UMass 14th Nationally In Commercializing Research

The five-campus University of Massachusetts system generated $35 million during the 2011 fiscal year from the commercialization of its academic research, putting the school 14th nationally.

A report from the Association of University Technology Managers found that UMass signed 25 licenses, created one startup company, and filed 50 patent applications.

Almost all of the university's income stemming from research innovations was generated by its medical school in Worcester. President Robert Caret says the income is important for funding education in today’s economic climate.

"And whatever dollars come in through those avenues generally go right back into the [research & development] effort," Caret said. "So that we continue to provide those kinds of materials and devices and products that help society get better."

UMass was sixth overall among public institutions and locally, it was second only to MIT.

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom