What if the next generation of automotive components, food packaging and construction materials began on Tennessee farmland?
Researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) are working to make that vision a reality at the UT Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) Center for Renewable Carbon (CRC), developing plant-based technologies that could create new markets for farmers, strengthen rural manufacturing and reduce reliance on petroleum-based products. Through partnerships with the UT Research Foundation (UTRF), those discoveries are moving beyond the laboratory and into the commercialization pipeline.
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*Numbers reflect information 07/01/2025 - 05/31/2026 and are subject to change
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| Innovation Disclosures |
U.S. Patents Filed | U.S. Patents Issued | Licenses |
Startups |
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| 183 | 118 |
12 | 36 | 4 |
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| Innovations being Marketed |
Companies Contacted | Companies Responded | Company Discussions |
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| 74 |
646 | 86 |
48 |
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UTRF's Accelerate Fund Invests in PreTeL, Inc. |
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Funding will support the development of a wearable labor monitoring system designed to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. |
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UTRF's Accelerate Fund has invested in PreTeL, a Tennessee based medical device startup developing wearable sensors that help physicians distinguish true labor from false labor, monitor labor progression and guide the safe dosing of labor-inducing medication.
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UTRF Promotes James Parrett to Memphis Office Vice President |
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UTRF Board voted in May to promote James Parrett, J.D., M.S., PharmD, to vice president of UTRF’s Memphis Office, effective July 1, 2026 |
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As vice president, Parrett will oversee technology transfer and commercialization activities for UTRF’s Memphis Office, supporting innovators at the UT Health Sciences, UT Martin and UT Southern campuses.
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Outreach completed by the UTRF team during June 2026
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Sponsored and attended the UT Health Sciences ‘From Discovery to Impact: Entrepreneurship & Industry Partnerships in Health Sciences’ workshop. Leaders in technology transfer, industry, research and entrepreneurship gathered to discuss and provide practical advice to aspiring UTHSC entrepreneurs. The presenters and panelists discussed the mindset, skills and connections needed to translate scientific discovery into real-world impact.
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Attended the Spark Innovation Center’s social hour at Yee-Haw Brewing for an evening of networking and conversation.
- Visited UT Chattanooga to engage and continue partnerships with faculty.
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UT Innovators with newly opened disclosures in May 2026.
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Fangxing Li
Tickle College of Engineering, Min K. Kao Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
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Vince Wilson
Visiting Scholar, Tickle College of Engineering, Min K. Kao Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
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UT Institute of Agriculture |
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Christopher Sneed
Family and Consumer Science, Extension
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Ann Berry
Family and Consumer Science, Extension
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Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes
Herbert College of Agriculture, Dept. of Entomology and Plant Pathology
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Charles Martinez
Herbert College of Agriculture, Dept. of Agricultural and Resource Economics
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Marci Hethmon
Family and Consumer Science, Extension
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Karen Franck
Family and Consumer Science, Extension
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Heba Abdelgaffar
Herbert College of Agriculture, Dept. of Entomology and Plant Pathology
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Brad Wilson
Herbert College of Agriculture, Dept. of Agricultural and Resource Economics
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Dustin Gilmer
Material Science Program
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Sudeshna Roy
College of Pharmacy, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences
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Monica Jablonski
Hamilton Eye Institute, Dept. of Opthalmology
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Benton Chuter
Hamilton Eye Institute, Dept. of Opthalmology
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Jay Kim
College of Medicine - Memphis, Dept. of Medicine, Division of Medicine Hematology & Oncology
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Yao Lan
College of Medicine - Memphis, Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering
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Duane Miller
College of Pharmacy, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences
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Thamarai Ponnusamy
College of Medicine - Memphis, Dept. of Medicine, Division of Medicine Hematology & Oncology
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Tzu-Yu Huang
College of Pharmacy, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences
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Mohamed Moustafa
Hamilton Eye Institute, Dept. of Opthalmology
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Neil Hayes
College of Medicine - Memphis, Dept. of Medicine, Division of Medicine Hematology & Oncology
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Weikuan Gu
College of Medicine - Memphis, Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering
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Ramesh Narayanan
College of Medicine - Memphis, Dept. of Medicine, Division of Medicine Hematology & Oncology
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Dong-Jin Hwang
College of Pharmacy, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences
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Have an Idea? Let's Talk! |
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