Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation is the nonprofit technology transfer
office of the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. It is a significant source of research
support, independent of federal grant
s. It currently contributes about $45 million per year, giving the university's research programs a "margin of excellence."
, who invented the process for using ultraviolet radiation to add vitamin D
to milk
and other foods. Rather than leaving the invention unpatent
ed—then the standard practice for university inventions—he patented it, worked with Quaker Oats and pharmaceutical companies to commercialize it, and used the proceeds to fund research.
WARF was established with the donations of $100 from nine alumni of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and verbal pledges from others. "The UW Board of Regents
officially sanctioned the plan on June 22, 1925, and the organization's charter
was filed with the Secretary of State of Wisconsin
on November 14 that same year. The new agency was named the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation to reflect both its governing body of UW–Madison alumni and its mission to support UW–Madison research. Funded by $900 in capital from the nine contributing alumni and with a governing body of five volunteer trustees, WARF officially opened for business." (quoted directly from WARF's website
).
Since its founding, WARF has served the University of Wisconsin–Madison scientific community by patenting the discoveries of UW–Madison researchers and licensing these technologies to leading companies in Wisconsin, the United States and worldwide. In this way, WARF also facilitates the use of UW–Madison research for the maximum benefit of society. WARF distributes the income from commercial licenses to the UW–Madison, the inventors and their departments. Each year, WARF contributes over $45 million to fund additional UW–Madison research. The university refers to WARF's annual gifts as its "margin of excellence" funding. WARF currently licenses nearly 100 UW–Madison technologies each year.
As of 2008, WARF had an endowment
of nearly $2.0 billion. A majority of WARF's income, around 70%, comes from Vitamin D
.
While historically, WARF was only the technology transfer office for the University of Wisconsin–Madison, WARF has recently established WiSys to cater to the entire University of Wisconsin System
.
food cured the rats of rickets
, Steenbock sought a patent. Steenbock then assigned the patent to the newly established Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. WARF then licensed the technology to Quaker Oats for use in their breakfast cereal
s. In addition, WARF licensed the technology for use as a pharmaceutical, Viosterol. WARF's commercialization of Vitamin D culminated in its enrichment of milk.
"Enriching milk with vitamin D posed a significant challenge to WARF and its industry partners. Cereals and pharmaceuticals could be easily fortified by adding irradiated yeast
or activated lipid
s (ergosterol
) to them as sources of vitamin D. But strict pure foods laws at the time prohibited the addition of anything to milk, even chocolate
. In order to produce vitamin D in milk, the milk itself would have to be irradiated. " (quote from site)
By the time the patent expired in 1945, rickets was all but nonexistent.
Through innovations from Hector DeLuca
, Vitamin D continues to be a large percentage of WARF's income, around 70%.
(Coumadin) is named for WARF, and the story of its discovery is emblematic of the "Wisconsin Idea
" and the relationship of the university to the Wisconsin public. In 1933 a farmer from Deer Park
showed up unannounced at the School of Agriculture and walked into a professor's laboratory with a milk can full of blood which would not coagulate. In his truck, he had also brought a dead heifer and some spoiled clover hay. He wanted to know what had killed his cow. In 1941, Karl Paul Link
successfully isolated the anticoagulant factor, which initially found commercial application as a rodent
-killer. Warfarin is now one of the most widely prescribed medicines in the world, used in vascular and heart disease to prevent stroke and thrombosis
.
. In October 1999, WARF established the non-profit subsidiary WiCell
in order to license its stem cell lines. Thomson was appointed as WiCell's scientific director. In September 2005, WiCell was awarded the NIH contract to develop the first National Stem Cell Bank (NSCB). The NSCB works to distribute characterized human embryonic stem cells eligible for US federal funding to non-profit researchers world wide.
Technology transfer
Technology Transfer, also called Transfer of Technology and Technology Commercialisation, is the process of skill transferring, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that...
office of the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. It is a significant source of research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
support, independent of federal grant
Federal grant
In the United States, federal grants are economic aid issued by the United States government out of the general federal revenue. A federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of...
s. It currently contributes about $45 million per year, giving the university's research programs a "margin of excellence."
History
WARF was founded in 1925 by Harry SteenbockHarry Steenbock
Harry Steenbock was a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.-Vitamin D:...
, who invented the process for using ultraviolet radiation to add vitamin D
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids. In humans, vitamin D is unique both because it functions as a prohormone and because the body can synthesize it when sun exposure is adequate ....
to milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
and other foods. Rather than leaving the invention unpatent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed—then the standard practice for university inventions—he patented it, worked with Quaker Oats and pharmaceutical companies to commercialize it, and used the proceeds to fund research.
WARF was established with the donations of $100 from nine alumni of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and verbal pledges from others. "The UW Board of Regents
Board of Regents
In the United States, a board often governs public institutions of higher education, which include both state universities and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual colleges and universities, or both. In general they operate as...
officially sanctioned the plan on June 22, 1925, and the organization's charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
was filed with the Secretary of State of Wisconsin
Secretary of State of Wisconsin
The Secretary of State of Wisconsin is an officer of the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin, and the second in the order of succession of the Governor of Wisconsin, behind the Lieutenant Governor....
on November 14 that same year. The new agency was named the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation to reflect both its governing body of UW–Madison alumni and its mission to support UW–Madison research. Funded by $900 in capital from the nine contributing alumni and with a governing body of five volunteer trustees, WARF officially opened for business." (quoted directly from WARF's website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
).
Since its founding, WARF has served the University of Wisconsin–Madison scientific community by patenting the discoveries of UW–Madison researchers and licensing these technologies to leading companies in Wisconsin, the United States and worldwide. In this way, WARF also facilitates the use of UW–Madison research for the maximum benefit of society. WARF distributes the income from commercial licenses to the UW–Madison, the inventors and their departments. Each year, WARF contributes over $45 million to fund additional UW–Madison research. The university refers to WARF's annual gifts as its "margin of excellence" funding. WARF currently licenses nearly 100 UW–Madison technologies each year.
As of 2008, WARF had an endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
of nearly $2.0 billion. A majority of WARF's income, around 70%, comes from Vitamin D
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids. In humans, vitamin D is unique both because it functions as a prohormone and because the body can synthesize it when sun exposure is adequate ....
.
While historically, WARF was only the technology transfer office for the University of Wisconsin–Madison, WARF has recently established WiSys to cater to the entire University of Wisconsin System
University of Wisconsin System
The University of Wisconsin System is a university system of public universities in the state of Wisconsin. It is one of the largest public higher education systems in the country, enrolling more than 182,000 students each year and employing more than 32,000 faculty and staff statewide...
.
Vitamin D
In 1923, Harry Steenbock and James Cockwell discovered exposure to ultraviolet light increased the Vitamin D concentration in food. After discovering that irradiated ratRat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
food cured the rats of rickets
Rickets
Rickets is a softening of bones in children due to deficiency or impaired metabolism of vitamin D, magnesium , phosphorus or calcium, potentially leading to fractures and deformity. Rickets is among the most frequent childhood diseases in many developing countries...
, Steenbock sought a patent. Steenbock then assigned the patent to the newly established Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. WARF then licensed the technology to Quaker Oats for use in their breakfast cereal
Breakfast cereal
A breakfast cereal is a food made from processed grains that is often, but not always, eaten with the first meal of the day. It is often eaten cold, usually mixed with milk , water, or yogurt, and sometimes fruit but sometimes eaten dry. Some cereals, such as oatmeal, may be served hot as porridge...
s. In addition, WARF licensed the technology for use as a pharmaceutical, Viosterol. WARF's commercialization of Vitamin D culminated in its enrichment of milk.
"Enriching milk with vitamin D posed a significant challenge to WARF and its industry partners. Cereals and pharmaceuticals could be easily fortified by adding irradiated yeast
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
or activated lipid
Lipid
Lipids constitute a broad group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins , monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids, and others...
s (ergosterol
Ergosterol
Ergosterol is a sterol found in fungi, and named for ergot, a common name for the members of the fungal genus Claviceps from which ergosterol was first isolated. Ergosterol does not occur in plant or animal cells...
) to them as sources of vitamin D. But strict pure foods laws at the time prohibited the addition of anything to milk, even chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
. In order to produce vitamin D in milk, the milk itself would have to be irradiated. " (quote from site)
By the time the patent expired in 1945, rickets was all but nonexistent.
Through innovations from Hector DeLuca
Hector DeLuca
Hector F. DeLuca is a University of Wisconsin–Madison professor and former chairman of the university's biochemistry department. DeLuca is well known for his research in involving Vitamin D, from which several pharmaceutical drugs are derived....
, Vitamin D continues to be a large percentage of WARF's income, around 70%.
Warfarin
WarfarinWarfarin
Warfarin is an anticoagulant. It is most likely to be the drug popularly referred to as a "blood thinner," yet this is a misnomer, since it does not affect the thickness or viscosity of blood...
(Coumadin) is named for WARF, and the story of its discovery is emblematic of the "Wisconsin Idea
Wisconsin Idea
The Wisconsin Idea is the political philosophy developed in the American state of Wisconsin that fosters public universities' contributions to the state: "to the government in the forms of serving in office, offering advice about public policy, providing information and exercising technical skill,...
" and the relationship of the university to the Wisconsin public. In 1933 a farmer from Deer Park
Deer Park, Wisconsin
Deer Park is a village in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 216 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Deer Park is located at . The town is located along Highway 46 and shares its Main street with Highway 46...
showed up unannounced at the School of Agriculture and walked into a professor's laboratory with a milk can full of blood which would not coagulate. In his truck, he had also brought a dead heifer and some spoiled clover hay. He wanted to know what had killed his cow. In 1941, Karl Paul Link
Karl Paul Link
Karl Paul Gerhard Link was an American biochemist best known for his discovery of the anticoagulant warfarin.-Training and early career:...
successfully isolated the anticoagulant factor, which initially found commercial application as a rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
-killer. Warfarin is now one of the most widely prescribed medicines in the world, used in vascular and heart disease to prevent stroke and thrombosis
Thrombosis
Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel is injured, the body uses platelets and fibrin to form a blood clot to prevent blood loss...
.
Stem cells and WiCell
More recently, WARF was assigned the patents for non-human primate and human embryonic stem cells. The stem cells were first isolated and purified by James ThomsonJames Thomson (cell biologist)
James Alexander Thomson is an American developmental biologist best known for deriving the first human embryonic stem cell line in 1998 and for deriving human induced pluripotent stem cells in 2007.-Thomson's research:...
. In October 1999, WARF established the non-profit subsidiary WiCell
WiCell
WiCell is the nonprofit subsidiary of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation created in 1998 to promote research in human embryonic stem cells.In 1998, James Thomson was the first researcher to successfully isolate human embryonic stem cells....
in order to license its stem cell lines. Thomson was appointed as WiCell's scientific director. In September 2005, WiCell was awarded the NIH contract to develop the first National Stem Cell Bank (NSCB). The NSCB works to distribute characterized human embryonic stem cells eligible for US federal funding to non-profit researchers world wide.
Startup companies
WARF has also helped establish more than a thirty startup companies including Nimblegen, Tomotherapy, Deltanoid Pharmaceuticals, Quinntessence, Neoclone, Third Wave Technologies, Cambria Biosciences, and OpGen, Inc..External links
- WARF - Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
- WiCell Research Institute
- National Stem Cell Bank
- WARF's History
- Miracle In the Midwest - How Madison, Wis. Became A Hotebed Of Biocapitalism, Forbes Magazine, 05.24.04.
- WARF's Vitamin D patents