UNT issued a royalty check to Guido Verbeck, associate professor of chemistry, for $10,000 for the use of his patented intellectual work.

“This is only the first check,” said Michael Rondelli, associate vice president for innovation and commercialization in the Office of Research and Innovation. “We expect a lot more as this exciting new technology gets to marketplace.”

Verbeck created an algorithm that works with a high-tech tool to detect the location of chemical signatures, everything from illegal drugs to hazardous materials and even chemical weapons.

He says a strong partnership with the university’s technology transfer team, which is led by Rondelli, was a major factor in the commercial success.

“As researchers, we can keep doing our work without losing any stride thanks to UNT’s tech transfer office,” said Verbeck, who has created and patented modified parts for mass spectrometers for several private companies. He also patented his nanomanipulator in 2012.

Rondelli joined UNT in 2015 as a proven leader in converting research discoveries into useful products. He immediately began looking for ways to streamline UNT’s processes for faculty researchers, ultimately restructuring how the university helps faculty take their research from their labs and testing areas into the marketplace as products while also protecting the faculty researchers’ work as intellectual property.

“My duty is to ensure that technology finds a way to the market for use by – and benefit of – the masses,” Rondelli said. “It’s not just about making money but about having a positive impact on our communities. Providing a path for research like this to get to the marketplace can impact the Dallas-Fort Worth area in a big way.”

“As a vibrant research university with diverse areas of expertise, UNT brings enormous possibilities to allow for a long-term impact.”

And that attentiveness to faculty needs and how academic research develops has made all the difference, Verbeck said.

“It’s changed everything,” he said. “Mike is helping faculty do their jobs. I can turn in a paper and he can get a provisional patent in 24 hours. I can keep doing my job without getting held up in anyway because he’s out there doing the patent research for me.”

Faculty researchers with an invention or other intellectual property they’d like to discuss with Rondelli should fill out the form on the Innovation and Commercialization site.