Disclosure

Dr. O’Connor currently consults for the plant gene editing company Pairwise.

We currently receive no industry funding for our research.

Why we invent

Application: We are motivated to improve the food system. Inventions help drive progress with tangible applied tools for crop improvement.

Training: An increasing number of biology-focused students and Postdocs are considering careers in the biotech industry. In order to navigate this career exploration researchers in our lab need to understand applied biological innovations in the context of how they are made and protected. Patents are the currency of industrial biotech. Keeping this industry context alive in the lab facilitates career exploration, develops marketable skills, and helps new scientists navigate their scientific careers.

Granted Patents

O’Connor Devin , Graham Nathaniel, Methods For Controlling Meristem Size For Crop Improvement, US 2021/0371873 A1, Granted: Sep 9, 2025. https://link.lens.org/1eyfs9Dsrse

Bate Nicholas , Mathew Lolita George , O’Connor Devin, Modification of Brassinosteroid receptor genes to improve yield traits, US 12365911 B2, Granted: Jul 22, 2025. https://link.lens.org/Ff5xzOSCn8i

Karlson Dale , O’Connor Devin , Graham Nathaniel, Methods for controlling meristem size for crop improvement, US 11999946 B2, Granted: Jun 4, 2024. https://link.lens.org/lWemJbcEs9