Sacramento, Calif.-based UC Davis Health played a key role in boosting invention disclosures at the University of California Davis by 36%, signaling a rebound in research activity after years of decline.
The university reported 191 records of invention in the fiscal year ending June 30 — up from 140 the previous year — with more than 90% of that growth driven by UC Davis Health Ventures. The group, part of the university’s Office of Innovation and Economic Development, helped double filings from the School of Medicine, which accounted for nearly half of all campuswide invention disclosures.
Records of invention, or ROIs, are internal documents researchers use to formally disclose discoveries that may lead to patents or commercial applications. At UC Davis, about 10% to 25% of ROIs typically advance to patent filings.
The increase reflects heightened activity in high-impact areas such as oncology, neuroscience, gene and cell therapy, and food as medicine — fields with strong clinical demand and commercial potential, according to a July 29 news release.
More than 70% of ROIs filed through Health Ventures came from first-time lead inventors, highlighting efforts to broaden faculty engagement across departments. Invention disclosures came from 20 departments within the School of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, and colleges of Engineering and Biological Sciences.
Health Ventures functions as the university’s commercialization hub for human health innovation. It connects researchers, clinicians, investors and industry partners to accelerate the path from discovery to market.
