partnership launched Beyond Meat™, with a
Results
mission of replacing animal protein with plant protein where
Beyond Meat has had a successful product launch, with
doing so creates nutritional value at lower cost. Beyond Meat
critics and consumers identifying the product as best-in-
is rolling out delicious meat-free proteins across the country.
class. The company has received investments from Kleiner
Launched first in Northern California, Beyond Meat’s chicken-
Perkins Caufield & Byers (investors in Google, Amazon,
free strips garnered the ABC headline “Substitute Chicken
and Genetech) and The Obvious Corporation (founders of
Flying Off the Shelves.”
Twitter).
36
 BIKETOO
Enhancement of dual-use, motorized/pedal cycles
Project Manager: J. A. Phillips, III; Principal Investigator: Chandrasekhar Thamire, UMD
Location: Fruitland, Maryland - Wicomico County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2011
Business Description
BIKETOO Inc. was founded in 2002 by Phil Adkins, Drew
Phillips, and Andy Phillips. The company is developing
Biketoo®, a patented, multi-speed, motor-driven cycle
that allows riders to use only pedals and/or a motor,
and uses gasoline or propane as its power source. The
49 cubic centimeter motor is California EPA-approved.
Shifting between pedal and gas/propane motor modes
is very easy, using a patented “kick-out”. The bike
features zero drag from the power drive-train when in
pedal mode.
Challenge
BIKETOO needed vibration and stress tests conducted
37
on the entire bike. The transmission gears also had to
be thoroughly tested and analyzed for the possibility
of selecting better materials for the gears. In addition, Pictured, from left to right: Dinesh Agarwal, Andy Phillips, Drew Phillips, Phil
Adkins and Norman Conway.
the transmission housing had to be redesigned to help
reduce the weight of the bike and reduce production
costs. Drew Phillips invented the bike after considering
MIPS Role the biggest problem with bicycling for long
While the project is still in progress, the bike’s vibration distances— you always needed to select a point
and stress tests have “passed with flying colors.” UMD to turn around so you were not too tired to return
engineers have reduced the transmission housing
home. His goal was to create a bike that you
weight by six pounds, with further reductions likely.
They are currently working on the final set of gears. could pedal until you are ready to drop, and then
flip a switch to the power mode and comfortably
Results ride home at speeds up to 30 MPH. It took the
BIKETOO has found vendors for 75 percent of its bike
parts, including the MIPS team-specified components.
company three years to build its prototype. The
All meet DOT or EPA specifications where required, bike has multiple patents that cover the engine
including the tires, rims, brakes, and lights. When location in relation to the frame structure, and
customers purchase the bike they can select from either
drive line design, among others.
of two motors: gasoline or propane.
“Without MIPS, we would have
had little chance to get this bike in
production. The work they are doing
for us would have cost us upwards of
$250,000.”
– Phil Adkins, CFO, BIKETOO

38
 Biomedica Management
Optimization of blood-clotting foam to treat severe bleeding

Project Manager: George Falus; Principal Investigator: Leonid Medved, UMB

Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2012

Business Description Results

Dr. Medved came to UMB from the
American Red Cross’s Jerome H.
Holland Laboratory and is an expert in
blood component biology.
Biomedica Management has a six-person R&D facility Biomedica created three additional jobs in Maryland,
located in the techcenter@UMBC. The company had $1.1 M in revenue and attracted $3.55M in grants as
develops hemostatic the agents ClotFoam® and a result of their past MIPS projects and their current MIPS
ClotBlock®, which are designed to control high-volume grant has just begun.
hemorrhage with minimal or no compression. Both
products are in development.
Challenge
Biomedica sought to optimize formulation of ClotBlock.
The major challenge of this MIPS project is to develop
a cost-efficient procedure for preparation of the
company’s ClotBlock product so it will be suitable for
clinical application.

MIPS Role
The company is working with Dr. Leonid Medved from
the UMB department of biochemistry and molecular
biology to test the hemostatic efficiency of the ClotBlock
fibrin layer and the optimal amount of thrombin for
preparation of the ClotBlock thrombin layer.

39
40
 BioSurface Engineering Technologies
Spinal fusion using a novel peptide
Project Manager: Paul O. Zamora; Principal Investigator: Joseph Byrant, UMBI
Location: Rockville, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2007
Business Description
BioSurface Engineering Technologies specializes
in implantable orthopedic products. The company
is developing proprietary therapeutic peptides for
incorporation into medical devices to improve bone
and soft tissue repair. BioSET’s synthetic peptides are
bioactive mimetics of growth factors that continue to
show promising results in studies for the treatment of
BioSet is a graduate of UMD’s musculoskeletal, vascular and chronic wound diseases.
The company plans to capitalize on the growing interest
Technology Advancement in drug/device combination products and seeks to
Program incubator. initiate studies of these combination products in human
clinical trials.
Challenge
BioSET sought to test its AMPLEX medical device product
for inducing spinal fusion in the lumbar region in a pre-
clinical study.
41
MIPS Role
Dr. Joseph Bryant from [then] UMBI’s Institute of Human
Virology used an in-vivo model to evaluate and compare
the efficacy of Amplex versus an autograft alone for
lumbar spinal fusion. The ingrowth characteristics of
these two procedures was compared using radiography,
biomechanics, and histology.
Results
The results of this study, along with ongoing
biocompatibility, safety, and manufacturing validation
led to the submission of an IDE (Investigational Device
Exemption) for Amplex to the U.S .FDA in 2007. BioSET
reported one new hire, $1.2M in revenue and $556,000 in
grants attracted as a result of its MIPS project.
42
 Black & Decker
Design optimization of percussion drill bits
Project Manager: Russell M. Timmons; Principal Investigator: M. Appa Anjanappa, UMBC
Location: Towson, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 8/15/1992
Black & Decker merged with Stanley in
2010 to form Stanley Black & Decker.
43
Business Description
Since 1910, Black & Decker has been setting the standard
for innovation and design of power tools, accessories,
outdoor yard care equipment, home cleaning products,
automotive and lighting products, hardware and other
home improvement products. The inventor of the first
portable electric drill with pistol grip and trigger switch,
Black & Decker has evolved from a small machine shop
in Baltimore, Maryland to a global manufacturing and
marketing powerhouse with a broad line of quality
products used for home and commercial applications.
When users need to get work done, they trust Black &
Decker for the products that will do the job efficiently and
reliably.
Challenge
Black & Decker sought to design a family of masonry
drill bits with improved efficiency to conserve power in
battery-powered drills.
MIPS Role
UMBC researchers conducted a systematic, scientific
study of the mechanics of concrete drilling and
used the results to design an optimal drill bit that
significantly improves the performance of percussion
drilling. The new bit has improved energy transmission,
a better material egress mechanism, and enables
environmentally safe operation.
The work included developing an impact model based
on 3-dimensional wave propagation, an experimental
facility to validate the egress model, a combined egress
and impact model, and optimal drill bit design. The
project also included the fabrication of a prototype drill
bit.
Results
A new line of 29 drill bits, called Bullet Speed Tip
Masonry Drill Bit, resulted from the project, leading to
annual sales of several million dollars. The Bullet bits drill
up to two times faster than competitive bits, and drill up
to six times more holes per battery charge when using a
cordless drill. Patents were issued to UMBC and licensed
to Black & Decker.
44
 Blackrock Algae
Biofouling screen systems for improving water quality in the Bay

Project Manager: Matthew J. Diedzic, Jr. “Jay”; Principal Investigator: Patrick Kangas, UMD
Location: Perry Hall, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2011

Business Description Result “Our MIPS funding allowed the UMD

Blackrock Algae is a visionary and results-oriented
organization dedicated to leveraging strategic alliances
and capital resources for algae research and algae project
realization.
Challenge
Blackrock Algae sought testing for its new biofouling
screens, which remove nutrients and sediments from the
water column in an aquatic ecosystem.
MIPS Role
MIPS/DNR-Funded tests were conducted at Constellation
Energy’s Crane Power Plant and are also underway
at Constellation Energy’s Baltimore Inner Harbor
headquarters.
While the MIPS project is still underway, the technology
has clearly demonstrated its effectiveness in removing
harmful nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from open
waterways.
researchers to develop an algae
growing technique for “pre-seeding
the screens” that significantly enhances
the overall efficiency of our technology
and now opens up pathways to
remediating stormwater retention
ponds, as well as open waterways .”
– Jay Diedzic, President and CEO,
Blackrock Algae

45
The Chesapeake Algae Project (ChAP), which was initiated by and
is currently managed by parent company Blackrock Energy, is a
partnership of higher-education institutions and corporations through
a multilateral agreement comprised of: the University of Maryland,
College Park, College of William & Mary, Virginia Institute for Marine
Science, Smithsonian Institution, University of Arkansas, Western
Michigan University, Statoil, HydroMentia, and the Blackrock Energy
Corporation. 46
 Blue Infusion Technologies
Bluetooth glove for controlling smartphones
Project Manager: Willie L. Blount Jr; Principal Investigator: Marc Cohen, UMD
Location: Columbia, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2012
The creation of Blue Infusion
Technologies led to an unexpected
family reunion. Founder and CEO
Willie Blount and COO Tarik Rodgers
are cousins who spent their childhood
in New Jersey. At the age of 11, when
Tarik’s family moved to Chicago, the
cousins completely lost touch. More
than 25 years later, the development of
the BEARTek glove has brought them
back together in a new venture.
47
“Winning an award from MIPS has
further validated our idea and plan.
That validation is only jet fuel on a
dangerously intense flame.”
– Willie Blount, CEO, Blue Infusion
Business Description controlling smartphones and their associated extended
The mission of Blue Infusion Technologies is to provide functions—functions beyond standard phone calls and
exceptional, immediate, and intuitive management music operation which include instant-alert safety
of critical devices by placing necessary controls at the features never before seen in snowsports or motorsports
fingertips of operators at all times, without hindering other equipment and apparel.
processes requiring the operator’s full control. Initial targets
are the 19 million users in the U.S. ski and motorcycle MIPS Role
MIPS is assisting the Blue Infusion technical team with
markets, where users will be able to safely and seamlessly
communicate with any Bluetooth equipped smart phone developing improved circuits and logic for achieving the
or audio device using the BEARTek glove. proposed goals. In addition, MIPS project data will be an
integral part of the waterproofing and environmental
Future markets include additional international sports and protections for use in various applications.
leisure activities, military, law enforcement, and medicine
as multitasking, communications, and instantaneous access
continue to become more of a requirement than a request.
Challenge
Blue Infusion sought to create an improved tool for
48
 Blue Wave Semiconductors
UV and IR detector fabrication, semiconductor heating element coatings

Project Manager: RD Vispute; Principal Investigator: Ichiro Takeuchi , UMD

Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2002, 1/2/2001

Business Description plume detection and monitoring radiation dose during

Blue Wave Semiconductors is becoming a global leader
in developing innovative thin film and nanomaterials
fabrication tools for the R&D market worldwide. To
eliminate the inefficiencies in research and development
of microelectronic thin film technologies, Blue
Wave Semiconductors identified opportunities in
semiconductor materials and fabrication technologies.
The company’s mission is to become the unique supplier
of integrated and simplified nanomaterials deposition
tools for every research laboratory in the World.
The company’s core competencies surround the
advanced semiconductor materials, processing, thin film
device technologies, and processing tools markets.
sunbathing. The team also developed high-temperature
ceramic coatings to extend the life of heaters used in
semiconductor manufacturing processes.
Results
Blue Wave added 15 new jobs and over $2.5M of revenue
and grants as a direct result of the MIPS project funding.
Blue Wave Semiconductors completed five SBIR Phase I
awards, three SBIR Phase II awards, and a Maryland Proof
of Concept (MPCA) award. The company is currently
located in the UMBC Technology Center in Baltimore.
Blue Wave Semiconductors was a finalist for the
Maryland Incubator Company of the Year in 2005.

They include wafer heater products, thin film and Blue Wave’s products are sold to U.S. research
coating services, and chemical and physical vapor institutions. The company is planning commercialization
deposition products. and full-scale manufacturing for its products.

Challenge Blue Wave has developed its own technology and has
Blue Wave sought to develop new thin film and oxide several U.S. patents.
coatings for the company’s line of semiconductors.

MIPS Role
The university team developed highly sensitive UV
detectors for chemical and biological sensing, missile

49
“MIPS support was the
foundation for this company.”
– Dr. R.D. Vispute, CEO & CTO,
Blue Wave Semiconductor

50
 Bowles Fluidics
Fluidic nozzle for windshield wipers testing and development

Project Manager: Richard W. Hess; Principal Investigator: Jewel B. Barlow, UMD

Location: Columbia, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 2/1/1996

Business Description MIPS Role “Bowles Fluidics Corporation used the

Bowles Fluidics Corporation’s mission is to be a world-
class developer and manufacturer of fluid distribution
products for both automotive and non-automotive
markets.
Challenge
Bowles planned to maintain its dominant position in the
windshield washer nozzle market by improving their
fluidic washer nozzle spray performance at high vehicle
speeds.
Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel researchers investigated
flow characteristics of automobile front end to
understand the aerodynamic environment in which the
washer nozzle operates. They also developed testing
methods to evaluate washer nozzle spray performance
at high vehicle speeds, and applied those methods
to evaluate various fluidic washer nozzles and their
placements.
Results
The project resulted in significantly improved nozzles,
enabling Bowles to sell over one million nozzles per year
and create 14 new jobs.
MIPS program to verify performance
improvements achieved using our new
Spray Lift nozzles…This put BFC in a
leadership position as the expert on
high-speed performance of automotive
windshield washer sprays.”
– Ernie Chestnutis,
Special Projects Coordinator
Bowles Fluidics

51
“The aerodynamic effects on
performance of windshield washer
systems have helped us develop
systems to meet our customer
requirements.”
– Chi Srinath, V.P. Advanced Engineering,
Bowles Fluidics

52
 Captain’s Choice Food Products
Food processing line for seafood soups

Project Manager: Richard Evanusa; Principal Investigator: Thomas Rippen, UMES

Location: Princess Anne, Maryland - Somerset County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2012

Business Description MIPS Role

“Our thanks to MIPS!!!! This is real job Captain’s Choice’s business is to produce and
manufacture soups, marinades and similar products.
creation.”
– Richard Evanusa, President, Captain’s Choice Challenge
Food Products Captain’s Choice sought assistance with the design,
installation and evaluation of a food processing line for
the production of high quality, safe seafood soups with
extended shelf-life properties and strong retail market
appeal.
The company produces and packages refrigerated,
restaurant-quality, pasteurized soups. Producing
products in convenient boil-in-bags emphasizes
Captain’s Choice’s mission to keep products high-quality
and consumer-friendly.
While the project is underway, researchers in the Food
Science and Technology Department at the University
of Maryland Eastern Shore are building and installing a
commercial processing line.
Results
Captain’s Choice forecasts that this project will have a
great economic impact on an economically challenged
county (Somerset). Initial hiring is estimated to be
between 25-40 people at the successful conclusion of
the project.

53
Captain’s Choice is a new spin-off venture of Beach to Bay Seafood, Inc. Beach to Bay is a family
owned and operated seafood restaurant and market with more than 30 years of retail experience.
They have a retail store in the restaurant where they sell their very popular marinades, seasonings,
fresh crab soups and clam chowder. Beach to Bay is owned by Richard Evanusa and his family. They
previously owned and operated a successful seafood business —Beachy’s Seafood—in Ocean City,
Maryland for 10 years. Beach to Bay relocated to Princess Anne as the need to expand exceeded
their Ocean City location. Prior to that, they operated Leon’s Delicatessen and Catering in Salisbury,
Maryland, for over 20 years.

54
 Cellex
Rapid and sensitive flu test
Project Manager: X James Li; Principal Investigator: Richard Zhao, UMB
Location: Rockville, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2010
Cellex will also apply for FDA
approval for the second product, the
QFlu Diagnostic Test, which is intend-
ed to be used for influenza diagnosis.
They intend to submit this application
in the next two weeks and could get
approval by late December 2012.
55
Business Description
Cellex develops technologies and products for
diagnostic tests suitable for point-of-care use.
Challenge
Cellex sought a clinical study of the company’s rapid,
point-of-care method for diagnosing influenza and flu
virus drug resistance.
MIPS Role
A clinical study was conducted for Cellex’s QFLU, a test
designed to simultaneously diagnose influenza and
detect flu virus drug resistance in point-of-care settings.
The clinical study involved three clinics and enrolled
several hundred voluntary patients. Two nasophyrangeal
swabs were collected from each participant. One of the
swabs was used for culture-based detection, while the
other was used for QFLU test-based detection. The cell
culture method is a gold standard for setting a cutoff
value and for determining the preliminary sensitivity
and specificity for the QFlu test. Mutations as identified
by sequencing were used as a gold standard for drug
resistance.
Results
The MIPS grant funding enabled Cellex to gather clinical
data, which helped the company get a $2 million NIH
grant, which in turn permitted them to perform a large
clinical study enrolling more than 500 patients. The data
from the MIPS and NIH-funded studies was submitted
to the FDA in September, 2012, in an application for
approval for Cellex’s first product, the QFlu Combo Test,
which can be used to simultaneously diagnose influenza
and detect resistance to Tamiflu. This is a first-of-its-
kind product that has great commercial potential and
significant public health implications. Cellex is confident
it can be approved by the FDA in 6-9 months.
“The MIPS grants have played an
important role in bringing the QFlu
project to a successful conclusion.”
– Dr. X. James Li,
Chief Scientific Officer, Cellex

56
 Coil
Active cables for electric guitars
Project Manager: Bruce L. Jacob; Principal Investigator: Patrick O’Shea, UMD
Location: College Park, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2010
Business Description
Founded in 2006 by an electrical engineering professor
at the University of Maryland, Coil’s mission is to design
high-fidelity audio circuits for electric guitars and basses
that enable a maximum degree of tone shaping with
a minimum number of controls. Since 2009, Coil has
been an industrial partner of the University of Maryland,
helping fund a collaborative audio-electronics research
project at the university, involving undergraduates in
audio systems research and donating equipment for an
electric-guitar design course.
Challenge
Coil was developing “active cable” technology, which
involves embedding a preamplifier and a battery into
the cable that connects an electric guitar to an amplifier.
57
The cable would allow a guitarist to get premium sound
out of a mid- to low-range amplifier. The challenge was
to make circuits small enough for the cable and still
produce terrific sound.
MIPS Role
UMD researchers worked hard to develop the active
cable technology, but in the end were not satisfied with
the sound quality. The MIPS project helped the company
determine its future product emphasis.
Results
Coil released a line of five guitars, selling nearly every
one they manufactured. The company also released
a line of electronics, including three different pickup
switches with optional volume adjustment technologies.
Five students joined Coil from a course
Jacob taught called ENEE 159b: Electric
Guitar Design: Justin Ahmanson and
Tim Babich, now both alumni, now
graduate student Joseph Gross and
undergraduates Franklin DeHart and
Christopher Monaghan, all from the
department of electrical and computer
engineering. Together they developed
patent-pending electronics to give
them all of the sounds they wanted
from a guitar. Jacob incorporated them
into gorgeous guitars he designed.
“The MIPS research helped us clarify
our product focus. We realized that we
should be focusing on and licensing
the electronics. To that end, we are
working to get the circuitry patented.”
– Bruce Jacob, founder, Coil

58
Corridor Pharmaceuticals
Therapeutic for anthrax and other pathogens

Project Manager: Peter D. Suzdak, Ph.D.; Principal Investigator: Gerald Rosen, UMB
Location: Towson, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2012

Business Description MIPS Role

Corridor Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical
company focused on the discovery and development
of novel, small molecule inhibitors of arginase and
serotonin to treat pulmonary and vascular disorders.
Challenge
Corridor sought to test the company’s lead compound,
ABH, as a new class of antimicrobials that target anthrax
and other pathogens. ABH appears to have a distinctive
pathway by which this compound kills bacteria, so
it would have potential utility against drug resistant
strains.
UMB researchers performed mechanism of action
studies to support the FDA approval process for
Corridor’s drug candidate. They determined the effect
the drug candidate has on B. anthracis arginase and
subsequent production of nitric oxide by macrophages.
Researchers further determined the effect the drug
candidate has on host immune response and on B.
anthracis killing in vivo.

59
60
 CSA Medical
Spray cryotherapy for esophageal cancer
Project Manager: Steven . Schaefer; Principal Investigator: Bruce D. Greenwald, M.D., UMB
Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore City; Project Start Date: 2/1/2012
Business Description
CSA Medical Inc. develops and manufactures a
proprietary interventional spray cryotherapy technology
platform comprised of a device and specialty catheters
that enable delivery of spray cryogen inside the body to
flash freeze and destroy diseased tissue. The company is
the first to harness the power of low pressure, extremely
cold (-196 o C) liquid nitrogen inside the body.
CSA Medical’s truFreeze® System is the company’s
latest technology platform that is designed to deliver
extremely cold liquid nitrogen spray through a small
catheter to flash freeze a variety of unwanted tissue
surfaces inside the body, including obstructed or
diseased tissue.
Challenge and MIPS Role
In 2006, CSA Medical was evaluating its cryospray device
for treating pre-cancerous and cancerous diseases of the
esophagus. Through MIPS funding, the company teamed
with Dr. Greenwald in a clinical trial at the University of
Maryland Medical Center. While MIPS projects typically
last one year, CSA Medical’s was so successful that the
company stopped the trial within nine months and
decided to pursue an expanded, multi-center trial.
Patients were treated by freezing the cancers in their
61
esophagus with CSA Medical’s Spray Cryotherapy
System. After one year, 75 percent of patients with top-
layer or mucosal cancer were still cancer-free.
Data from clinical trials of the Spray Cryotherapy
System was published in two landmark papers in the
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Journal in April, 2010.
Results
CSA Medical’s spray cryotherapy technology was
introduced to the market in 2007 for endoscopic ablation
to treat esophageal disease. The technology has since
been adopted by leading healthcare facilities across
the country. In February, 2012, the company received
510(k) clearance for the truFreeze® Spray Cryotherapy
System for use as a cryosurgical tool for the destruction
of unwanted tissue in the fields of dermatology,
gynecology and general surgery. CSA Medical will now
conduct post-market clinical studies to support new
Pictured, from left to right: Richard Hughen, Vice President,
indications for the truFreeze System and the company
Gastroenterology Business, and Steven E. Schaefer, Chief Financial Officer,
expects to begin shipping the new system later this year. CSA Medical
In September, 2012, CSA opened a new 8,000+ square-
at the National Naval Medical Center and some
foot facility in Lexington, Massachusetts, focused on
Cooperative Research And Development Agreement
product development and customer training.
(CRADA) work out of the National Naval Medical Center
and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Interesting Fact
CSA Medical’s technology started with an invention
“Years ago, CSA medical
was able to attract
several million dollars of
investment capital. But
it wasn’t until Maryland
Industrial Partnerships
came along, and in
particular with the
support of Dr. Martha
Connolly, that we were
able to take it to the
next level and attract
additional capital and
do additional studies to
prove the efficacy of the
technology.”
– Steven E. Schaefer
Chief Financial Officer,
CSA Medical

62
 DataStream Content Solutions
Content management user interface and software engineering best practices
Project Manager: Ed Schulke; Principal Investigator: Marvin Zelkowitz, UMD
Location: College Park, Maryland - Prince George’s County; Project Start Date: 8/2/2004
DataStream is a graduate of UMD’s
Technology Advancement Program
incubator. The company now resides in
the Tech Ventures Building in College
Park, and retains its ties to UMD.
63
Business Description
DataStream Content Solutions is a leading provider of
federal legislative and regulatory data and advanced
content management systems to information
businesses, publishers and governments. Datastream
builds databases for sophisticated electronic print and
search systems, including data conversion, editorial
enhancements, XML mark-up, data storage, data
retrieval, data delivery and complete data management.
DSCS is the home of the revolutionary Legislative
Impact® and Regulatory Impact® and is a leader in
intelligent mark-up of data.
Challenge
DataStream was developing a suite of conversion
tools designed for use by a person who understands
the content of the data without having the detailed
knowledge of the mark-up language or conversion
software. The company sought to implement best
practices in software development to acquire Capability
Maturity Model (CMM) level 3 certification to garner new
business contracts.
MIPS Role
DataStream worked with researchers to implement a
formalized software development process within the
company, enabling them to develop software in a more
consistent and maintainable fashion.
Results
The company hired an additional 16 people, gained
$2.5M in revenue due to the MIPS project, and attracted
$2.0M in grants. DataStream was acquired by The Dolan
Company (NYSE:DM) in November of 2010.
“We were a loose, unstructured startup.
Through the MIPS process we were able
to mature to a very well-organized and
well-run mid-sized company, were able
to secure large government contracts
and contracts with major data publishers
and aggregators, and position ourselves
for a sale to a large media company.”
— Mark Anstey, Founder and
President, DataStream
64
 Earth Networks
Thermodynamic models for a home energy demand response system
Project Manager: David J. Oberholzer; Principal Investigator: Jungho Kim, UMD
Location: Germantown, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2012
Business Description
As a provider of comprehensive atmospheric data for nearly
20 years, Earth Networks is taking the pulse of the planet
with the world’s largest weather observation, lightning
detection, and greenhouse gas monitoring networks
and is establishing a network for collecting data within
the planetary boundary layer. The company’s popular
WeatherBug website, desktop application and mobile
apps for major smartphone platforms provide real-time,
neighborhood-level weather and advanced severe weather
alerts to millions of consumers. Enterprise solutions
from Earth Networks enable organizations and markets,
including energy and utilities, agriculture, schools, sports
and recreation, emergency operations and government
entities, to safeguard lives, prepare for weather and
climate events and improve business operations. Founded
in 1993, Earth Networks (www.earthnetworks.com) is
headquartered in Germantown, Md., with additional
locations in Mountain View, Calif.; New York, NY; Milan, Italy
and a local presence in 50 countries worldwide.
Challenge
Earth Networks developed and piloted a new home
energy efficiency demand response program called e5,
which stands for ease, energy, efficiency, environment
and Earth. The service works for consumers as a free
smart app for their thermostat that helps them manage
their heating and cooling. The e5 service also works
65
for utilities, helping them to reduce demand for power
during peak times by pre-heating and pre-cooling
buildings and tying into their smart grid initiatives.
MIPS Role
Mechanical engineering professor Jungho Kim and
doctoral student Michael Siemann developed the
thermodynamic models Earth Networks uses in e5 to
predict energy consumption based upon weather data.
That data is compiled from Earth Networks’ 10,000
weather stations, each of which sends information
every 2.5 seconds, along with input from the company’s
staff meteorologists and data from both the National
Weather Service and World Meteorological Organization.
The UMD team’s model takes all of this data, predicts
the temperature inside a building and calculates the
energy it will take to maintain it. That information is
then used to pre-cool or pre-heat a structure to reduce
loads during peak times, saving both utility companies
and consumers money while keeping temperatures
comfortable.
Results
Earth Networks began e5 pilot programs with utility
companies and consumers in Texas during the summer of
2012. The e5 pilot program demonstrated impressive results
when compared to traditional thermostat-based demand
response programs. In fact, the e5 program kept homes, on
average, within 1.5 °F of the users’ comfort settings during
“We are fortunate to work with a great
mechanical engineering group at the
University of Maryland…MIPS funding
allowed us to get into the market using
a novel approach to demand response
challenges. Once we have data certified
by utilities and consumers like us, we are
expecting to grow the program into a
much larger initiative that will hopefully
result in more skilled and well-paying
jobs here in Maryland. MIPS funding was
critical in getting the e5 program from
concept to reality.”
– Christopher D. Sloop, Chief Technology
Officer and Co-Founder, Earth Networks
demand-response events. Overall, the e5 program resulted
in an average energy savings of 13.8% when thermostat
setbacks were optimized.
Earth Networks’ president and CEO Robert
Marshall, who also co-founded the company in
1993, is a cum laude graduate of the University
of Maryland College of Engineering (UMBC). The
company supported the work of Kim, Siemann,
and Greg Smith on e5 for two years prior to the
MIPS project, at $80,000 per year.

66
 EcoEmergence
Efficacy test for bioremediation products on fats, oil and grease in wastewater

Project Manager: Liam Keane; Principal Investigator: Jianghong Meng, UMD

Location: Olney, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2010

Business Description MIPS Role

EcoEmergence has roots in Ireland and
has a relationship with the wastewater
governing bureau in Dublin.
EcoEmergence is a start-up company with operations EcoEmergence worked with Dr. Jianghong Meng from
in Olney, Md. The company moved its corporate the department of nutrition and food science at UMD
headquarters from Virginia to Maryland to participate to develop an efficacy test using lard and commercially
in the MIPS program. The company’s business focuses available bacterial mixtures to test which accomplishes
on the remediation of environmental pollutants using the maximum bioremediation. They identified other
natural (“green”) products. types of bacteria and created an effective bacterial
mixture that optimizes the remediation of FOG.
Challenge
EcoEmergence sought to evaluate the efficacy of its Results
bioremediation products on fats, oils and grease (FOG) in The MIPS project provided EcoEmergence with data to
wastewater. The company planned to create an industry- scientifically validate the efficacy of their products and
standard test and further new products based on competing products in this market.
optimal bacteria mixtures for use in the bioremediation
of FOG around the world. Customers include food
preparation facilities, municipal sewer departments of
large towns and cities, and municipal water treatment
facilities without tertiary treatment. There is currently no
quantitative test for how well any competing product
works.

67
68
 Emerald Sky Technologies
H-OZ , collaborative autopilot inner loop controller
Project Manager: Steven L. Fritz; Principal Investigator: James (Sean) Humbert, UMD
Location: Columbia, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2010
Business Description
Emerald Sky Technologies (eSky) develops advanced
avionics for general aviation. The company’s products
are based on OZ, an integrated graphical primary flight
display system and HFCS, a collaborative flight control
system.
Challenge
eSky sought to merge and develop the Inner Loop
Controller module of H/OZ and an accurate simulation of
two aircraft: a Cessna 172 and a Cirrus SR22.
MIPS Role
eSky proposed to merge HFCS with OZ to create an
integrated flight display and control system (H/OZ).
H/OZ should reduce pilot fatigue associated with the
manual control of routine flight parameters (altitude,
heading, airspeed, etc.) while allowing the crew to
remain engaged in higher level tasks of planning and
69
executing a flight with maximal safety and efficiency. Emerald Sky Technologies originated
The MIPS project supported development of the inner
loop controller (ILC) for H/OZ at UMD. The ILC accepts in the MCE Incubator (formerly the
commands and sensor data from H/OZ and sends control NeoTech Incubator) in Howard County.
inputs (bank angle, pitch attitude, power) to the aircraft
to maintain the selected flight parameters.
Dr. Humbert and his team collaborated with eSky
to develop a formal design for the H/OZ system and
specify all interprocess data flows and performance
requirements.
Results
The technology developed during the MIPS project
has been applied and incorporated into new follow-on
projects, while related research has continued with Dr.
Humbert. A number of follow-on proposals have been
submitted to DARPA and others.
70
 Epitaxial Technologies
Epitaxial material characterization
Project Manager: Dr. Olaleye Aina; Principal Investigator: Terrance L. Worchesky, UMBC
Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 2/1/1999
“Every time we produce material
we have to test it according to our
customers’ specifications. When we
first started our MIPS project, we did
not have the equipment, software
and expertise to comprise a full
testing infrastructure. Through our
MIPS collaboration, however, we have
developed it.”
– Leye Aina, President, Epitaxial
71
Business Description
Epitaxial Technologies produces and supplies highly Results
differentiated sensor components to the defense and The project successfully developed the testing
telecommunications industries, offering customers infrastructure. As a result, the company created six new
ultra-high sensitivity optical, infrared and RF sensors at jobs.
competitive prices and with rapid turnaround.
Challenge Epitaxial Technologies is a graduate
The company sought to develop a testing infrastructure
for epitaxial materials.
of the techcenter@UMBC incubator.
MIPS Role
UMBC researchers developed testing techniques for
Epitaxial using photoluminescence spectroscopy, wafer
mapping, and x-ray diffraction methods to characterize
compound semiconductor materials grown using
molecular beam epitaxy.
72
 FiberCell Systems
Validation of a large-scale, hollow fiber bioreactor
Project Manager: John J. S. Cadwell; Principal Investigator: Dean Mann, UMB
Location: Frederick, Maryland - Frederick County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2011
Business Description
FiberCell Systems is a leading supplier of hollow
fiber bioreactors to academic and biotechnology
markets. Hollow fiber bioreactors offer many
significant advantages over conventional cell culture
methods. The adoption of hollow fiber bioreactors for
biomanufacturing has been limited due to the fact that
a scalable system has not been available. Current hollow
fiber systems are limited by the solubility of oxygen in
cell culture media and the pumps required to generate
high flow rates.
Challenge
FiberCell Systems developed and patented a novel
method for generating gas delivery to hollow fiber
cartridges. Instead of passively exchanging gas with
a medium and flowing that medium through the
cartridge, it delivers alternating amounts of medium
and gas directly to the interior of the reactor. Rather
than using pumps, gravity feed is utilized to circulate
the medium in both directions. The challenge was to
create and build a prototype system and evaluate its
73
performance. This would be an entirely new concept in
bioreactor operating principles.
MIPS Role
MIPS supported the building of the prototype, but also
connected FiberCell Systems with Dr. Dean Mann at
UMB, Dr. Paul Allenza and his BREP group in Mtech’s
Biopharmaceutical Advancement Facility (BAF). BAF
provided laboratory space, equipment, facilities and
expertise to make the project possible. The combined
role of MIPS, UMB and BAF was instrumental in making
the project happen.
Results
Proof of principle for the basic function of the
bioreactor operating principles was established. Further
optimization of culture conditions and operating
parameters with an ultimate goal of establishing cGMP
compliance is ongoing.
Dr. George Pavlakis at the NCI in
Frederick provided FiberCell with the
cell line to test for protein production.
If successful, it will be the first time
that this protein has been available
in significant quantities for animal
testing. The only method that has
worked for production of this protein
is in FiberCell’s smaller scale hollow
fiber bioreactors. A direct comparison
with the large-scale system provides
valuable information about the scale-
up process. This is a further example
of the strength of collaboration for
biotechnology research in Maryland.
“MIPS provided FiberCell with both
the seed money to test and evaluate
a new type of bioreactor and
connections with Maryland resources
to make the project a success.”
– John Cadwell, President, FiberCell

74
 Fleetpro
Training for vehicle inspection
Project Manager: Tom Farcosky; Principal Investigator: Eugene Rubin, UMUC
Location: Halethorpe, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 8/1/1994
Business Description
Fleetpro provides on-site preventive maintenance and
inspection services for vehicle and equipment fleets.
Currently over 14,000 vehicles, operated by 300 fleet
customers, utilize Fleetpro’s services in the Mid-Atlantic
region. Fleetpro customers include private commercial/
industrial business fleets, as well as municipal, local,
state and federal government fleets. These fleets contain
the full range of commercial vehicles, including trucks,
tractors, transit buses, school buses, autos, and off-road
equipment, among others.
Challenge
Fleetpro management recognized the importance of
professional training programs to provide reliable and
efficient vehicle inspections that would comply with
federal and state regulations. At the time, a survey of
the training market showed there were no regulatory,
inspection-focused training programs commercially
available. Fleetpro decided to develop and implement
a set of training programs to meet the need. After
researching the training program development market,
the company realized the complexity of such projects
and that they needed the assistance of professional
educational program developers.
MIPS Role
Fleetpro’s MIPS project began with Towson University
75
in the late 80’s. Towson provided a professor of and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation
instructional course development, while Fleetpro • FHWA Appendix G Minimum Periodic Inspection
provided subject matter experts. This effort resulted Standards
in initial training programs for basic preventive
• FHWA Part 396 Inspection, Repair and Maintenance
maintenance and company policy and procedures. This
was followed several years later, in 1994, by a second, • Code of Maryland Regulation 11.22 Preventive
larger MIPS project between University of Maryland Maintenance Program
University College (UMUC) and Fleetpro. This multi- • Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Out of
year, multi-phase project was to develop a series of five Service Standards
paper-based, self-instruction training programs and
certification exams incorporating Instructional Systems The training programs have dramatically improved how
Design methodologies. UMUC provided multiple experts commercial trucking companies, transit agencies, school
in ISD, who worked with a team of Fleetpro and outside bus operators, and other commercial and government
subject matter experts. fleet users have their vehicles inspected for compliance
with state and federal preventive maintenance and
Results safety laws. The programs and training materials
Fleetpro has increased its revenues over 800 percent developed via the MIPS projects are still in use today and
since these programs were instituted, from just under will continue to be.
$1M in revenue at the start of the MIPS projects, to over
$8M today. More than 400 people have been trained
using Fleetpro programs.
The 1994 MIPS multi-year project resulted in the
development of the five programs covering the
following vehicle inspection related federal and state
regulations and standards:
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Part 393 Parts
“Fleetpro has a very comprehensive regulatory and preventive
maintenance training program. After training, technicians are
able to produce a much more reliable and consistent, standards-
based inspection than ever before. This results in safer vehicles
and lower costs of fleet operation and maintenance.”
– Bill Nielson, Fleet Maintenance Manager,
Fleetpro

76
 FlexEl
Battery management system for thin-film batteries
Project Manager: Bob Proctor; Principal Investigator: Victor Granatstein, UMD
Location: College Park, Maryland - Prince George’s County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2011
“MIPS set us out on a path to become a true
commercial product. Through our MIPS project,
we were able to move from promoting a battery
technology to promoting a power solution. It
allowed us to engage many more prospective
customers and to make it much faster to market.
From a CEO and business perspective, the MIPS
program has been integral to our success.”
– Bob Proctor, CEO, FlexEl
77
Business Description
Founded in 2008, FlexEl is a U.S.-based, green-
tech company developing innovative and high-
performance, flexible power and flexible, powered,
device applications. An award-winning technology
spin-out from the University of Maryland, FlexEl is
privately funded and works with partner companies
to create, design, develop, license and/or manufacture
novel flexible electronics and power management
systems. FlexEl has developed custom BatteryCloth for
applications including high-performance, wearable
electronics, remote sensing and transmission, military
applications, and novel consumer product devices.
FlexEl’s core technologies (i.e., battery and energy
harvesting technologies) emanate from the company’s
original work on high-capacity power solutions for
wireless sensor networks and active RFID tags.
Challenge
FlexEl had developed the world’s highest capacity
thin-film battery, with 20 times more capacity than
any market alternative; however, it lacked a power
management system to work in conjunction with the
battery in various applications. The MIPS project was
slated to develop that power management system.
MIPS Role
Through MIPS funding, Granatstein developed a battery
management system to wrap around FlexEl’s new-to-
world battery chemistry and technology. The system
is catered to FlexEl’s battery, making it a unique power
supply for burst current, steady state current, and
various charging sources, such as radio frequency (RF)
or solar panels. The new system enables FlexEl’s team
to select from a variety of charging sources and switch
between environmental sources of power, as well as
provide the voltage required for various applications.
Results
FlexEl recently received a $6 million investment from a
Fortune 500 company. FlexEl also acquired $3 million in
grants and third party investment funding. The company
now has 12 full-time and 18 part-time employees.
FlexEl is a UMD spinoff based upon the work of
electrical and computer engineering professors Martin
Peckerar and Neil Goldsman. The pair developed
FlexEl’s batteries when investigating a new way to
power “Smart Dust” through a government grant.
78
 Fyodor Biotechnologies
Yeast-based Artemisinin (YAT) Production
Project Manager: Edwin C. Agbo; Principal Investigator: Ganesh Sriram, UMD
Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore City; Project Start Date: 8/1/2010
Dr. Eddy Agbo was a Research Fellow
at the Johns Hopkins University School
of Medicine, where he worked on
diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker
discovery, then went on to work in
industry before founding Fyodor.
79
Business Description
Founded in 2008, Fyodor Biotechnologies is focused
on the research, development and manufacturing of
innovative diagnostic and biopharmaceutical products
targeted towards global health diseases. Fyodor
is a socially responsible company focused on the
translation of relevant biotechnologies to diagnostic and
biopharmaceutical products, designed to address critical
healthcare needs in emerging markets in Africa, Asia
and South America. The company’s goal is to expand
the availability and affordability of rapid diagnostics
and pharmaceuticals, with an initial focus on malaria.
Fyodor’s flagship product is the Urine Malaria Test—a
one-step test for at-home or point-of-need diagnosis of
clinical malaria in persons with fever.
Challenge
The drug Artemisinin is, to date, the most effective
treatment against malaria and is in clinical trials for
the treatment of other diseases as well. Artemisinin is
extracted from plants with long growing seasons, often
resulting in low crop yields, which lead to shortages and
supply interruptions. Fyodor’s YAT platform technology
is based on an industrial process for artemisinin
synthesis, which shifts artemisinin production from
plants to a more reliable and scalable, yeast-based
method, and is thus able to meet and adjust to market
demands.
MIPS Role
Fyodor worked with Dr. Ganesh Sriram from the
University of Maryland’s department of chemical and
biomolecular engineering to develop and optimize this
novel, yeast-based technology to reliably produce and
manufacture artemisinin. The project demonstrated that
the YAT technology can produce artemisinin in yeast
at least 1,000 times more efficiently and faster than the
conventional plant source.
Results
Fyodor won two SBIR Phase I awards (each worth
$150,000), a $476,000 SBIR Phase 2 award, and a $200,00
commercialization funding award from the Maryland
Biotechnology Center. The company is located in the
University of Maryland, Baltimore Biopark, having
recently expanded their laboratory space.
80
 Genovation Cars
Aerodynamic modeling of a high-efficiency automobile

Project Manager: Steven Rogers; Principal Investigator: Jewel Barlow, UMD

Location: Rockville, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2011

Business Description
Rockville, Md.-based Genovation Cars Inc designs and
builds pure electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid
electric vehicles (PHEVs). The company is currently
developing the G2; a two-door, four-seat, hatchback
PHEV with an electric-only range of 50 miles and 300-
mile capability with a range-extending generator.
The G2 is designed for simplicity, safety, low-cost
manufacturing and off-the-shelf availability of parts
made in America. The company’s objective is to provide
its customers with safe, sustainable automobiles that do
not compromise their driving independence or pleasure.

Challenge
A major challenge when designing any fuel-efficient
vehicle is minimizing aerodynamic drag while
maintaining a style that is attractive to buyers.
Predicting the drag coefficient using computer
simulation is standard procedure, but wind tunnel
testing is essential to ensure stability under various pitch
and yaw situations. The results of these tests provide
essential data to vehicle suspension designers.
data contributes enormously to future passenger safety, giving the company confidence in using the model for
MIPS Role which is worth much more than fuel savings. future design modifications. More importantly, the large
The Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel is perfectly suited to data set produced through testing can be used by the
testing vehicles. A small business such as Genovation Results suspension design team and eliminate trial-and-error
Cars could not afford the cost of privately contracting Tests demonstrated that the original computational design in the future.
with a commercial wind tunnel to run these tests. The fluid dynamics modeling was accurate and reliable,

81
“The MIPS program enabled Genovation to achieve a critical success factor in the most cost-
effective means possible. One of the biggest aspects related to automobile efficiency is air
resistance. Typically, around 60 percent of the power required to cruise at highway speeds is used to
overcome aerodynamic drag. This percentage increases significantly the faster you go. Automotive
aerodynamics is also critically important for safety reasons, most notably to increase downforce. Great
care was taken to design the G2 with a healthy amount of downforce and aerodynamic stability.”
– Andrew Saul, CEO, Genovation Cars
82
 Gliknik
Recombinant IgG Fc for treatment of autoimmunity
Project Manager: David S. Block; Principal Investigator: Scott Strome, UMB
Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore City; Project Start Date: 8/1/2007
Business Description
Founded in 2007, Gliknik is a biopharmaceuticals
company creating new therapies for patients with cancer
and immune disorders. Gliknik’s expertise is in the
modulation of the immune system to fight disease. The
Gliknik StradomerTM program in autoimmune diseases
has led to GL-2045, which is being manufactured for
clinical trials. Gliknik has also in-licensed two cancer
immunomodulator drugs that are in late-stage clinical
trials in patients with advanced head and neck cancer
and with advanced multiple myeloma.
Challenge
Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a human blood
product pooled from tens of thousands of donors and
used therapeutically in dozens of autoimmune diseases.
Gliknik’s StradomersTM are recombinant mimetics of
83
IVIG. The company needed to identify drug candidates
that could be advanced for further drug development
for autoimmune diseases such as lupus and myasthenia
gravis.
MIPS Role
Gliknik made numerous novel StradomersTM and
provided these to Dr. Strome, from the department
of otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery at
“I believe that Gliknik’s lead StradomerTM
UMB, for biological screening. The research resulted in GL-2045 has the potential to benefit
potential drug candidates for patients with autoimmune many patients. We are pleased to have
conditions.
played a significant role in this drug dis-
Results covery program and await clinical data.”
Since these results, the company has raised more than
– Dr. Scott Strome, founding scientist,
$10 million in equity, largely to support this program.
Gliknik
Dr. Scott Strome, UMB faculty inventor,
is the founding scientist of Gliknik.
Strome and Gliknik jointly discovered
the Stradomer™ technology platform.
84
GlycoPure
Enzymatic conversion of chitin to glucosamine

Project Manager: C. P. Condon; Principal Investigator: William Bentley, UMD

Location: Cambridge, Maryland - Dorchester County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2011

Challenge
GlycoPure sought to modify an existing, proprietary,
cell-based method for converting chitin to
n-acetylglucosamine (NAG) to effectively produce NAG, a
high-value chemical precursor to glucosamine.
Chitin is extracted from crab and other
MIPS Role crustacean shells, and can be converted
Through the MIPS project, researchers are working to glucosamine, which is used in
to improve the overall process by removing the
requirement for bacterial growth using an enzyme- products sold as building blocks for
mediated process. The enzymes are already in use for cartilage.
the cell-based process. Operators responsible for the
NAG production will only need to add enzymes to the
raw material and employ a well-controlled bioprocess to
generate NAG. Designs for commercial-scale processing
will also be developed. A secondary objective of the
project is to evaluate processes for the conversion of the
resulting NAG to glucosamine (GlcN) and scout for the
most cost-effective recovery process for this product.

Results
While the project is in progress, several bacteria strains
have been identified.

85
86
 Green Eyes
Development of ProbeGuard Anti-Biofouling Device
Project Manager: Vincent M. Kelly; Principal Investigator: Louis Codispoti, UMCES
Location: Easton, Maryland - Talbot County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2007
The MIPS project enabled Green Eyes
to create 16 jobs in Maryland.
87
Business Description
Green Eyes markets aquatic monitoring systems and
services to academic, environmental consulting, sewage
treatment and federal, state, and local government
water monitoring agencies.
Challenge
Green Eyes sought to address a longstanding biofouling
problem for aquatic instrumentation with the
development and commercialization of ProbeGuard,
a product that controls biofouling on various moored
aquatic instruments by enclosing sensors in a chamber
that is periodically treated with a biocide after data is
collected. The chamber is opened and flushed with
ambient water before sampling to insure data integrity.
MIPS Role
Biofouling was identified by the Alliance for Coastal
Technologies (ACT) as a key problem for observing
systems that was yet to be solved. Through MIPS,
Green Eyes refined ProbeGuard, which addresses this
problem by using two concentric cups that form a
protective sensor “garage”. Both the outer (static) and
inner (rotating) cups have windows that align to allow
free communication with the ambient water in sampling
mode and are staggered in protected mode to block
the sensors from the ambient water. Upon closing the
windows, a biocide is delivered by one to four compact
and highly efficient proprietary pumps. All activities of
ProbeGuard are microprocessor-controlled, and the time
of all actions logged on non-volatile, on-board memory.
Results
The successful project has enabled Green Eyes to market
Probeguard, which reduces servicing costs by 50-75
percent while improving data quality. The system also
allows real-time access to data.
88
 GreenSpacers
Growing fresh air with soil-free plants
Project Manager: Noah Berk; Principal Investigator: Thomas Handwerker, UMES
Location: Columbia, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2011
Business Description
A leading green technology company headquartered
in Columbia, Md., GreenSpacers offers expert advice,
interior design, plant leasing, plant sales and professional
care for soil-free indoor plants known as hydroculture.
Hydroculture is a method of rooting plants in water,
anchored in a clay aggregate, eliminating soil all
together.
The company has received numerous recognitions,
including being one of Baltimore’s 15 hottest technology
companies in 2010 by the GBTC and one of the Top
Green Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2011 by the Baltimore
Business Journal. The hydroculture method virtually
erases the uncertainty that often accompanies soil-
89
Noah Berk,
Founder and CEO,
GreenSpacers
Berk, an economics graduate from St. Mary’s College of
Maryland, wants everyone to be able to enjoy clean indoor
plants, even if they don’t have a green thumb. He has been
working with plants since he was a toddler, starting with
based plants. Hydroculture plants require minimal care,
his father’s landscaping company. In addition to the MIPS
live longer, and have healthier lives.
grant, the company has thrived on sales.
Challenge
The goal of GreenSpacers’ MIPS project was to test the
hydroculture indoor growing method, to prove that not
only do these plants remove targeted volatile organic
compounds, but that they also do not harbor soil-borne
molds, mildews, or other allergens that have previously
prevented the placement of live plants in hospitals and
clinics.
MIPS Role
While the project is still ongoing, preliminary tests have
shown that GreenSpacers’ plants grow free of soil-borne,
molds, mildews, and other allergens.
Results
The products’ appeal is far reaching. GreenSpacers’
plants can be found in nearly 100 commercial locations.
Clients now include hospitals, medical offices,
commercial buildings, and local businesses that are
motivated to provide clean indoor air for employees,
customers and guests.
“Among the advances we have made
through MIPS is the construction of
a hydroponic conversion chamber, a
room with extra-high humidity and
heated floors, with lighting that’s been
placed in such a manner to grow low,
medium or high-light plants. It is the
only chamber of its kind in the U.S.”
– Noah Berk,
Founder and CEO, GreenSpacers

90
 Hoopers Island Oyster Aquaculture
Salting system for oyster aquaculture
Project Manager: Johnny Shockley; Principal Investigator: David Tilley, UMD
Location: Fishing Creek, Maryland - Dorchester County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2012
Hoopers Island is in the heart of Chesapeake seafood
country and is still home to the first Phillips Seafood
processing plant, which was the beginning of the
famous Phillips Crab House and seafood empire in
Maryland. Steve Phillips, President and CEO of Phillips
Seafood, has personally endorsed Hoopers Island
Oyster Aquaculture Co. and has committed to being
one of the first customers for this new process.
91
Business Description
Hoopers Island’s mission is to lead the way in the
development and implementation of a new and exciting
oyster aquaculture industry in Dorchester County and
the State of Maryland.
Hoopers Island Oyster Aquaculture Company was
created to produce and market high-quality half-shell
oysters and the equipment needed to support the
aquaculture industry in the State of Maryland.
The company has successfully built equipment and
designed a system that will easily transition the
traditional methods of Maryland watermen into a
cutting-edge industry. This industry will be one of the
first steps forward in meeting society’s demands of
sustainability and transparency in seafood production.
Challenge
Hoopers sought to develop a wet storage system for
oysters to achieve salinity consistency and remove
coliform bacteria. The challenge is to simulate and
control the salinity of Chesapeake oysters for the half-
shell market. This has long been done by watermen
by transporting mid-Bay oysters to the much saltier
waters of the barrier island bays below Ocean City and
Assateague Island. After living in these waters for a few
days, the oysters are significantly saltier and preferred by
the restaurant market. The MIPS project for a land-based
wet storage and salinity system will make this practice
obsolete and provide far more control over the oyster
taste.
MIPS Role
While this project is in progress, UMD researchers are
currently working with Hoopers to develop a wet storage
system.
“The opportunity provided by MIPS will fast-forward our
business by advancing our oyster aquaculture technology. The
after effects of this research made possible by MIPS will be an
asset for the Chesapeake Bay for years to come.”
– Ricky Fitzhugh, President, Hoopers
92
 HY-TEK Bio
Clean energy from fossil fuels
Project Manager: Robert M. Mroz; Principal Investigator: Feng Chen, UMCES
Location: Dayton, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2012
Business Description
Maryland-based HY-TEK Bio is an early stage company
developing a patent-pending system to remove carbon
dioxide and other harmful greenhouse gases from smoke
stack flue gas.

 50 percent of the algae produced. The project ends in
HY-TEK Bio’s system scrubs the gas by funneling it into a
sealed bioreactor that contains algae, wastewater, nutrient
and LED lights. The algae feeds on pollutants in the
wastewater and flue gas, yielding cleaner water and cleaner
emissions. The process produces high-lipid-oil algae, a
key ingredient in bio-plastics and biofuels, some skin care
products, nutritional supplements, cosmetic and paint
thickeners and additives for both human and animal food
products.
Challenge
During phase one of HY-TEK Bio’s MIPS/DNR-funded
project, UMCES researchers planned to comb the
hundreds of thousands of strains of known algae to
select the one that would perform best with HY-TEK
Bio’s patented technology. The goal was to find one
that could survive in an environment with 20 to 40
percent CO2 and respond to certain light wavelengths
to promote faster growth. Ideally, the algae would also
have a high lipid content for later use in the products
mentioned above.
93
During phase two of the project, which ends in February,
2013, researches are fine-tuning the algae to perform at
an industrial scale in HY-TEK Bio’s system.
MIPS Role
UMCES researchers isolated a new strain of algae from
the Chesapeake Bay’s Back River tributary that grows
fast, contains a 42-47 percent lipid content and survives
in environments with as much as 100 percent CO2. The
newly isolated strain was named HTB-1 for HY-TEK Bio 1.
During phase two, which is on-going, researchers are
fine-tuning and optimizing components of the flue
gas-scrubbing system, including lighting, frequency,
wavelength, duty cycling, bubble size absorption rates
and various sources of nutrients.
Results
The City of Baltimore granted HY-TEK Bio $255,000
to conduct a demonstration of their technology at
Baltimore City’s Back River Waste Water Treatment
Plant. The project has already demonstrated that the
technology works using just 10-foot tanks and providing
an 85-90 percent mitigation of harmful gases from the
methane-fired power plant. Baltimore City receives
Pictured, from left to right: Feng Chen, Associate Professor, UMCES; Bob
Mroz, President and CEO, HY-TEK Bio; Jack French, Vice President, HY-TEK
Bio.
November, 2012.
MIPS-Related Quote
“We’re moving to an entirely new concept in closed
bioreactor design using our patent-pending mylar
tank structure. This concept will revolutionize closed
bioreactors. Our new ½ scale (4’x20’) mylar bioreactor
tank holds nine tons of water (or algae).
“HY-TEK Bio is a classic example of the Maryland
Industrial Partnerships Program making a difference in
helping a small company bring big ideas to market.
— Bob Mroz, President and CEO, HY-TEK Bio
Interesting Facts
HY-TEK Bio has received what it calls “off-the-scale”
support from local companies in its preferred corporate
sponsor program. More than 20 local companies have
provided HY-TEK Bio with hardware or services, at no
expense. Bob Mroz says “They just want to be involved,
even in this economy.”
“As a result of the MIPS grant, we have
been able to garner the support of
Baltimore City for this project, which
was precisely the support we needed
to move towards commercialization.
MIPS has been the key to moving our
technology out of the lab and into the
marketplace.”
– Bob Mroz, President and CEO,
HY-TEK Bio
94
 iBiquity Digital Corporation
HD Radio system testing at increased power levels
Project Manager: Albert Shuldiner; Principal Investigator: Ellyn Sheffield, Salisbury University
Location: Columbia, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2007
Business Description
iBiquity Digital is the developer and licenser of HD
Radio™ Technology, which is transforming AM and
FM broadcasting with a vastly increased number of
channels, dramatically improved sound quality, and an
array of new data services. iBiquity is actively engaged
with broadcasters; receiver, component and broadcast
equipment manufacturers; automotive manufacturers;
and retailers in the United States and around the world
to ensure swift and successful adoption of HD Radio
Technology.
Challenge
iBiquity sought to obtain FCC clearance for the use of higher
broadcast power levels for the digital carriers in the FM HD
Radio system.
“This project has helped to strengthen the
value of our digital radio product, which in
turn supports continued employment of 43
people in our Columbia, Maryland office.”
– Albert Shuldiner, Senior VP & General Counsel,
95
iBiquity Digital Corporation
MIPS Role
Salisbury researchers examined higher power levels
for the digital carriers in the FM HD Radio system. The
MIPS project focused on the feasibility of increasing
power levels and the potential impact of that increase on
adjacent analog channels. Increased digital power levels
allow broadcasters to increase the coverage of their
digital signals and to enhance the signal penetration
of buildings. The project also involved the collection
of audio samples of analog radio programming from
several existing radio stations. Analog broadcasts were
examined with the digital power of adjacent channel
stations set to existing authorized levels and proposed
higher levels. A subjective evaluation of the audio
samples was conducted using listeners to determine if
they perceive a diminution in audio quality.
Results
There was no appreciable decrease in audio quality
from the increase in digital power levels. This finding
allowed the broadcast industry to become comfortable
with the benefits of increasing digital power levels
for the HD Radio system and allowed the industry to
seek FCC authorization for an overall increase in digital
power levels. Various broadcasters supported iBiquity’s
request to allow broadcasters to increase the power level
of their digital radio broadcasts. On January 29, 2010,
the FCC issued an order authorizing FM radio stations
to increase their digital power levels based on the test
results conducted pursuant to the MIPS grant. iBiquity
also distributed results to regulators in other countries
considering HD Radio adoption and to the International
Telecommunication Union. The information about
high-power FM broadcasts helped to encourage the
Mexican government to adopt HD Radio technology as
the digital radio standard in Mexico earlier this year. The
FCC authorization of increased power resulted in several
dozen stations around the country increasing the power
levels of their digital broadcasts and improving the
quality of their digital signals.
96
Information Technologies Curves
Smart Algorithms for Managing Ridesharing Services
Project Manager: David Mohebbi; Principal Investigator: Dr. Elise Miller-Hooks, UMD
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2011
Business Description
I.T. Curves develops turnkey, end-to-end system
solutions, including multiple applications of 3G and 4G
smart devices, GPS and navigation software, location-
based services, sophisticated, state-of-the-art control
and optimization algorithms for assigning best-fit
tasks to a mobile resource, and efficient ride-sharing
algorithms for improving the management processes
and efficiency of public transportation and related
government programs.
Challenge
I.T. Curves sought to develop a state-of-the-art
optimization system for managing paratransit and other
for-hire transportation business involving shared ride
transportation operations, reducing costs and improving
performance.
MIPS Role
The objective of the MIPS project was to develop state-
of-the-art intelligent optimization algorithms to embed
in a commercially successful decision management
tool and software system, called the Mobile Resources
Management System (MRMS). MRMS is currently under
97
development. The combined algorithm and software
system will enable paratransit and other transportation
operators to efficiently manage their resources while
satisfying various service quality expectations and
other practical considerations. The new algorithms
will improve the efficiency of matching passengers to
vehicles and other passengers, routing, and scheduling
of trips by incorporating the latest ideas from the
research literature on ride-sharing systems, including
work recently accomplished by researchers at the
University of Maryland. In particular, the new algorithms
will efficiently deal with new requests that arrive at any
time, as well as those made well in advance. Practical
factors, such as desired “time windows,” trip urgencies,
priority fares, and uncertain travel times will also be
handled.
Results
The new algorithms have been embedded into I.T.
Curves’ products, which are used by a number of
operators around the U.S. Based on these sales, the
company has been able to retain a workforce of 8 full-
time employees.
98
 Innovative Biosensors
Biosensor for Detecting Salmonella and Listeria
Project Manager: Tom Hazel; Principal Investigator: Jianghong Meng, UMD
Location: Rockville, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2005
IBI is a graduate company of UMD’s
Technology Advancement Program
99
Business Description
Innovative Biosensors, Inc. is a privately held company
developing novel technologies for the rapid detection of
pathogens in biodefense applications and human clinical
diagnostics. Innovative Biosensors’ technology has
been tailored to rapidly and sensitively detect biological
threats in building security, military, and civil defense
applications. Additionally, the technology platform is
being used to develop rapid tests for the detection of
hospital-acquired infections.
Challenge
Innovative Biosensors wanted to create a system that
would rapidly detect pathogens in food processing.
They needed to test whether known food pathogens
could be detected rapidly and with great sensitivity and
specificity.
MIPS Role
IBI worked with Dr. Jianghong Meng of UMD’s
department of nutrition and food science to develop
their pathogen detection system for use in food
processing. They showed that IBI’s system had the ability
to rapidly detect E. Coli, Salmonella and Listeria.
Results
IBI has secured $21.65M in investment and created 29
jobs. The company spun off PathSensors, incorporating
their core technology, to provide the rapid, sensitive
detection and identification of foodborne pathogens
and toxins from environmental or food products.
100
 Instant Access Networks
EMP-protected microgrids using renewable energy
Project Manager: Charles L. Manto; Principal Investigator: Hilkat Soysal, Frostburg State
Location: Cumberland, Maryland - Allegany County; Project Start Date: 2 /1/2012, 10/1/2008
Business Description
Instant Access Networks (IAN) creates mass-produced
and relatively low-cost solutions to protect mission
critical facilities, such as 9-1-1 communications centers
and fiber optic networks, from electromagnetic pulse
(EMP) events.
Challenge
IAN sought assistance with the development and systems
integration of local power generation and energy storage
systems that will stay protected from the threats that could
collapse large, centralized systems such as regional electric
power grids.
MIPS Role
The research team at Frostburg State University has worked
with IAN and collaborators across the country to develop
advanced micro-grid technology and hydrogen storage
power systems. This work has included refining a novel, high-
pressure electrolyzer for hydrogen generation, identifying a
balance of system issues and an economic feasibility analysis
of options for energy generation. This analysis is critical in
choosing the right combinations of both power generation
and storage options.
101
Results
The hydrogen collection and storage for power systems
project is still underway (in Phase 2). The first complete system
is part of the Sustainable Energy Research Facility (SERF),
located next to Frostburg State University, and is set to open in
October, 2012. This 6,400 square-foot facility will be totally off-
grid and not need a drop of oil or a dime’s worth of electricity
Some of IAN’s equipment will be
once it opens. IAN looks forward to initiating systems showcased at the Sustainable Energy
integration services and products based on technology it Research Facility (SERF) next to Frostburg
helped refine with the help of MIPS grants.
State University, IAN’s MIPS partner,
As a result of the microgrid MIPS project, IAN has successfully that will open Oct 29, 2012. This 6,400
developed electromagnetic pulse (EMP)-protected solar
panel systems, wind turbine and diesel generator technology.
square foot facility will be totally off-grid
IAN continues to work with partners on next-generation and not need a drop of oil or a dime’s
combustion technology that is 30 percent more fuel efficient
and up to 70 percent less polluting. That same technology is
worth of electricity once it opens. IAN
being used to enhance the anaerobic digestion of waste to looks forward to initiating systems
power so that 30 percent more methane can be produced integration services and products based
from the same amount of waste. IAN is also working with its
partners on hydrogen and methane storage technology and a on technology it helped refine with the
smart micro-grid controller. help of MIPS grants.
102
 InstantLabs Medical Diagnostics Corporation
Development of PCR assay for the detection of MRSA
Project Manager: Neil Sharma, Steven Guterman; Principal Investigator: Dr. Jennifer Kristie Johnson, UMB
Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore City; Project Start Date: 8/1/2012
Business Description
InstantLabs is a molecular diagnostic device company
and the developer of portable, quantitative, real-
time PCR (qPCR) systems. The company is focused on
medical diagnostic and food safety applications for its
proprietary technologies. InstantLabs currently markets
its Hunter Accelerated-PCR® platform with disposable
Multiple Assay Cartridges (MACs), bringing simplicity
and power to complex diagnostic testing without
dependency on central laboratories or acute care
facilities for sample analysis. The compact, affordable
and fully-integrated Hunter system is especially suited
for use at points-of-care and points-of-need to detect
and analyze a wide variety of common and problematic
pathogens. InstantLabs is positioned to broaden the
addressable market for RT-PCR in areas where gold-
standard accuracy combined with ease-of-use and rapid
time to results can make a consequential improvement
in operational efficiency as well as health outcomes.
Challenge
Decision making for patients with a Staph infection used
to be easy. Simple, inexpensive antibiotics cured all but
the worst cases. However, in the early 1960’s, a new rare
pathogen appeared, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus
Aureus (MRSA); it now represents more than 35 percent
103
“The quality of the researchers and the
support from MIPS will allow us to enter
the market sooner.”
of hospital Staph isolates. MRSA is resistant to common – Steven Guterman, Chief Executive Officer, InstantLabs
antibiotics, and often results in serious illness and even
death. It is an ever-increasing cause of community and
hospital acquired infections worldwide.
The rapid diagnosis of MRSA is critical to both patient
treatment and efficient hospital operations.
InstantLabs is seeking to develop a rapid method to
detect Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA) on the
Hunter® Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)
platform. This will allow accurate and quick diagnosis of an
increasingly important multi-drug resistant pathogen.
MIPS Role
Dr. Jennifer Kristie Johnson will design and test the PCR assays
to detect MRSA.
Interesting Fact
InstantLabs instrument, the Hunter, is not confined to human
diagnostics. it is used in food safety, and we are working on
animal health test kits along with an industrial application.
104
 Integrated BioTherapeutics
Feasibility of Toxin Based S. Aureus Vaccine - PII
Project Manager: M. J. Aman; Principal Investigator: Mary-Claire Roghmann, UMB
Location: Germantown, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2010
Business Description
IBT develops vaccines and therapeutics for S. aureus
and filoviruses such as Ebola. The company’s vaccines
target a wide range of Staphylococcal exotoxins, major
virulence factors of S. aureus pathogenicity.
Challenge
Staphylococcus aureus is a well-recognized cause of
invasive disease and sepsis. Mortality rates related to
sepsis are high, despite appropriate antibiotic therapy.
Why some patients with S. aureus bacteremia develop
sepsis and others do not is largely unknown. Might
low levels of antibodies to S. aureus exotoxins show
an association with sepsis risk among adults with
bloodstream infection? And if so, might that lead to a
vaccine for treating that sepsis?
MIPS Role
Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a bacteria that causes
both community- and hospital-acquired infections.
105
These infections are now more difficult to treat due to of sepsis in adults with a SA infection complicated by
development of methicillin resistance. Consequently, bacteremia. Researchers also assessed whether adults
the number of infections due to methicillin-resistant S. with persistent SA colonization have higher antibody
aureus (MRSA) has increased. SA most commonly causes levels.
skin and soft tissue infections with a range of severity,
from uncomplicated boils to life-threatening surgical Results
site infections. SA infections are often complicated In this trial, it was found that SA sepsis patients did
by bacteremia, the spread of the bacteria into the have significantly lower antibodies to SA toxins than
bloodstream. SA bacteremia can lead to sepsis, a SA patients without sepsis. This finding may lead to
systemic response to the infections that leads to multi- a vaccine treatment for SA sepsis and has enabled
organ failure and often death. Efforts to develop a Integrated BioTherapuetics to create nine new jobs.
vaccine to prevent SA infections have been unsuccessful.
However, no one has explored whether a vaccine
against SA could reduce the severity of an SA infection.
SA produces a number of exotoxins that increase the
severity of infection. The primary purpose of IBT’s MIPS
project was to determine the feasibility of developing a
toxin-based vaccine by assessing whether pre-existing
antibodies to SA toxins are associated with a lower risk
106
 Juxtopia
Auditorily-based speech enhancement scheme

Project Manager: Jayfus T. Doswell; Principal Investigator: Carol Espy-Wilson, UMD

Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore City; Project Start Date: 1/28/2009

“With MIPS funding, Juxtopia was able Business Description

to collaborate with UMD’s department
of electrical engineering to advance its
wearable augmented reality products.
Securing MIPS funding was not easy by
any means and took years; however, the
experience helped exercise Juxtopia’s
spirit of perseverance and concentrated
focus to achieve a tangible result at the
end of MIPS funding.”
– Jayfus T. Doswell, Founder, President
and CEO, Juxtopia
Juxtopia®’s core business is developing human
performance products with a current focus on
augmented reality headsets and software services
where speech is the primary human computer interface.
The company’s lead product is the Juxtopia Wearable
Assistance and Situational Awareness Goggles.
Challenge
Juxtopia sought to fine-tune a single channel speech
enhancement algorithm to improve the signal-to-
noise ratio (SNR) of speech signals recorded in noisy
environments. This algorithm would enhance the
performance of Juxtopia’s Context-Aware Augmented
Reality System (CAARS) platform, which is a speech
controlled, wearable augmented reality headset that
needs to perform well in everyday situations.

MIPS Role Jayfus T. Doswell, Founder, President and CEO,

In the MIPS study, Dr. Carol Espy-Wilson of the
department of electrical and computer engineering
at UMD developed a speech enhancement algorithm
to eliminate noise (echo and background noise) from
speech signals.
Results
Juxtopia® developed a speech enhancement product
based on this algorithm, which eliminated noise from
Juxtopia
speech signals. Juxtopia® will integrate the noise-
reduction software product into its headset and also
license it to other headset manufacturers and speech
service vendors. The company also attracted several
STTR grants from NSF.

107
Juxtopia is a minority-owned firm and a graduate of the ETC incubator. Juxtopia
returned to the ETC to create the Juxtopia® Urban Innovation and Cooperative
Entrepreneurship (JUICE) Lab with a mission to guide other minority-owned high-
tech companies to transition innovations and inventions into the commercial
marketplace.

108
 K&L Microwave
Cross-coupled filter synthesis
Project Manager: Rafi Hershtig; Principal Investigator: Kawthar Zaki, UMD
Location: Salisbury, Maryland - Wicomico County; Project Start Date: 8/1/1995
Business Description
K&L Microwave is a subsidiary of Dover Corporation, a
$7.5 billion Fortune 400 company traded on the New
York Stock Exchange, recognized by top-tier defense
contractors and wireless infrastructure providers as a
world leader in the design and manufacture of RF and
microwave filters, duplexers and integrated assemblies.
K&L is AS9100 and ISO 14001 certified and offers
customers the most extensive range of filter-based
products in the industry, spanning from 0.3MHz to
94GHz.
K&L began operations over 40 years ago in a
1,400 square foot facility manufacturing custom
filters primarily for the military sector. Today, with
manufacturing facilities in the United States and the
Dominican Republic and a global sales presence, K&L is
the industry’s premier filter supplier for both military and
commercial markets. Over 410 employees represent the
engineering, sales and marketing, manufacturing and
support personnel that enable K&L to support such a
broad product and customer base.
109
Challenge
K&L sought to increase the efficiency of its existing
technology for cross-coupling filters.
MIPS Role
The goal of the project was to develop models and
programs for determining the physical dimensions of the
coupled filter structures. Using a full-wave approach, the
team combined contour mode matching and orthogonal
expansion to obtain the generalized scattering matrix
of a cylindrical metal post in a rectangular waveguide. A
cascading procedure using an S-matrix was employed
with proper terminating conditions to compute natural
resonant frequencies of the coupled resonators. The
resulting program obtained excellent filter responses.
Results
This project enabled K&L to grow its business by seven
percent. The several projects that K&L did with MIPS
sponsorship led to the addition of 91 jobs and $3M in
annual revenues. K&L credits the project in their move to
broaden from defense into commercial markets.
The project resulted in two published
papers and two doctoral theses.
“[Mtech] is invaluable to companies like
ours in that it allows us to leverage our own
resources with those of the university and
the national laboratories to maximize the
output of our research and development
efforts. I feel that the activities to date, along
with those to follow through this program, in
the future, will be instrumental in permitting
K&L Microwave to maintain its position as
the market leader in microwave filters and
to continue to be an aggressive growth
company.”
– Charles J. Schaub, President, K&L
Microwave
“Dr. Zaki’s software is in use today in an expanded product line
and a new filter design, based on the use of high-temperature
superconducting materials.”
– Charles J. Schaub, President, K&L Microwave

110
 Luke’s Premier Foods
Scale-up process for heirloom tomato juice
Project Manager: James D. Hudson; Principal Investigator: Jurgen Schwarz, UMES
Location: Princess Anne, Maryland - Somerset County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2011
Business Description
The mission of Luke’s Premier Foods is to develop an
economical, environmentally friendly, mobile processing
facility capable of using a waste crop (heirloom tomato
seconds, even thirds) as the basis for the creation of
a “micro-batch” canning plant, producing the best
quality heirloom tomato juices in the world. This
includes development of the first commercially available
heirloom tomato nectar. Luke’s plans to successfully
replicate the facility and products nationwide, then
internationally.
Challenge
Luke’s first challenge was to prove their process is
sustainable when taken from “kitchen to commercial,”
while utilizing UMES food quality facilities and staff
knowledge to test equipment and procedures to fit
within USDA guidelines. This has been successful.
The next step is to determine the maximum limits of
production, helping determine cost-effectiveness
and potential profitability while creating a new
revenue stream for small- to medium-sized Maryland
tomato growers. The final challenge is creating mobile
111
plants and moving with the seasons, similar to wheat
harvesters and portable wine bottlers.
MIPS Role
MIPS made it possible to utilize the Food Science
center at UMES and to test several different processes
and pieces of equipment while utilizing feedback and
specific assistance from UMES professors.
Results
In 2012, Luke’s successfully proved the first tier of
processing works by producing more than 4,000 cases
of premier heirloom tomato juice, tomato nectar, and
bloody mary mix and is marketing those juices now.
Luke’s hired 11 people in 2012 and
anticipates expanding that to 20 in
2013 by running two full shifts. Luke’s
entered the market in August, 2012
and has sold more than 150 cases of
premier heirloom tomato juices on the
Eastern Shore in just the first month,
with tastings for grocers such as Whole
Foods, Safeway and Dean & Deluca,
upscale restaurants such as Liquid
Assets and Restaurant 213 in Salisbury,
popular clubs such as Seacrets in Ocean
City, liquor stores such as Binn 66 in
Rehoboth Beach, farm markets such as
How Sweet It Is and Pops, and multiple
other locations, with sales to many . The
company is also developing potential
private label processing capabilities.
“Because of the MIPS-funded
opportunity to incubate our project
at UMES, we have moved all of Luke’s
assets and business functions to
Princess Anne (from Iowa). Our project
would not have been possible without
MIPS and the extraordinary support
of Dr. Jurgen Schwarz at UMES. We
are proud to say Luke’s maintains our
99 percent “best tasting tomato juice I
have ever tasted” success.
– Jim Hudson, Owner, Luke’s

112
 Mack Trucks
Improved reliability in truck powertrains

Project Manager: Brad P. Toole; Principal Investigator: Robert J. Sanford, UMD

Location: Hagerstown, Maryland - Washington County; Project Start Date: 8/1/1992

Business Description Results

Mack engines are designed and manufactured at the
company’s 1.5 million-square-foot facility in Hagerstown,
Md. The TC15 transfer case, rear engine power take-off
and Mack Maxitorque ES T300 series transmissions are also
produced there.
Challenge
Mack Trucks sought to improve the reliability of valve
lifters used in the company’s engines.
MIPS Role
The project team tested two types of valve lifters:
brazed lifters in current use and a newly designed HIP-
bonded lifter (a hot-isostatic pressed design). Through
engineering analysis and testing, the UMD researchers
determined that the HIP-bonded lifter would provide a
5x improvement in durability over the older-style brazed
lifter. UMD researchers also discovered that the as-built
HIP-bonded lifters had an unacceptably thin carbide
layer. Finally, the team devised an ultrasonic inspection
method for the new lifters.
As a result of this project, Mack switched entirely
from brazed to HIP-bonded lifters. The company also
instituted manufacturing controls to ensure proper
thickness of the carbide layer on the HIP-bonded
lifters. This dramatically improved their powertrains’
reliability, which led to savings in warranty costs, an
improved market share and the creation of new jobs in
Hagerstown.
Interesting Fact
Mack Trucks in Hagerstown is now Volvo Powertrain
North America, a division of Volvo.
“We believe that this has already started
to contribute to our recent increase in
market share, and expect it to be an
important factor in further increases.”
— Brad Toole, Engineering, Mack Trucks

113
“Because of the MIPS funded
opportunity to incubate our project at
UMES, we have moved all Luke’s assets
and business functions to Princess
Anne, Maryland (from Iowa). Our
project would not have been possible
without MIPS, and the extraordinary
support of Dr. Jurgen Schwarz at UMES.
We are proud to say Luke’s maintains
our 99% “best tasting tomato juice I
have ever tasted” success.”
– Jim Hudson, Member/Owner

114
 Maritime Applied Physics Corp.
High-performance, low fuel-use hydrofoil ferries
Project Manager: Mark S. Rice; Principal Investigator: Jewel Barlow, UMD
Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore City; Project Start Date: 2/1/2005
Business Description
Maritime Applied Physics Corp. has a 26-year history of
engineering, prototyping, and production of emerging
technology systems. While the company’s early history was
built on engineering services work, they have expanded
into engineered products due, in part, to more than 25
awards under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
program.
In 2004, MAPC began production of two marine systems
and added a third production system. The Vehicle
Engineering group was formalized in 2006.
MAPC has designed and built three hydrofoils. Two marine
vessels are currently under development, with associated
patents pending. They company’s international experience
includes projects in South Korea, Italy, France and Scotland.
Challenge
MAPC’s MIPS project was to design an aerodynamic
hydrofoil hull in conjunction with Jewel Barlow, Director
of UMD’s Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel.
MIPS Role
Wind Tunnel researchers worked with MAPC to test and
improve the design of the company’s ferry hull.
115
Results
Maritime Applied Physics now offers 80- and
149-passenger diesel hydrofoil ferries for sale. Each
hydrofoil is designed to accommodate the operator’s
speed, passenger count, and sea conditions. MAPC
hydrofoils use state-of-the-art digital control technology
to ensure low motions, high fuel efficiency and all-
weather operation. These hulls can also be outfitted as
yachts using the finest outfitters.
Interesting Fact
The rise in fuel costs over the past five years has led
to a large reduction in the number of fast passenger
ferries operating throughout the world. Additional
improvements in fuel economy will be required if this
sector of the ferry market is to rebound.
“The MIPS work at the University
of Maryland allows MAPC to offer
passenger hydrofoils that have a 15
percent lower fuel consumption than
those of our competitors. Since fuel
costs are the highest cost element in fast
ferry operations, this is a very important
benefit. The MIPS process gave our
company access to Wind Tunnel facilities
and aerodynamic expertise that we
could not otherwise afford.”
— Mark Rice, President, Maritime
Applied Physics Corp.
“Because of the MIPS funded
opportunity to incubate our project at
UMES, we have moved all Luke’s assets
and business functions to Princess
Anne, Maryland (from Iowa). Our
project would not have been possible
without MIPS, and the extraordinary
support of Dr. Jurgen Schwarz at UMES.
We are proud to say Luke’s maintains
our 99% “best tasting tomato juice I
have ever tasted” success.”
– Jim Hudson, Member/Owner

116
 Martek Biosciences
Microbial production of DHA
Project Manager: David Kyle; Principal Investigator: Richard V. Calabrese, UMD
Location: Columbia, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 2/1/1990
Business Description
Martek (now part of Royal DSM) is a leader in the
innovation, development, production and sale of high-
value products from microbial sources that promote health
and wellness through nutrition. Martek’s technology
platform consists of its core expertise, broad experience
and proprietary technology in areas such as microbial
biology, algal genomics, fermentation and downstream
processing. This technology platform has resulted in
Martek’s development of a number of products, including
the company’s flagship product, life’sDHA™, a sustainable
and vegetarian source of algal DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
important for brain, heart and eye health throughout life—
for use in infant formula, pregnancy and nursing products,
foods and beverages, dietary supplements and animal
feeds. Martek also produces life’sARA™ (arachidonic acid),
an omega-6 fatty acid, for use in infant formula and follow-
on formulas. DSM’s acquisition of Martek for circa € 790
million has added a new growth platform to the Human
Nutrition & Health entity for healthy and natural food
ingredients for infant formula and other food and beverage
applications, especially focused on Polyunsaturated Fatty
Acids such as microbial Omega-3 DHA and Omega-6 ARA.
DSM has established leadership positions across all three
areas of the ingredients business: food, feed and personal
care. It is the world’s largest producer of vitamins.
Challenge Technology Advancement Program (TAP). The Maryland
Martek sought to scale up its microbial processes so the Department of Business and Economic Development
company could produce large commercial quantities provided funding for expansion of the Bioprocessing
of DHA. Martek did not have equipment for scale-up Scale-Up Facility in 2004.
manufacturing, nor did they have expertise in growing
the microalgae that produce DHA.
“Over 55 million babies worldwide have
MIPS Role
Working with the staff of Mtech’s Bioprocessing Scale-Up
now had infant formula that included
Facility (BSF), Dr. Calabrese defined and transferred the Martek’s nutritional ingredients. Over
manufacturing process to produce the DHA from the
microalgae. It is this process that Martek still uses today
99 percent of the infant formula in the
to produce DHA. Unites States has it, as well as products
in more than 75 countries around the
Results
Martek became the largest producer of nutritional world. Almost every U.S. child under the
supplements from microalgae. With about 400 people age of six has had this Martek DHA in
working in Columbia, Md., the company was acquired
by Royal DSM in 2010 for $1.1B. Royal DSM N.V. (NYSE
their brain. It all started here. It all came
Euronext: DSM KON) is a global life sciences and from this facility.”
materials sciences company headquartered in the
Netherlands.
— Henry “Pete” Linsert, former
Chairman and CEO of Martek
Interesting Fact
Martek is a graduate of the incubator of Mtech’s
Maryland Aquatic Nurseries
Stormwater nutrient management using floating rafts
Project Manager: Richard Schuck; Principal Investigator: Andrew Lazur, UMCES, Horn Point
Location: Jarrettsville, Maryland - Harford County; Project Start Date: 8/2/2004
Business Description
Maryland Aquatic Nurseries grows aquatic plants and
manufactures pond products. The small company,
located in Jarrettsville (Harford County), employs 14
people. Since its inception in 1986, Maryland Aquatic
Nurseries (MAN) has become a leader in the aquatics
marketplace. In addition to being a plant nursery, MAN
is an innovative designer and manufacturer of fine water
garden products. They hold a U.S. Patent on Floating
Island Planters and Floating Wetlands.
Challenge
MAN sought to determine the top nutrient-absorbing
aquatic plants and the nutrient uptake potential of
planted floating rafts compared to the traditional
methods of planted shorelines for nutrient management
in ponds. The company planned to recommend plant
stocking densities to treat stormwater ponds.
119
MIPS Role
UMCES’s Andrew Lazur determined the nitrogen and
phosphorus uptake potential of six freshwater aquatic
plants within a floating raft system and compared these
to traditional, soil-based planting. Lazur determined
differences in nutrient uptake potential and the other
plant production advantages of rafts, including growth
rate. Water samples were analyzed for nitrogen and
phosphorus levels using analytical services at Horn Point
Laboratory. The three plant species with the greatest
nutrient uptake were raised in floating raft and soil-
based pots, and water nitrogen and phosphorus analysis
of the three replicates was done and compared to the
other treatments (floating raft and soil-based pots).
Results
The company was able to expand its product offerings
to include environmental products and native aquatic
plants for earthen and stormwater ponds.
Maryland Aquatic Nurseries is the
largest supplier of aquatic plants
on the East Coast, and they
have one of the most beautiful
workplaces in Maryland!

120
 Maryland Environmental Plastics
Biodegradable plastic pots for vegetation restoration

Project Manager: Alan Berry and Chirp Shannahan; Principal Investigator: Patrick Kangas, UMD
Location: Easton, Maryland - Talbot County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2010

Because of the research conducted through the
MIPS program, the company has branched out
and is working on other projects that will help
the crab industry in the Chesapeake Bay area, in
particular a new biodegradable “trap door” for
lost crab pots (ghost pots).
Business Description
Maryland Environmental Plasics (MEP) is an Easton, Md.-
based startup dedicated to developing a biodegradable
seedling pot to enhance the growth and establishment
of sub-aquatic vegetation (SAV) within the Chesapeake
Bay, restoring grasses that have been destroyed by
pollutants.
Challenge
MEP sought to design a vessel that would allow seeds
to germinate and propagate without being removed by
tidal flow or consumed by creatures in the Bay. Secondly,
the company needed to produce the vessel with a
material that would stand up to the rigors of the initial
germination, growth and placement in the Bay, but
also naturally degrade in the sub-aquatic environment.
Thirdly, the pot design had to be easily and economically
produced via standard injection-molding production
processes.
MIPS Role
The MIPS/DNR-funded research project focused on the
effects that a biodegradable seed pot would have in
establishing growth of SAV in the Chesapeake Bay Basin.
The objectives were to determine the best seedling pot
design that would maximize vegetative growth, and
then allow that viable plant to be safely transplanted to a
site, with the intent of reestablishing the environmental
health of the Chesapeake Bay.
Results
The UMD research team designed a seedling pot, as well
as a small ‘sod’ pot that can be used for growing SAV
in a controlled environment for re-planting in strategic
locations in the Bay. The company is currently working with
environmental agencies in Maryland and Virginia to assess
the validity of the program. Implementation of the pot
system is planned for early 2014.

121
122
 Matrics Technology Systems
Advanced RFID antenna designs
Project Manager: Dr. William R. Bandy; Principal Investigator: Kawthar A Zaki, UMD
Location: Columbia, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2001
Business Description
Matrics Technology Systems, now part of Motorola,
was a Columbia, Md.-based company providing
EPC-compliant RFID systems for retail, defense,
transportation and other vertical markets. The Matrics
product portfolio featured RFID systems including:
multi-protocol, EPC-compliant fixed readers; readers
designed for embedded applications, such as RFID
printers and handhelds; high-performance antennas for
RFID tag reading; and EPC labels that can be attached to
items such as containers, pallets, cartons and more. The
company’s RFID tag family included both read-only and
read/write functionality that addresses a wide range of
asset visibility applications.
Matrics’ RFID readers and tags were used by customers
to help track inventory across the supply chain, ensure
compliance in regulated industries, track the location of
baggage throughout airports for security purposes, and
facilitate a more effective logistics process within the
defense sector.
Challenge
Matrics sought to develop advanced antenna designs
and related circuitry to dramatically increase the read
123
distance of its Matrics Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) tags. To fully utilize the large number of tags
that can be read by the Matrics technology, it was
essential to increase the read distance to more than 3
meters. Achieving this required pushing the envelope of
advanced antenna designs.
MIPS Role
UMD researchers provided Matrics with specific antenna
designs that enhanced performance and increased
read range, along with simulation results of the various
designs and lab tests of different antennae and related
circuits fabricated by a Matrics contractor.
Results
The project proved successful, allowing Matrics to
create 60 jobs as a result. Matrics was bought by Symbol
Technologies in 2004 for $230M.
“The acquisition of Matrics is a significant step in
In 2004, Matrics was acquired by
executing our plan to be a leader in RFID, and expands
our offerings in the advanced data capture industry,” Symbol Technologies Inc. for $230M.
said William Nuti, Symbol president and chief executive Symbol is now a subsidiary of Motorola,
officer.
a company whose RFID business, which
started with Matrics, continues to be
based in Maryland.
124
 Maxion Technology
High-power, interband cascade lasers
Project Manager: John Bruno; Principal Investigator: Mario Dagenais, UMD
Location: College Park, Maryland - Prince George’s County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2008
Business Description
Maxion Technologies Inc. is a world leader in the
development and commercialization of long-
wavelength (3-12 microns) infrared semiconductor lasers.
Maxion is the only company in the world selling both
interband cascade (IC) and quantum cascade (QC) lasers
to business and government customers. The company’s
laser products are used by customers developing
product solutions in the areas of homeland security,
military communications, infrared countermeasures,
chemical warfare agent detection, explosives detection,
medical diagnostics, industrial process controls, remote
gas leak detection, pollution monitoring, and real-time
combustion controls.
Challenge
Maxion sought to improve the performance of its
interband cascade (IC) laser.
125
MIPS Role Maxion is the only company in the
The availability of high power, compact, high-brightness,
efficient mid-infrared lasers operating at ambient or at world selling both interband cascade
temperatures compatible with thermoelectric coolers, (IC) and quantum cascade (QC) lasers to
would significantly enhance current capabilities in
chemical and biological optical point sensors, long-
business and government customers.
range chemical sensing (IR lidar) for monitoring
pollutants, industrial process control, medical diagnosis, The company is located in Mtech’s
and infrared countermeasures. It would also allow
the realization of compact tunable laser sources for Technology Ventures Building.
spectroscopy applications. The primary objective of this
project was to improve the performance of interband
cascade (IC) laser developed in the Phase I MIPS project
and to seek high power operation.
Results
The MIPS projects that Maxion undertook have helped
propel the company into a market leadership position
in mid-infrared lasers. The company has been working
extensively with U.S. federal agencies, including the
Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland
Security, and NASA.
126
 MedImmune
Characterization of Synagis®

Project Manager: Dr. John Hope; Principal Investigator: Dr. Bradford C. Braden, Bowie State
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2000

Business Description
Gaithersburg-based MedImmune is the global biologics
arm of AstraZeneca PLC, with approximately 3,500
employees worldwide.
MedImmune’s Synagis® product is the first monoclonal
antibody approved for the prevention of an infectious
disease, as well as the first such drug to be safely used in
children.
Synagis® prevents a serious lower respiratory tract disease
caused by the respiratory synctial virus (RSV), prominent
in the Northern Hemisphere during the winter months.
RSV is the most common respiratory infection for infants
and children. Approximately 50 percent of all infants are
infected with RSV during their first year of life; nearly all
children have been infected at least once by the time they
reach their second birthday.
Challenge
MedImmune wanted to characterize the humanized
antibody Synagis® to identify potential changes in
structure that occurred at the antigen binding site. This
could possibly lead to a new antibody with improved
viral neutralizing characteristics.
MIPS Role MIPS has jointly funded six different
Bowie State researchers characterized the three
dimensional structure and physiochemical properties of research projects with MedImmune,
Synagis®. including three directly related to
Results
Synagis®, since 1996.
Synagis® has therapeutic advantages over existing
treatments, and has become a breakthrough product
with over $1B in sales per year and more than $11B
in sales historically. MedImmune was acquired by
AstraZeneca in June, 2007, for $15.6B. They have 1,925
employees in Maryland.
MIPS “helped in [the] structural testing
of Synagis lots,” said MedImmune
scientist Dr. John Hope in a post-project
report. “The process for which the MIPS
grant assisted in development of is still
being used at MedImmune for testing
Synagis® and related glycoproteins.”

127
128
 MedImmune
Bioprocess production training for Medimmune’s Synagis® production team

Project Manager: Daniel Pappas; Principal Investigator: Ed Sybert, UMD

Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2003

Business Description
Gaithersburg-based MedImmune is the global biologics
arm of AstraZeneca PLC, with approximately 3,500
employees worldwide.
Challenge
MedImmune sought consistency in the manufacturing
of Synagis®, the company’s lead product, manufactured
in Frederick. MedImmune’s manufacturing workers
needed training in their particular roles in the
complicated manufacturing process.
MIPS Role
The UMD team designed, developed and evaluated
enhanced bioprocessing training materials for
MedImmune’s production technicians.
has been employed over the past 10 years by personnel
in Mtech’s Bioprocess Scale-Up Facility (BSF).
Interesting Fact
The training module developed under MIPS has been
used to train almost all of MedImmune’s workers who
manufacture Synagis®, the company’s lead product.
Synagis® is the largest selling biotech product made
in Maryland, with cumulative sales of $11B. Synagis®
(palivizumab) is the first monoclonal antibody approved
by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help
prevent an infectious disease.
“With the MIPS funding and
MedImmune support that we received
we developed an interactive, on-line
and self-paced training program that
addressed each element of vaccine
manufacturing, as conducted at
MedImmune. The project was a great
experience, and fostered a continuing
relationship with MedImmune.”
– Ed Sybert

Results
UMD researchers custom-designed a training program
for MedImmune’s manufacturing workers. This training

129
130
 Nora Therapeutics
Manufacturing and purification protocols for rhG-CSF
Project Manager: Darryl L. Carter; Principal Investigator: Julienne Mullaney, UMB
Location: Owings Mills, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2006
Dr. Darryl Carter is a minority
entrepreneur who founded the
company in 2003, and has been
treating women with recurrent
miscarriage and/or established
infertility. Prior to Nora, Dr. Carter was
a member of the faculty in pathology
and laboratory medicine, as well as
an attending physician in diagnostic
immunology, at The Johns Hopkins
School of Medicine and The Johns
Hopkins Hospital, where he specialized
in diseases of the immune system.
131
Business Description
Nora Therapeutics is a specialty biopharmaceutical
company focused on developing therapeutics to address
clinical unmet needs in reproductive medicine. Based on
clinical data and a strong intellectual property portfolio,
Nora’s lead product seeks to improve pregnancy
outcomes in women undergoing in vitro fertilization
(IVF) or who have suffered recurrent spontaneous
miscarriages.
Challenge
Nora therapeutics is developing rhG-CSF (recombinant
human granulocyte colony stimulating factor) for an
alternate use as therapy for recurrent miscarriage and
IVF implantation failure. The company applied for FDA
approval for rhC-GSF for orphan drug designation for
this new use, and needed to solve critical manufacturing
problems in order to gain FDA approval.
MIPS Role
Nora worked with Dr. Julienne Mullaney, from the UMB
department of biochemistry and molecular biology
and Ben Woodard from Mtech’s Bioprocess Scale-Up
Facility to develop scale-up methods and manufacturing
protocols for the manufacture and purification of rhG-
CSF. This protocol had to be suitable for transfer to a
good manufacturing practice (GMP) facility for final
production of the product.
Results
Nora has since attracted a $35M equity investment.
132
 Northrop Grumman Corporation
Weight measuring subsystem for a new, automated mail and document processing system

Project Manager: J.R. Seewagen, Robert Hosier; Principal Investigator: Uri Tasch, UMBC
Location: Linthicum, Maryland - Anne Arundel County; Project Start Date: 8/1/1992

Business Description
Northrop Grumman Corporation offers an extraordinary
portfolio of capabilities and technologies that enable the
company to deliver innovative systems and solutions for
applications that range from undersea to outer space and
into cyberspace.

The company’s core competencies address emerging

global security challenges in key areas, such as unmanned
systems, cybersecurity, C4ISR, and logistics that are critical
to the defense of the nation and its allies.

Challenge
Northrop Grumman sought to develop a weight
measuring subsystem for the company’s new automated
mail and document processing system.

MIPS Role transport and control systems were designed and

The company was developing a new mail sorting system evaluated.
that sorts incoming, internal and outgoing mixed mail.
The purpose of the project was to develop a working Results
prototype of an on-line weighing module. High-speed The project helped the company obtain contracts worth
weighing was not commercially available at the time. $100 million.
The project studied dynamic effects introduced into
the measured signal and the effects of lift forces in Northrop Grumman Corporation acquired Westinghouse
measuring light weight pieces such as post cards. The Electronic Systems Group in 1996.

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 Nutramax
Evaluation of Cosequin; pharmacokinetics of Cosequin and Cosamine

Project Manager: Peter Patras; Principal Investigator: Natalie Eddington, UMB

Location: Edgewood, Maryland - Harford County; Project Start Date: 2/1/1995

Cosamin® was developed by a Business Description

pharmacist and in 1992 was the First
Glucosamine/Chondroitin Sulfate
Brand on the market. Cosamin® is the
premium joint health supplement
that has been available for over 15
years. Cosamin DS is the #1 brand
recommended by orthopedic
specialists.
Nutramax Laboratories researches, develops, and
markets high-quality products to support the active
lifestyles of people and animals. The company’s flagship
products include the Cosamin® and Cosequin® joint
health supplements. Nutramax Laboratories’ products
are sold in food and drug stores, mass retailers,
warehouse club stores, veterinarians, pet specialty
retailers, and online.
Challenge
Nutramax sought to determine bioavailability/
bioequivalence and pharmacokinetic studies needed for Results
Cosamin® and Cosequin® to gain FDA approval. Cosamin® has been shown effective in peer-reviewed,
controlled, published U.S. Studies, and consistently
MIPS Role shown to meet label claim. Cosamin® DS is available at
Dr. Natalie Eddington worked to develop the leading pharmacies nationwide.
chewable tablet formulation of Cosequin® for dogs
and bioequivalency study needed to support a new
animal drug application for Cosqeuin®. She generated
pharmacokinetic data to support the NDA for Cosamin®.

135
136
 Omic Biosystems
DiART-enabled proteomic biomarker discovery

Project Manager: Feng Tao; Principal Investigator: Mark Marten, UMBC

Location: Rockville, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2012

Omic Biosystems, Inc. was founded
around proprietary technology, DiART,
developed in Dr. Shuwei Li’s laboratory
at the University of Maryland at
College Park (UMD) and licensed to the
company.
Business Description
Omic Biosystems Inc. has three business objectives:
omics reagent sales, biomarker service and biomarker
discovery. The company is developing a novel DiART-
based protein phosphorylation assay platform that
allows for the detection of low-abundance proteins in a
more effective and economical way, making it useful for
basic life science research, as well as for discovery efforts
in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.
to study low abundance phosphorylated proteins within
the “phosphoproteome,” and employ filamentous
fungi as a model cellular system to demonstrate the
effectiveness of DiART in biomarker discovery while
analyzing important fungal pathways involved in cell
wall synthesis.
Results
The project is in progress and results are pending.

Challenge
Omic wanted to identify disease-specific biomarkers
using modern systems biology tools and the former
University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute’s
proprietary Deuterium isobaric Amine Reactive
Tag (DiART) technology, which Omic Biosystems is
commercializing. Omic hopes to discover biomarkers
that have clinical significance and find new diagnostics
and drugs associated with these biomarkers.

MIPS Role
While this project is in progress, Omic plans to develop a
sensitive, rapid, and inexpensive DiART-based workflow

137
138
 OmniSpeech
Voice activity detection for speech extraction technology

Project Manager: Carol Espy-Wilson; Principal Investigator: Shihab Shamma M.D., UMD
Location: College Park, Maryland - Prince George’s; Project Start Date: 2/1/2011

Business Description a $495,000 Phase 2 SBIR from the National Science

OmniSpeech LLC is a College Park, Md.-based
company developing speech extraction technology
for cellular and similar communications. The company
has developed a method for extracting speech from
noise, making communications such as cell phone
conversations clear, even in environments such as high
wind or large crowds. The technology can be applied to
a wide range of audio and voice-oriented commercial
devices, including hearing aids.
Challenge
OmniSpeech sought to improve the performance of
the company’s speech segregation algorithm that pulls
speech out of background noise.
MIPS Role
While the project is still in progress, UMD researchers
have looked at voice activity detection, or having a
device detect when there is speech and when is there no
speech.
Foundation.
Interesting Facts
OmniSpeech won the high technology category and
$25,000, as well as a $15,000 Warren Citrin Social Impact
Award in the 2010 University of Maryland $75K Business
Plan Competition. The company also won the grand
prize in the Rockville Economic Development Inc.
“MIPS is a wonderful program,
(REDI) StartRight! Women’s Business Plan Competition, especially for early stage companies.
receiving $10,000 from EagleBank, a $10,000 advertising Our MIPS project has enabled us to
package from Comcast Spotlight, one year of virtual
incubator membership from the Montgomery County address an issue that is really important
Department of Economic Development, and nine for our technology.”
months of a customized virtual office solution from
– Carol Espy-Wilson, founder, OmniSpeech
Intelligent Office. OmniSpeech also won the 2010
$50,000 SAIC-VentureAccelerator Competition.

Results
In 2012, OmniSpeech raised investment of up to $2
million from private investors. The company also won

139
140
 Optimal Solutions Group
Using artificial intelligence to reduce monitoring and knowledge diffusion costs for
Medicare Advantage Plans: a feasibility study
Project Manager: Mark Turner; Principal Investigator: Lise Getoor, UMD
Location: College Park, Maryland - Prince George’s; Project Start Date: 08/1/2011

Business Description MIPS Role Dr. Mark Turner is the Founder,

Optimal Solutions Group LLC (Optimal) is a small
innovative economic and policy analysis research and
consulting firm located at the University of Maryland
M-Square Research Park. The company is committed
to supplying insightful program and policy evaluation,
cost-benefit and effectiveness analyses, custom
econometric modeling, and market analyses for decision
makers in both the public and private sectors. Optimal’s
goal is to enable rigorous, real-time, data-driven public
policy decision making, which will ultimately reduce
the costs of and improve the relevance and quality of
research data.
Challenge
Optimal seeks to develop a collaborative learning
cycle using artificial intelligence to increase the speed
of diffusion of reliable and valid innovations in quality
improvement for Medicare Advantage Plans.
Optimal aims to become an analytics-oriented public
policy research firm and is committed to providing President, and Principal Associate
rigorous, nonpartisan, data-driven research. The at Optimal Solutions Group. Prior to
development of this project allows Optimal to augment
and invest in its existing Quality Improvement Template
founding Optimal, Dr. Turner was a
Tracker (QIT2) as a software tool and to analyze data to research scientist at the Institute for
commercialize its use. Policy Studies and an Adjunct Assistant
Results Professor in the Department of
The project is being considered as a Medicare Advantage Economics at Johns Hopkins University.
clinical decision tool for quality improvement and also
will be leveraged for a collaborative learning system for
healthcare quality improvement.

141
142
 PharmAthene
Anthrax therapeutic
Project Manager: John Troyer; Principal Investigator: Alan Cross, Subhendu Basu, UMB
Location: Annapolis, Maryland - Anne Arundel County; Project Start Date: 8/2/2004
Business Description
PharmAthene is a biodefense company developing and
commercializing medical products to counter biological
and chemical threats.
Challenge
PharmAthene sought to evaluate the mechanism of
action of Valortim, a human monoclonal antibody
directed against anthrax Protective Antigen (PA) toxin
MIPS Role
In the aftermath of the bioterrorist event with anthrax
in 2001, the need for more effective therapeutic
agents for treating individuals exposed to anthrax
became apparent. PharmAthene, in collaboration
with Medarex (now BMS), has developed a human
monoclonal antibody, Valortim, designed to target
the Bacillus anthracis (BA) protective antigen (PA)
that has demonstrated efficacy in the prevention of
anthrax lethality in rabbits and non-human primates.
Since a mechanism of action for Valortim appears to
be unique compared to other anthrax antibodies, this
143
MIPS project focused on evaluating the mechanisms
that may result in the protection of human cells from
the anthrax toxin. The university team evaluated the
mechanism by which Valortim enhances the ability of
human dendritic cells (hDCs) to kill BA spores, as well
as assessed its ability to inhibit anthrax toxins and to
alter the intracellular localization of BA spores in hDCs.
Human T cell responses in the presence and absence of
Valortim were also evaluated. Together, these studies
have been significant in defining how Valortim may
provide protection in humans, an important progression
in the Valortim research program.
Results
The MIPS project has helped Valortim progress to a
Phase I clinical trial. PharmAthene has received over
$27 million in government funding for the advanced
development of Valortim.
144
 Pixelligent Technologies
Nanocrystal additives for increased resolution in photolithography

Project Manager: Gregory Cooper; Principal Investigator: Daniel Falvey, UMD

Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore City; Project Start Date: 8/1/2005

Business Description
Pixelligent Technologies is an innovator in manufacturing
high-quality nanocrystal additives and polymer
nanocomposites for the electronics, industrial, and military
markets.
Pixelligent’s proprietary methodology for delivering
uniform dispersions is the best in the world. This is the
key enabling technology required to deliver the highest
performance in a wide range of demanding and mission-
critical applications. The company’s Zirconia and Hafnia
nanocrystals are used to improve the optical, electronic,
thermal, and mechanical properties of numerous polymer
systems.
The big challenge in that area is to write more circuit
features on a chip of the same size. The limitation at that
time was based on the wavelength of light used to make
the chips. UMD researchers worked with Pixelligent
on developing a new material, a reversible contrast
enhancement layer (R-CEL), where a chemical layer is
used to focus the light and improve the resolution.
MIPS Role
UMD researchers started out working with organic dyes
for the chemical layer, then switched to nanoparticles.
UMD support helped Pixelligent as it transitioned this
technology to other applications in semiconductor
manufacturing and the electronics industry.
has made in significantly scaling-up its manufacturing
capacity. The company is now producing and shipping
its nanocrystal additives to customers around the world.
Interesting Facts
Pixelligent is a graduate of Mtech’s Technology
Advancement Program (TAP) incubator. Pixelligent’s first
three employees earned their Ph.D.s from the University
of Maryland. Founder Greg Cooper earned his Ph.D.
in Physics, Zhiyun Chen earned his Ph.D. in Electrical
Enigineering, and Serpil Gonen Williams earned her
Ph.D. in Chemistry.

Pixelligent develops applications with leading-edge Results

technology firms, as well as Fortune 1000 companies. In
2011, the company moved to its new 10,500 square-foot,
state-of-the-art pilot manufacturing facility at the Holabird
Business Park in Baltimore, Maryland.
Challenge
Pixelligent was trying to increase the resolution in
photolithography, the way computer chips are made.
In 2012, Pixelligent expanded its footprint to include
more than 13,000 sq. ft. and has increased its workforce
by nearly 150 percent since moving operations to
Baltimore in June 2011. This growth is attributed to
the increased demand for its proprietary Zirconia and
Hafnia nanocrystal additives and the progress Pixelligent

145
“Pixelligent is poised to take a leading role in this next
phase of the ‘nanotech revolution’ as we continue
to scale-up our manufacturing capacity to meet the
increased demand for our high-quality nanocrystal
additives.”
– Craig Bandes, President & CEO of Pixelligent Technologies
146
 Plant Sensory Systems
Production of nematode-resistant soybeans
Project Manager: Frank Turano; Principal Investigator: Nadim Alkharouf, Towson University
Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2011
Business Description
Plant Sensory Systems, LLC is a privately held agricultural
biotechnology company, located at bwtech@UMBC
Research and Technology Park, that develops technologies
to improve crop performance for the production of food,
feed, fiber, biofuel and bio-based products. The company
has developed traits that increase yields, improve nitrogen
and water use efficiency, promote tolerance to drought and
high temperature, increase seed oil content, and enhance
nutritional value.
Challenge
The product developed during this MIPS project is
a soybean that is resistant to nematode (ringworm)
damage. The technology, which is likely to be applicable
to all plant-parasitic nematodes, would be a value-
added trait for all crops. The technology is a genetic
modification of plants that increases the level of a
molecule that in elevated concentrations detrimentally
affects nematode mobility and egg production.
MIPS Role
Towson University researchers worked with scientists
at Plant Sensory Systems and the U.S Department of
Agriculture (Dr. Benjamin Matthews) to make a genetic
modification to soybean roots by introducing a new
147
gene, called a transgene, and to determine if the genetic
changes increased the plants’ tolerance to nematode
infection. University researchers developed and tested
methods to measure the accumulation of a chemical
compound that was produced by the transgene product.
Researchers also tested a genetic switch, called a
promoter, to make sure that the promoter would activate
the transgene in the tissues where the nematodes feed.
Results
Results have shown that the promoter functions The soybean cyst nematode is the
properly in soybeans to activate the new transgene in
most destructive pest affecting
the tissues where the nematodes feed and that the new
transgenes make the desired chemical compound. They soybeans in the U.S., responsible for
also found that plants with the transgene and transgene an annual crop loss of $1.5B.
product have fewer than half the number of nematodes
as plants that do not have it.
PSS is in discussion with several large seed companies
regarding licensing opportunities and has received angel
investments.
“MIPS funding was the impetus in bringing together a team of
talented plant scientists from the university, federal government,
and small business sectors to work together on a project that
addresses a critical agronomic need. The positive results of the project
substantially broaden the commercial potential of the tested PSS
technology..”
148
– Frank Turano, Chief Research Officer and Co-Founder, Plant Sensory Systems
Profectus BioSciences
Cholera Toxin A1 subunit as an HIV DNA vaccine
Project Manager: Kenneth C. Bagley; Principal Investigator: George Lewis, UMB
Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2007
Business Description
Profectus Biosciences is a technology-based vaccine
company devoted to the treatment and prevention of
chronic viral diseases with a goal of reducing morbidity
and mortality.
Challenge
Profectus sought to test the effectiveness of Cholera
Toxin A1 Subunit as an adjuvant in HIV DNA vaccines.
MIPS Role
Vaccination using plasmid DNA has the potential to
provide enhanced safety and efficacy over conventional
vaccines, with increased stability and accelerated
product development. Unfortunately, successful
vaccination of primates with DNA requires multiple
inoculations using excessively large doses of plasmid.
Adjuvants, genetically encoded into the DNA vaccines,
have significantly enhanced the resulting immune
responses to encoded vaccine antigens. Profectus
found the A1 domain of cholera toxin (CTA1) to be a
potent genetic adjuvant that may provide the required
149
dose sparing effect necessary for DNA vaccines to
achieve widespread human use. Cholera toxin is a
potent adjuvant that works by inducing dendritic
cell maturation. A CTA1 fragment enhances the
immunogenicity of DNA vaccines in mice. Through MIPS,
researchers tested whether CTA1 provides a similar effect
in Cynomolgus macaques using a SIVmac239-gag DNA
vaccine. If successful, Profectus BioSciences planned to
use CTA1 to adjuvant HIV DNA vaccines intended for
clinical development.
Results
The project results supported the original hypothesis
that CT-A1 DNA immunization can be used in rhesus
macaques and supports its further development as a
means by which immune responses to DNA vaccines can
be augmented. The project enabled Profectus to receive
a $6.25M grant from the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Disease.
150
 Quantum Sail Design Group
High-performance offwind, racing sail testing and design
Project Manager: Per Andersson, Larry Leonard; Principal Investigator: Jewel Barlow, UMD
Location: Annapolis, Maryland - Anne Arundel County; Project Start Date: 2/1/1999
Business Description
Quantum Sail Design Group was formed in 1996 by a
group of independent and experienced sailmakers.
The firm has grown to more than 60 sales and service
outlets throughout the world from modest beginnings in
Annapolis, Maryland. Sails are built at three, state-of-the-
art manufacturing centers strategically located around
the globe. Quantum sails are known for their superior
performance, durability and exceptional shape-holding
due to a sail design, engineering and manufacturing
process known as iQ Technology™. It is considered to be
the most intelligent sail design system in the industry.
Quantum’s mission is to help our customers enjoy sailing
to the fullest. There is no right or wrong way to accomplish
this and they encourage every sailor to imagine his or
her ideal. For cruising sailors, Quantum delivers rugged,
high performance sails that provide years of safe and
comfortable sailing and reliable service. At extreme levels
of the sport, sailors can expect the ultimate in speed,
performance, and reproducible results.
Challenge
Quantum Sail planned to test and improve its high-
performance, racing, offwind sails
151
MIPS Role
The university team tested various sail configurations to
help the company develop a database of both running
offwind sail shapes and tight reaching offwind sail
shapes. The team designed and constructed a sail test
rig to accommodate heel, developed a performance
predictor, and experimentally determined the sail
performance over a broad range of wind angles for
numerous candidate designs.
Results
Revenues attributed to the MIPS-funded wind tunnel
testing and analysis totaled over $1.3M within three
years of the project. Technology developed through
MIPS was eventually used in all of the company’s offwind
sails. The MIPS project helped position the company to
better compete in the 2000 America’s Cup market and
for more general racing and cruising markets.
Interesting Facts
Sails built during this project were used in the winning
Trans Pacific race in July, 2002. Quantum Sail Design
Group’s early successes and publicity in Maryland were
effective in bringing the Volvo Ocean Race (formerly
the Whitbread Round the World Race) to Baltimore and
Annapolis in 2005-2006.
152
Recovery Science
Hand and finger training exoskeleton for rehabilitation and performance enhancement

Project Manager: Nayan R. Shah; Principal Investigator: Jae Kun Shim, UMD
Location: Hollywood, Maryland - St. Mary’s County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2009

Business Description Results

Recovery Science is a company dedicated to physical
medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) device research,
development, and commercialization.
Challenge
Recovery Science was developing a device for hand and
finger rehabilitation and performance enhancement.
The company is combining the device developed
and tested in this project with a wrist training device
tested in a prior MIPS project. The combined device is
undergoing industrial design for the final marketable
version. A full patent application has been submitted.

MIPS Role
UMD researchers investigated the differences between
young and elderly persons in intrinsic and extrinsic
musculature and used the scientific evidence obtained
to develop a wearable, exoskeleton hand for differential
training of these target muscles. The device will be
used for hand and finger rehabilitation in the medical
community, as well as to enhance the performance of
athletes who use their hands during competitions.

153
154
 Remedium Technologies
Advanced bandage for severe bleeding
Project Manager: Matthew B. Dowling; Principal Investigator: Srinivasa Raghavan, UMD
Location: College Park, Maryland - Prince George’s County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2008
Business Description
Remedium Technologies is a medical device startup
operating with a vision of user-directed advancement in
the standard of care for the control of severe hemorrhage.
Severe hemorrhage is the leading cause of death on the
battlefield, accounting for over half of all preventable
deaths in combat. Within the civilian setting, traumatic
injuries are the leading cause of death among patients
under the age of 44. Currently available products or
methods to stop these kinds of injuries are either inherently
ineffective or very difficult for most users to implement.
The principals of Remedium Technologies have created
a proprietary life-saving technology called Hemogrip™
which acts to stop traumatic bleeding rapidly. As the
active component in a suite of pipeline products under
development, Hemogrip™ is a uniquely user-friendly
hemostat which is able to orchestrate the self-assembly
of a clot-like seal upon contact with blood. It can be used
effectively by a surgeon, by a soldier, or by an unskilled
“buddy.”
Challenge
Remedium was developing a tunable, tissue-adhesive
wound dressing (HemogripTM Pad) with applications in
trauma and cardiac catheterization procedures.
155
MIPS Role
UMD researchers conducted in-vitro tissue adhesion
studies on the bandages. They compared their product
with leaders in their two market spaces.
Results
Remedium’s pad showed 50 times the adhesion of the
market leaders. In addition, they found they were able “MIPS was the first R&D grant we
to tune the amount of adhesive to make it more or obtained, and, as such, provided a
less sticky. Remedium’s pad also showed it allowed 25
percent less blood loss than competing product Combat tangible valuation for the company.
Gauze. That really established a basis for other
Interesting Facts agencies to want to fund us. Being
Dowling was a Fischell Fellowship recipient at the connected with the infrastructure at
University of Maryland, earning his Ph.D. from the
Fischell Department of Bioengineering. Ian MacIntire,
Mtech definitively helped jumpstart our
a UMD chemical engineering alumnus, joined the non-dilutive funding efforts. “
company unpaid initially, then later became a paid – Matthew Dowling, CEO and founder,
employee. Remedium
156
 Renewable Energy Solutions
Vertical axis wind turbine testing
Project Manager: Stefan Ioana; Principal Investigator: Jewel Barlow, UMD
Location: Germantown, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2010
Business Description
Renewable Energy Systems’ commercial and residential
Marilyn turbine wind energy systems will bring
breakthrough, cost-effective wind power to suburban,
urban and rural users across the commercial, government
and residential markets. RES will be the worldwide industry
leader in small wind energy production systems in four
years.
RES’ mission is to be the leading provider of small wind
energy production systems for the commercial and
residential markets initially, and ultimately for a wider range
of energy applications by utilizing their breakthrough
Marilyn turbine design and cost-effective manufacturing
process.
Challenge
The solution to challenges facing small wind systems
lies, as it has throughout history, in the development of
disruptive or revolutionary technologies. RES is trying to
develop such a technology that promises to overcome
the technological, cost, and other barriers to market
expansion currently experienced in the industry.
157
RES, with its unique airfoil design, is trying to overcome Results
the deployment limitations of traditional horizontal The Wind Tunnel tests have generated a strong R&D
axis wind turbines, enabling effective installation at interest from other academic institutions, including the
just above rooftop heights and, more importantly, in University of Texas, whose researchers are building a
locations not previously possible for HAWTs, such as prototype for a hybrid solar-wind turbine by deploying a
atop tall buildings. photovoltaic thin film on top of Marilyn.
RES’ turbine system makes it possible to deploy small
wind systems in new urban and suburban markets
that traditionally were not considered for small wind
implementations.
MIPS Role
A full-size Marilyn airfoil was tested in the Glenn. L.
Martin Wind Tunnel.
Researchers established the power coefficient of specific
rotor geometries and made recommendations to
enhance overall system efficiency.
The tests underscored a steering point in product
development for RES.
158
 Resensys
Hybrid power cells for bridge health monitoring
Project Manager: Mehdi Kalantari; Principal Investigator: Martin Peckerar, UMD
Location: College Park, Maryland - Prince George’s County; Project Start Date: 2/2/2009
Kalantari is a serial entrepreneur. He also
founded the technology behind and
the company Macrophage, which later
became RioRey. He won funding in the
University of Maryland $75K Business
Plan Competition for both companies.
159
Business Description
Founded in 2008, the mission of Resensys is to protect
infrastructure systems against aging, structural
malfunction, and collapse. Resensys offers a cost-
effective and scalable solution for the real-time
monitoring of important structural state quantities such
as stress, strain, fatigue cracks, vibration, etc. Resensys’
solution is based on patent-pending Active RF Test (ART)
technology, which incorporates novel sensing, energy
harvesting, and wireless communication technologies
into a flexible, wireless, and battery-less sensor.
Challenge
Resensys has developed advanced, low-power, wireless
sensors to detect problems in bridges and other
structures. The company was investigating potential
power sources and energy harvesting technologies for
its sensors.
MIPS Role
The goal of Resensys’ MIPS project was to adapt a
thin-film battery to work with the company’s sensors.
Through the project, Resensys discovered optimal
methods for energy harvesting, RF-harvesting and DC/
DC conversion.
Results
Resensys now has more than ten customers and has
acquired more than $1.1 million in combined grant
money and sales. The company employs four full-time
and two part-time employees. Resensys is seeking
approval from state and federal authorities for its sensor
technologies.
Interesting Fact
Resensys’ sensors are currently installed on a bridge on
Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway), monitoring the status of
a critical structure.
”MIPS is a great vehicle to leverage
research and expertise for small
companies like us in Maryland.”
– Mehdi Kalantari
President and Founder, Resensys

160
 Rexahn Pharmaceuticals
Polymer-drug conjugates for cancer therapy
Project Manager: Deog J. Kim; Principal Investigator: Anjan Nan, UMB
Location: Rockville, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2008
Business Description
Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a publicly traded
clinical stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to
commercializing first-in-class and best-in-class therapeutics
for cancer and central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
Rexahn currently has three drug candidates in Phase
II clinical trials, Archexin®, Serdaxin®, and Zoraxel™—all
potential best-in-class therapeutics. Rexahn also operates
key R&D programs of nanomedicines, 3D-GOLD and TIMES
drug discovery platforms.
Challenge
A major problem with many cancer drugs is their lack
of tumor specificity and dose-limiting toxicity. The
ultimate purpose of Rexahn’s MIPS project was to reduce
toxicity for patients and increase the efficacy of cancer
chemotherapeutics by selectively targeting them to
tumor cells.
MIPS Role
Rexahn worked with Dr. Anjan Nan, from UMB’s Center
161
for Nanomedicine & Cellular Delivery (CNCD), in the
development of polymer-drug conjugates for the
targeted delivery of cancer drugs. The researchers
attached anticancer drugs to a nontoxic, water-soluble
polymeric carrier so they could be localized
in the tumor area by a process known as enhanced
permeability and retention effect (EPR). Once the drug
attached to the polymer localized around tumors, the
cells engulfed the polymer-drug conjugate, cleaved the
bond between the drug and the polymer and released
the drug inside the tumor cells to kill cancer cells.
Results
The project has shown that the polymer-drug conjugate
inhibited tumor growth significantly in tumor-bearing
animal models. Rexahn is conducting further preclinical
development to move this project toward the human
trials.
“We are honored to have received [this]
grant from MIPS for our continued
cancer therapy research. Rexahn
has the opportunity to potentially
revolutionize the market for anti-cancer
treatment. The grant from MIPS gave
us the resources we needed to take our
work with the talented research team at
UMB, to the next level.”
– Dr. Chang Ahn,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Inc.
162
 RioRey
Expand capabilities of a system to prevent Internet network attacks

Project Manager: Nitin Mehrotra; Principal Investigator: Mehdi Kalantari, UMD

Location: Bethesda, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2007

Business Description Results

RioRey Inc. is an innovative technology company that
specializes in the design and manufacture of dedicated
security solutions to protect networks against Distributed
Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Their key focus is keeping
defense platforms comprehensive (protecting against
all known types of DDoS attacks) while ensuring that
detection and mitigation is automatic.
Challenge
RioRey sought to expand the capabilities of its security
solution to optimize it to handle a greater traffic speed,
address emerging attacks, and deal with spoofing and
the variation of IP sources.
RioRey received $5 million in venture funding in
2006 and is a leading provider of protection against
distributed denial of service attacks.
Interesting Facts
RioRey was a UMD spinoff founded by then electrical
and computer engineering doctoral student Mehdi
Kalantari. The company, then called Macrophage,
won first place and $15,000 in the 2004 University of
Maryland $50K Business Plan Competition.

MIPS Role
UMD researchers improved the processing speed and
expanded the algorithms of the system to handle
emerging attacks. They also studied the distribution of IP
addresses within an attack.

163
164
 Sirnaomics
Silencing scar formation by targeting Hoxb13
Project Manager: Patrick Y. Lu; Principal Investigator: A. James Mixson, UMB
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 2/2/2009
“We envision that STP705 will be the
first siRNA therapeutic going through
a clinical study in China, and may have
the potential to become the first ap-
proved siRNA therapeutic.”
– Dr. Patrick Y. Lu
President and CEO, Sirnaomics Inc.
165
Business Description
Sirnaomics Inc. was established in 2007 by a group
of leading scientists in the field of RNAi technology.
The company is pursuing the mission of advancing
RNAi technology with novel targeted therapeutic
development. The therapeutic areas of interest include
regenerative medicine, anti-infectives, oncology, and
others.
Challenge
Sirnaomics sought to decrease scar formation during
wound healing. The company’s proprietary technology
may decrease one of the scar-inducing proteins, Hoxb13.
MIPS Role
UMD researchers found a peptide (HK) that is an
effective carrier of RNAi to some tissues in animal
models. They proposed to show that an improved HK
carrier would greatly augment the delivery of siRNA-
targeting, scar-inducing factors in a mouse model. The
information gained from this project showed decreased
scar formation and increased tensile strength in the
injured skin.
Results
The company hired an additional two people, acquired
$800,000 in revenue and attracted $1.2M in grant
support. The company recently signed a deal with a
Chinese pharmaceutical company to develop its small-
interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutic (STP705) for scar-less
wound healing.
Dr. Patrick Y. Lu, the founder, President
and CEO of Sirnaomics, has 25 years
of biomedical research and 18 years of
biopharmaceutical industry experience
and is a veteran of several Maryland
biotech companies, including Intradigm
Corporation, Novartis and Digene.
166
 Spessard Manufacturing
Electronic home plate
Project Manager: Leroy “Buzz” Chamberlain; Principal Investigator: Christopher Davis, UMD
Location: Hagerstown, Maryland - Washington County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2012
“The MIPS partnership has been
beyond our wildest dreams. The
professor [Dr. Chris Davis] and graduate
student [John Rzasa] took a very
elementary design and prototype and
transformed it into a product that will
revolutionize the game of baseball and
softball.”
– Jerry Spessard, founder, Spessard
Manufacturing
167
Business Description
Spessard Manufacturing LLC is a startup project to
develop a prototype of a simple, low-cost, new opto-
electronic home plate for youth baseball and softball.
This device, the Electronic Home Plate (EHP), will assist
the umpire in calling balls and strikes.
Challenge
Spessard sought the design, prototyping, testing and
patenting of a simple, low-cost, electronic baseball
home plate that detects and indicates the presence of a
baseball passing over it. The company needed expertise,
knowledge, equipment and facilities to design and test
the prototype.
MIPS Role
UMD researchers are improving the design and creation
of a prototype.
Results
The project is underway; the design and building of
the prototype has been successfully accomplished.
The remaining phase of testing the prototype will be
completed within the next month. The goal is to be
on the market by spring, 2013. Phase II will be to refine
the product and to add an application that will enable
parents, coaches and fans to follow the path of pitches
during games and record ball speed and other statistical
data.
“In anticipation of manufacturing the Electronic
Home Plate in the beginning of 2013, we are
very excited to be able to open a production
facility in Hancock, Maryland, one of the highest
unemployment areas in Western Maryland. “
– Jerry Spessard, founder, Spessard Manufacturing
168
 Sterilex Corporation
Optimize disinfectant for dentists
Project Manager: Shira Kramer, PhD; Principal Investigator: Dr. Timothy Meiller, UMB
Location: Hunt Valley, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 8/1/1996
Business Description
Sterilex develops antimicrobial and anti-biofilm
products to address the disinfection, decontamination
of pathogens, spoilage organisms, and biofilm in dental
care, health care, food processing, animal health, and
water care applications.
Challenge
Sterilex originally developed a proprietary technology to
remove biofilm and kill resistant biofilm microorganisms
on devices, equipment and hard surfaces. The company
wanted to develop protocols and efficacy data for an
application of this technology to remove biofilms and
kill biofilm microorganisms in dental unit waterlines and
provide a system for dentists to sterilize water. Data was
also needed to obtain regulatory approval for use of the
products in dental equipment
MIPS Role
Dr. Timothy Meiller, from the UMB dental school
worked with the company to optimize the anti-biofilm
disinfectant and to develop protocols for use in dental
offices. Sterilex’s patented anti-biofilm disinfectants have
169
been customized to address sanitation challenges solve
quality control problems for which routine disinfectants
and sanitizers are ineffective. Sterilex’s disinfectants
are effective against a variety of microorganisms, and
because they act through multiple physical and chemical
(non-receptor based) modes of action, do not induce
antimicrobial resistance.
Results “MIPS was instrumental in enabling
Sterilex is the first—and only—company to be granted
product claims by the EPA that include the prevention, Sterilex to bring this technology to the
penetration, and removal of biofilm from dental unit dental market and is the only product
waterlines, including the killing of biofilm bacteria. Five
additional jobs were created and over $5M in revenue to date granted claims by the EPA to
for the company was generated. Sterilex was awarded include the prevention, penetration,
the Technology Council of Maryland “Bio Product of the
Year Award” in 2004 for Sterilex Ultra for Dental Unit
and removal of biofilm from dental
Waterlines, in recognition of its public health impact in unit waterlines, including the killing
dental healthcare.
of biofilm bacteria. MIPS’ support was
extremely valuable to the company.”
– Shira Kramer, President and Founder,
Sterilex
Sterilex is a woman-owned firm. Dr.
Kramer, the CEO, has served on the
MIPS advisory board and the Board
of Directors of the Organization for
Safety, Asepsis and Prevention.

170
 Stress Indicators
SmartBolts production automation
Project Manager: Chris C. Bunai; Principal Investigator: Chandrasekhar Thamire, UMD
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2011
Business Description
Stress Indicators Inc. develops, manufactures and sells
visual tension indicating fasteners for the industrial and
OEM markets worldwide. Their products include load-
indicating bolts and studs. Stress Indicators converts
quality standard fastener products into SmartBolts®
direct tension indicating fasteners meeting specific
customer application requirements.
Challenge
Stress Indicators has developed and patented a new
High Resolution SmartBolt product line and is readying it
for market. It has the potential to revolutionize the load-
indicating fastener market with unprecedented tension
indicating accuracy and ease of use. While they could
manufacture individual units successfully, this process
had many difficulties. HR SmartBolts must be assembled
while the bolt is under a controlled tensile load. The
components must be installed while under load and
must cure before load is released. The process was slow,
requiring hand work and craft, yield rate was poor and
product performance was not consistent. The MIPS
project funded the study of the steps of the process
and development of improved methods and systems to
resolve these manufacturability challenges.
171
MIPS Role “The UMD students who worked
The MIPS team led the effort to perform analysis of all
aspects of the components, materials and assembly,
on this project for us, particularly
and then tackled systems design. Sub-systems were Babak Eslami and Karim Najjar, have
then prototyped, built, tested and improved until
performance goals were met. All sub-systems were then
become experts on our HR SmartBolts
integrated into a fully functional production system. product. They have significantly
advanced our understanding of its
Results
UMD researchers provided the company with a working components, materials and processes.
model of an automated HR SmartBolts assembly and a Their dedication, enthusiasm and
complete set of drawings for a full-scale machine. Stress
Indicators will be evaluating the performance of the
determination over a two year period
model to determine how to set up production of HR has been of enormous benefit and will
SmartBolts and create a new product introduction.
greatly help our company growth by
When Stress Indicators began its MIPS project, Thamire enabling us to offer this new, advanced
introduced the company to a student who was then working tension-indicating bolt product.”
on another MIPS project. Upon his graduation, Chris Bunai
became Stress Indicators’ first employee in June, 2010, and was – Charles Popenoe III, President, Stress
Indicators
the project manager for this project. They subsequently hired
another of Thamire’s students, Clark School alumna Desha
Kisanga.
172
 SullyPower (formerly ProParts LLC )
3D helix wind turbine

Project Manager: John T. Sullivan; Principal Investigator: Jewel Barlow, UMD

Location: Marriottsville, Maryland - Howard County; Project Start Date: 2/2/2009

Business Description “None of this would have been possible

SullyPower is a leading manufacturer of patented
electronic engine instruments and controllers, patent
pending thermoelectric sound canceling mufflers,
patented hydrogen generators, patented 3D electrical
currents and now patent-pending wind turbines.
ProParts racing electronics can be found in the cars
of the top NASCAR drivers. ProParts was approved in
NASCAR in the 2008 racing season; in its first year their
gauges were used by 11 out of 12 of the top point’s
drivers.
Challenge
SullyPower planned to work with Wind Tunnel
researchers to test different Air-Foil profiles for the
development of a low-wind turbine with a low-sound
signature.
MIPS Role
Wind Tunnel researchers reviewed foil designs and
conducted small-scale experiments to vet candidate
foils and machine configurations. An updated foil
geometry was selected and transmitted to ProParts for
manufacture at two sizes for further tests.
without the proof of concept MIPS
grant demonstration and the help
of Dr. Jewel Barlow and his staff.”
– John Sullivan, President, SullyPower
Results
The company won a Department of Defense contract
to build a portable wind turbine. With the success of
the first contract, the SullyPower was able to leverage
a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement
(CRADA) with the Air-Force to develop their new novel
generator and wind technology to charge an electric car
using a combination of wind and solar.
SullyPower has added three employees since its MIPS/
DNR-funded project and has acquired $300,000 in
revenue and grants related to the 3D Helix Wind Turbine
project.

173
174
 Sustainable Systems
Aeolun Harvester(R) wind turbine evaluation
Project Manager: Terrence C. Sankar; Principal Investigator: Yizun Wang, Frostburg State
Location: Frostburg, Maryland - Allegany County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2009
Business Description
Sustainable Systems Inc. (SSI) was created with the
mission of creating a vertical axis wind turbine that was
efficient enough, cost-effective enough, and simple
enough for ubiquitous deployment in rural, urban,
developed and under-developed settings, at scales of 2
to 100 kilowatt capacities.
Challenge
Sustainable Systems sought to test and evaluate its
Aeoulun Harvester®, a vertical axis wind turbine which
uses an innovative active turbine design. The company
also planned to develop manufacturing and distribution
processes to accomplish wide commercial deployment.
MIPS Role
Researchers provided test data, performance curves,
materials guidelines, construction know-how and
installation methods for the commercial production and
sale of the Aeolun Harvester(R) vertical axis wind energy
conversion system.
175
A prototype vertical axis wind turbine unit was
constructed and installled installed adjacent to the
Compton Science Center at Frostburg State University.
A smaller unit was tested in the Glenn L. Martin Wind
Tunnel in College Park.
Results
The Aeolun Harvester® design, which has since won
a full design patent, has shown promising electricity
production efficiency and, in real-world conditions
(high wind events), has demonstrated its ability to stand
up to 80 mile-per-hour winds and continue operating
throughout. In addition, the UMD Renewable Energy
Lab has chosen the Aeloun Harvester design and there
will install a small system on their roof in the near future.
The Aeolun Harvester® is an instance of
learning from and attempting to emulate
nature, in this case hurricanes and tornadoes.
The segments that make up the wind turbine
are inherently simple entities and may be
quite inexpensive to produce in a wide
variety of materials and sizes.
The origins of the geometry in the
logarithmic spiral and Fibonacci series
embues the Aeouln Harvester® with a
pleasing kinetic art appearance that lends
itself to deployment in the built environment.
By operating through and surviving winds
in excess of 80 miles-per-hour, the Aeolun
Harvester® has demonstrated that it can
be safe in places where other wind turbine
designs might not be.
“MIPS has been, and continues to be, the great facilitator
of this undertaking, which we hope will be a significant
creator of well-paid and long-lasting Maryland jobs.”
– Dr. Terry Sankar, President and CEO, Sustainable Systems
176
 Techno-Sciences Inc.
Semi-active magnetorheological seat suspension system
Project Manager: Greg Hiemenz; Principal Investigator: Norman Wereley, UMD
Location: Beltsville, Maryland - Prince George’s County; Project Start Date: 12/1/2005
Business Description
Techno-Sciences is a Maryland high-technology firm
specializing in remote monitoring systems, real-time
systems research, design, engineering, and integration.
TSi is a leading supplier of ground station equipment
for the international SARSAT (satellite aided search and
rescue program) with lifesaving systems in 21 countries. TSi
SARSAT systems have helped save thousands of lives. TSi
is also a leading supplier of coastal station and command
center technology for enhanced Maritime Domain
Awareness and border security. TSi has built the world’s
longest (>3,000km) coastal maritime surveillance network
along the Malacca Strait and the Celebes Sea in Indonesia
and Malaysia. TSi also develops advanced control, actuator,
and sensor technologies, including a semi-actively damped
crew seat for rotorcraft, high performance boats, and
military ground vehicles; a powerful robot arm based on
pneumatic muscles; wireless structural health monitoring
systems; and nanotechnology devices for sensors and
artificial photosynthesis.
Challenge
TSi had worked with magneto-rheological (MR) fluids
and other smart materials technology in the past;
however, the MIPS project provided the foundation for a
workable, practical design and control for a semi-active
shock absorber.
MIPS Role
Thanks to MIPS support of the project “Semi-Active
Magnetorheological Seat Suspension System,” the
Techno-Sciences, Inc. and the UMD Department of
Aerospace Engineering team made great strides in
providing optimized occupant protection for vehicles
Interesting Facts
Techno-Sciences was co-founded by University of
operating in extreme environments. The early stage
Maryland professors Lee Davisson and Gil Blankenship.
MIPS funding supported doctoral research for providing
The company has maintained a strong relationship
enhanced protection to helicopter pilots in both high-
with the university, collaborating in many projects
vibration operational environments as well as during
contributing several million dollars to the university.
crashes.
TSi also founded the Techno-Sciences Professorship in
Aerospace Engineering. TRX Systems is a spinout from
Results
Techno-Sciences.
This work has led to over $8M in collaborative research
funding from DoD and commercial interests, expanding
the technology to other applications and markets,
including IED blast-attenuating seats for military ground
vehicles, high-speed watercraft seats for attenuating
repetitive shock, and seats for attenuating vibration
in propeller-driven aircraft. The TSi team expanded
significantly as a result, creating five new, full-time jobs
(four of which were graduates from UMD) and resulted in
10 joint patents with UMD. Seats from these applications
have been evaluated with great success in operational
environments, including flight testing, live blast testing,
and at-sea testing. The team has negotiated a licensing
and manufacturing agreement with Lord Corp. and
systems are currently entering production.
“MIPS set us out on a path to develop a crew seat damper that can
save hundreds of lives. Through our MIPS projects, we have been
able to enhance the capabilities of basic research to achieve devices
that are both innovative and practical. The MIPS program has been
integral to our success in the development of practical, game-
changing MR dampers.
—Dr. Greg Hiemenz, Vice-President, Techno-Sciences Inc., UMD Aerospace
Engineering Alumnus

178
 Telcare
Cellular glucose meter for managing diabetes
Project Manager: Christian Walker; Principal Investigator: Charlene Quinn, UMB
Location: Bethesda, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2010
Business Description
Telcare uses award-winning, cellular, machine-2-machine
technology to bridge the last mile between patients and
their caregivers in order to improve the care of chronic
illness. Telcare’s first product is the Telcare BGM, a cellular-
enabled blood glucose meter for the 28 million Americans
and 100 million addressable patients worldwide who
have diabetes that instantly transmits glucose values to a
care-management server and provides instant feedback
and coaching to patients with diabetes. In addition to
directly reducing cost of care by improving outcomes and
preventing complications, Telcare creates an ecosystem of
care that provides caregivers and disease managers with
previously-unavailable actionable clinical data.
Challenge
Telcare sought a six-month clinical trial with patients
with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes to prove that
connecting patients with diabetes to their care
managers via a cellular-embedded glucose meter and
179
providing personalized feedback will improve testing
compliance, resulting in superior glycemic control as
measured by lowered glycosylated hemoglobin levels,
and improved patient satisfaction with care.
MIPS Role
UMB researchers have measured the results associated
with using Telcare’s two-way connection between
patients and caregivers.
Results
The Telcare Blood Glucose Monitoring System was
cleared by the FDA in 2011. The company raised 25.5
million in funding, led by new backer Sequoia Capital
with participation from its existing investor Qualcomm
Life Fund, in August, 2012. The Telcare BGM® device
won an E-tech Award at CTIA Wireless 2010, the People’s
Choice Award at CTIA Wireless 2009, and Best in Show at
MobiTechFest 2009.
“MIPS has enabled us to do some
of our most important research and
development for this product. The
fact that MIPS invested us in this way
and recognized our technology was
critical to attracting support from
Qualcomm, one of the nation’s largest
companies and probably the world’s
leading company in the area of wireless
communications.”
— Jonathan C. Javitt, Vice Chairman,
Telcare
180
 Traffax
Traffax traffic detector design and testing; Bluetooth data dissemination

Project Manager: Dr. Stanley E. Young; Principal Investigator: Ali Haghani and Michael Pack, UMD
Location: College Park, Maryland - Prince George’s County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2008

Business Description MIPS Role

Traffax is a spinout company of the
University of Maryland’s Center for
Advanced Transportation Technology,
where its traffic detection technology
was invented.
Traffax offers a revolutionary line of traffic surveillance
equipment that employs Bluetooth technology to
provide accurate travel time and origin-destination data
for vehicle and pedestrian applications, for use in high-
speed roadways, arterial roadways, and security check
points.
Challenge
In two separate MIPS projects, Traffax sought to ready
its product for commercial distribution and enhance its
real-time data collection.
MIPS-supported researchers designed, fabricated, and
tested two types of commercial prototypes. These two
products encompass portable units for use in short
duration traffic studies, and a permanent sensor to be
affixed to structures adjoining the right-of-way. In a
second MIPS project, researchers developed a method
for collecting and distributing Traffax data in real-time.
Results
MIPS projects enabled Traffax to bring its BluFAX
product to market. Since then, it has been deployed in
five states. The company now has 11 distributors in the
U.S. and around the world.

181
182
 TRX Systems
Product life cycle assessment of TRX Sentinel

Project Manager: David Lemus; Principal Investigator: Patrick McCluskey, UMD

Location: Greenbelt, Maryland - Prince George’s County; Project Start Date: 2/2/2009

Business Description the reliability and durability of its ruggedized packaging

TRX Systems, Inc. is the developer of NEON®, an indoor
location system that delivers precise, infrastructure free
tracking of personnel inside buildings where GPS is not
available and in outdoor urban centers where GPS is
unreliable. NEON greatly improves situational awareness
and command effectiveness through the use of advanced
sensor fusion, time of flight ranging, and mapping
algorithms that deliver precise, real time location of
personnel in GPS-denied locations.
was assessed and tested.
“MIPS was great for us because not only
did it enable us to do things we didn’t
have the equipment for, but it also pro-
vided students to help us and expert
faculty to guide us in what we needed
Pictured, from left to right: Carole Teolis, CTO and Chairman, and Carol
Politi, President and CEO, TRX Systems.
TRX recently close an investment round of almost $2M
from New Dominion Angels, the Maryland Department
of Business and Economic Development, and several
other strategic and private investors.

Challenge
In phase one of its MIPS project, TRX Systems sought
to ruggedize its indoor location system to withstand
the harsh environments in which first responders and
firefighters might need to operate. During phase two,
to do.”
In June, 2012, TRX released NEON – a new personnel
– Carole Teolis, CTO and Chairman, TRX
location system that locates and tracks personnel
operating indoors and in urban areas where GPS is
MIPS Role unavailable or unreliable. The advantages of NEON
In Phase one of the MIPS project, a high-reliability,
are improved situational awareness and command
high-temperature package was developed and the
effectiveness through the use of advanced sensor fusion,
MEMS sensors characterized to ensure the accurate
time of flight ranging, and mapping algorithms that
communication of location and vital signs information
deliver precise, real time location of personnel indoors.
of firefighters under extreme conditions. In Phase
two, researchers developed and conducted a series of
analyses and accelerated tests on the product to identify,
assess, and mitigate the dominant failure mechanisms to
which the product is susceptible in harsh environments.

Results
The two-phase MIPS project resulted in a design for
TRX’s tracking device enclosure. While the packaging has
evolved, the basic design and materials were developed

183 during the project.

184
 Under Armour
Advanced testing of a new running shoe design

Project Manager: Craig E. Lindemann; Principal Investigator: Jae Kun Shim, UMD
Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore City; Project Start Date: 2/1/2012

Business Description patterns (rearfoot and forefoot) were recruited. Subjects

Under Armour® (NYSE: UA) is a leading developer, marketer,
and distributor of branded performance apparel, footwear,
and accessories. The Ccompany’s products are sold
worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to
professional, on playing fields around the globe. The Under
Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Md., with
European headquarters in Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium,
and additional offices in Denver, Hong Kong, Toronto, and
Guangzhou, China.
Challenge
Under Armour sought to advance the science of running
shoes.
MIPS Role
Under Armour’s MIPS project focused on the
biomechanical and physiological assessment of shod
running and comparing the differences between
traditional tunning shoes and the company’s
newly designed new running shoes. Under Armour
hypothesized that the company’s new shoes could
reduce potential injury by minimizing biomechanical risk
factors and reducing the metabolic demands of running.
Thirty individuals with two different foot-striking
were asked to run twice a week at self-selected paces
for four weeks. They used traditional running shoes for
the first two weeks and Under Armour’s new shoes for
the last two weeks. Biomechanical measurements and
analysis were performed at the end of each two-week
cycle. The kinematic and kinetic measures, muscular
activations and metabolic consumption rate were used
to test the hypothesis. The outcomes of this study will
be used by the manufacturer to make evidence-based
decisions on shoe designs.
While the project is still in progress,
the company estimates that
together with Dr. Shim’s team,
they have jointly created the most
advanced running shoe testing
facility in the country.

185
186
 United Therapeutics
Development of a broad-spectrum, antiviral drug

Project Manager: Brennan Klose; Principal Investigator: Brenda Fredericksen, UMD

Location: Silver Spring, Maryland - Montgomery County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2009

Business Description
United Therapeutics Corporation is a publicly traded
biotechnology company focused on the development
and commercialization of unique products to address
the unmet medical needs of patients with chronic and
life-threatening conditions.
Challenge
UT sought to show that its unique glycobiology antiviral
compounds could be effective against a wide variety
of pathogens, including West Nile, Hepatitis C, and HIV
viruses.
MIPS Role
Since 2008, UT has been actively collaborating with
UMD’s Maryland Pathogen Institute. Researchers
have been screening UT’s antiviral agents for activity
against West Nile virus in vitro. Dr. Brenda Fredericksen
worked with UT’s broad-spectrum antiviral drug to
test its efficacy against West Nile virus in mice, a key United Therapeutics has a market
proof-of-concept that will allow UT to select a final drug
compound to move toward clinical trials. capitalization of $2.7B and 543
employees. It is considered to be one of
Results
On September 30, 2011, the Unither Virology LLC
Maryland’s top biotech companies.
subsidiary was awarded a contract with an aggregate
value of up to $45.0 million under a Broad Agency
Announcement from the U.S. National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases for studies directed at
the development of a broad spectrum antiviral drug
based on UT’s glycobiology antiviral platform. Products
are in pre-clinical development.

187
188
Universal Security Instruments
IoPhic advanced fire alarm technology
Project Manager: Eric Gonzales; Principal Investigator: James Milke, UMD
Location: Owings Mills, Maryland - Baltimore County; Project Start Date: 2/1/2011
Business Description
Universal Security Instruments, Inc. (NYSE Amex: UUU) is
an international designer, developer, manufacturer and
marketer of high quality, professional and easy-to-install
security products. From its founding in 1969, UNIVERSAL®
has grown to be an industry leader providing residential
security products from its own overseas manufacturing
facility. The Company presently has government regulatory
approvals to distribute in 30 countries, with additional
approvals coming.
Beginning in 1973, UNIVERSAL began manufacturing
Smoke and Fire Alarms and has developed a complete
assortment of UL Listed Battery and Electric Smoke and
Fire Alarms, with various features and long battery life.
UNIVERSAL began shipping carbon monoxide alarms in
2000 and recently expanded its product line to include
bathroom ventilation products.
UNIVERSAL has become one of the largest manufacturers
of Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms in the world. In
July of 2003, UNIVERSAL was listed on the American Stock
Headquartered in Owings Mills,
USI is the second largest manufacturer
of smoke detectors in the U.S.
189
Exchange.
Challenge
Universal Security Instruments sought to test the new
line of IoPhic smoke detectors to measure their response
to nuisances.
MIPS Role
Nuisance alarms are an ongoing challenge for smoke
alarm technology, particularly for ionization, which
is installed in the bulk of residential applications. A
new smoke detector developed by Universal Security
Instruments is hypothesized to have a significant
improvement in immunity to nuisance sources over
existing smoke detectors, as well as an improved
response time for smoldering fires. UMD researchers
validated the performance, capabilities and potential
weaknesses of the IoPhic™ detector to smoldering fire
sources and the frequency of alarms to nuisance sources.
Results
Researchers found that USI’s IoPhic-based units were
significantly less likely to respond to nuisances. This
result is helping USI in its marketing efforts for its new
line of smoke detectors.
190
 VisiSonics Corporation
Enhanced 3D audio experience via personalization
Project Manager: Adam E. O’Donovan; Principal Investigator: Larry Davis, UMD
Location: College Park, Maryland - Prince George’s County; Project Start Date: 8/1/2012
Business Description
VisiSonics is a spinout company founded by University
of Maryland computer science researchers. VisiSonics
creates tools and applications that combine its proprietary
RealSpace™ audio signal processing algorithms to provide
the next generation of products addressing real world
acoustic solutions. The products and tools being created
and marketed by VisiSonics address large markets spanning
consumer, industrial and security applications.
The company’s technology delivers a complete and
compelling true “surround sound” experience to any
compatible consumer device and will provide an
immersive surround sound experience to any of the
billions of headphone users. The experience can be further
customized by using VisiSonics’ patented measurement
of individual head-related transfer functions (HRTFs), a
characteristic of the listener.
Challenge
Through the MIPS project, VisiSonics seeks to reduce the
size and increase the portability of its 3D HRTF-capturing
system for use in commercial environments.
191
MIPS Role
While this project is just starting, VisiSonics predicts
that the new, portable 3D HRTF-capturing system
will enable the company to develop products that
have personalized sound experiences for the masses.
VisiSonics could create the experience of going to the
Sydney Opera House, so that a person with headphones
would hear it as if they were there.
VisiSonics was named one of
Results the top startups at the Emerging
VisiSonics recently received $50,000 and completed
a National Science Foundation iCorps program with
Companies Summit sponsored by
Mtech’s Edmund Pendleton. The company also received NVIDIA, a multinational computer
a $15,000 TEDCO TechStart grant as well as $75,000 in
additional TEDCO funding.
graphics company. VisiSonics’ camera
technology won an Invention of
the Year Award from the University
of Maryland’s Office of Technology
Commercialization. The company is
also working on an audio engine so
publishers can include 3D sound in
their titles. So in Modern Warfare, in the
future, you might hear the direction
sniper fire is coming from.
192
 WellDoc®
Mobile integrated therapies
Project Manager: Suzanne C. Sysko; Principal Investigator: Charlene Quinn, UMB
Location: Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore City; Project Start Date: 2/1/2008
Business Description
WellDoc, a healthcare behavioral science and technology
company that develops solutions aimed at engaging
patients and enhancing health outcomes, is focused
on simplifying the way chronic diseases are managed
through a collaborative, life-changing approach that
breaks down the barriers of engagement and adherence
by providing patients and their healthcare providers with
real-time, actionable information. WellDoc has developed
an industry-leading, technology-based solution designed
to help people with chronic diseases better manage their
conditions.
WellDoc’s flagship product, DiabetesManager, helps
doctors and patients with type 2 diabetes work together
by providing for the capture, storage and real-time
transmission of blood glucose data and other diabetes self-
management information in a highly secure environment.
Through real-time patient coaching, DiabetesManager
redefines conventional diabetes management for people
with type 2 diabetes. In addition, it provides clinical
decision support to their healthcare providers and extends
their care beyond traditional office visits.
Challenge
WellDoc sought data from clinical trials to demonstrate
the product’s effectiveness; the company also wanted to
prove that its easy-to-use diabetes management system
could be implemented on a large scale.
193
MIPS Role
Dr. Charlene Quinn and WellDoc evaluated the
effectiveness of a patient-to-provider interactive
diabetes management system that could be utilized
with readily available personal electronic devices. In the
MIPS phase one project, patient diabetes management
algorithms were revised to test the effectiveness of the
WellDoc intervention for a larger, randomized control
trial (RCT) conducted in the phase 2 MIPS project.
The randomized control trial involved 30 patients,
who were given WellDoc’s cell phone-based diabetes
management software, which securely captured data
and provided real-time diabetes management feedback.
In addition, WellDoc’s system analyzed patient data and
provided suggested action plans to patients’ healthcare
providers (HCPs). The solution promoted patient self-
management and enhanced communication between
patients and their HCPs.
Results
The MIPS study showed that adults with type 2 diabetes
using WellDoc’s software achieved a 2.03-point reduction
in A1c, an indicator used to identify the average blood
glucose level of a diabetic over a 12-week time period.
Every one-point drop reduces the risk of diabetes
complications (e.g., amputations blindness) by as much
as 40 percent. The top ten diabetes drugs in the U.S., on
average, reduce A1c by about one point. The results of
this trial were published in Diabetes Technologies and
Therapeutics, Volume 10, 2008.
Pictured, from left to right: Suzanne Sysko Clough, M.D., Founder & Chief
Medical Officer, WellDoc; and Ryan Sysko, Founder & Chief Executive
Officer, WellDoc.
Dr. Quinn then conducted the first, one-year randomized
controlled trial (RCT) of a mobile phone-based diabetes
coaching and decision support intervention, the results
of which were published in Diabetes Care, the world’s
preeminent diabetes-focused scientific journal, published
by the American Diabetes Association. The trial met its
primary endpoint of reducing blood glucose levels over
one-year, demonstrating patients using the WellDoc
system plus their usual care had an average decline in A1c
of 1.9 percentage points compared to a 0.7-percentage-
point decline seen among patients treated with usual care
alone (control group).
WellDoc became one of the first mobile health (mHealth)
solutions to receive United States FDA 510(k) clearance to
market its software product as class II medical device for
health care providers and their adult patients with type 2
diabetes.
The company entered the Emerging Technology Center
(ETC), won a national award from the National Business
Incubation Association for best incubator company of
the year, and now has 100 employees, with offices in
Baltimore, Md., Wilmington, Del., and Bangalore, India.
“I’ve always said WellDoc is a poster child (now
adult) for the MIPS program.”
– Dr. Charlene Quinn, Associate Professor
University of Maryland School of Medicine

“I would say MIPS validated us. Here we are, two

people knocking on the doors of Fortune 100,
Fortune, Fortune 300 companies, public payers,
private payers, partners, and until we had that
endorsement from a MIPS grant, it was hard. It
really did help us open doors by saying we are
MIPS-endorsed. It made a big difference in our
ability to get traction.”
– Suzanne Sysko Clough
Founder and Chief Medical Officer, WellDoc

“Maryland Industrial Partnerships was really

instrumental in helping us build the evidence
associated with our product. There were two
specific areas where we used the MIPS grants.
The first was looking at our clinical trial data and
analyzing it to understand the impact of our
system on patients. Second was looking at how
we could start to evolve into more complex and
advanced analytics to truly begin to personalize
our system so we could begin to tailor our
messaging and support to patients based upon
their particular set of issues.”
– Ryan Sysko, Founder and CEO, WellDoc
Suzanne Sysko Clough, MD, is a founder
and Chief Medical Officer of WellDoc. Dr.
Clough earned her doctor of medicine
degree from the University of Maryland’s
School of Medicine in Baltimore. She
completed her residency program and
endocrinology fellowship at the University
of Maryland Medical Systems. She then
worked in the UMB School of Medicine’s
Division of Endocrinology: Diabetes and
Nutrition before founding WellDoc.
194
 Zymetis
System for converting cellulose-based materials to fuel products
Website: www.aemetis.com; Project Manager: Steven Hutcheson; Principal Investigators: Jonathan Dinman
and Robert Briber, UMD
Location: College Park, Maryland - Prince George’s County; Project Start Date: multiple dates
Business Description
Zymetis (now Aemetis) is an industrial biotechnology
company producing renewable chemicals and fuels using
patented microbes and processes.
Scientists at Aemetis are focused on the development
and commercialization of our innovative industrial
biotechnologies that produce renewable chemical and fuel
substitutes for traditional petroleum-based products.
Aemetis’ technology platform allows for the conversion
of existing biorefineries, thereby substantially reducing
capital expenditures, construction time and startup
costs associated with building plants for processing
biomass into renewable chemicals and fuels. This strategy
enables Aemetis to quickly commercialize technologies
by leveraging investments already made in existing
biorefineries through joint ventures with existing biofuel
plants.
Challenge
For the first MIPS project, Zymetis sought to have a yeast
strain engineered to ferment five carbon sugars. The
company’s second MIPS project was to develop low-
cost solvent systems to reduce the crystallinity of native
cellulose.
195
MIPS Role
For Zymetis’ second MIPS project, UMD researchers
developed a preparation process to reduce the
crystallanity of cellulose to allow for more efficient
enzymatic degradation. This was done using common
industrial solvents rather than highly aggressive or
dangerous chemicals. The graduate student conducting
the research published a paper in the Journal of Applied
Polymer Science and produced his doctoral thesis from
the work with Zymetis.
Results
Zymetis was acquired in 2011 by AE Biofuels Inc. (now
Aemetis), a Cupertino, Calif.-based global advanced
biofuels company.
Zymetis held four patents, with more than ten pending,
on the Z-microbe™, a marine organism that was originally
discovered consuming plant cellulose at a high rate in
the Chesapeake Bay. The genome of the Z-microbe™ has
been fully sequenced by researchers at the University
of Maryland. Zymetis’ scientists discovered that the
Z-microbe™ naturally generates about 90 enzymes that
rapidly convert sugar, starch, and cellulose into useable
chemicals and fuels.
By using the genetics of plants and microbes that
naturally produce specialty chemicals, the Z-microbe has
been converted to produce renewable chemicals and
advanced fuels from renewable feedstocks.
Interesting Facts
Brian Watson, the graduate student conducting the
research for one of the projects, published a paper in
the Journal of Applied Polymer Science (DOI: 10.1002/
app.37540) and produced his doctoral thesis from the
work with Zymetis.
Zymetis’ technology was developed at the university
by Hutcheson and emeritus professor Ron Weiner.
Hutcheson founded the company in 2006.
That same year, Zymetis entered the Mtech
VentureAccelerator Program. The company sought
expertise from Mtech’s Bioprocess Scale-Up Facility (BSF)
staff to determine how to mass-produce its enzymes. In
2008, Zymetis graduated to the TAP incubator.
From 2007-2010, the company won three Mtech
Maryland Industrial Partnerships product development
grants, for a total of $337,000, to accelerate its R&D.
“MIPS has been, and continues to be, the great facilitator
of this undertaking which hopes to be a significant creator
of well paid and long lasting Maryland jobs.”
– Dr. Terry Sankar, President and CEO
196