Turning Ideas Into Impact: UofM Faculty Awarded TTAC Grants to Advance Innovation and Commercialization

FY26 Expansion Announced — Faculty Encouraged to Submit Proposals

The University of Memphis continues to invest in groundbreaking research and innovation through the Technology Transfer Assistance Consortium (TTAC) grant program. Supported by LaunchTN, the TTAC program provides critical early-stage funding to help university researchers advance their intellectual property toward commercialization—turning lab-based discoveries into real-world impact.

This year, four faculty-led projects received TTAC funding to accelerate the path from research to market:

Dr. Ranga Gopalakrishnan – P3ARL
Dr. Gopalakrishnan received TTAC support to commercialize a patented system for dry powder dispersion US11358112B2. This innovative technology, now licensed to a UofM-incorporated startup (P3ARL), uses ultrasonic waves to enable more precise, efficient dispersion of powdered substances—offering broad applications in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and materials science.
Dr. Dipankar Dasgupta & Dr. Sujay Roy – Adaptive Cybersecurity Technologies
This team was awarded funding to advance commercialization of their cybersecurity patents. These technologies use environmental and behavioral data to improve user security and experience.
Dr. Thomas Goebel – Izalco Tech
Dr. Goebel’s TTAC-supported venture, Izalco Tech, is bringing to market an automated seismic monitoring system designed to detect and analyze earthquake activity with greater speed and accuracy. The innovation has applications in geotechnical engineering, public safety, and environmental monitoring. Learn more at izalcotech.com.
Prof. Tara Hunter – IV Therapy Training Program
Professor Hunter was awarded funding to expand a clinical IV therapy training course currently used by Methodist Hospital to train RNs. The course is being refined and positioned for broader adoption in healthcare training environments, helping improve patient care and workforce readiness.

In FY26, grant awards will be doubled. To learn more, contact The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) at fedex@memphis.edu. OTT urges faculty to apply to the TTAC Proof of Concept Program on their website. Submissions open Aug. 1. Rolling deadline through Jan. 15, 2026.