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Southern Research Institute CEO Arthur J. Tipton Named a Fellow in the National Academy of Inventors

December 10, 2013

Birmingham, Ala. — Southern Research Institute today announced that its president and CEO, Arthur J. Tipton, Ph.D., has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Dr. Tipton was one of 143 innovators nominated and elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to innovation in areas such as patents and licensing, innovative discovery and technology, significant impact on society, and support and enhancement of innovation.

Tipton and the other new Fellows will be inducted by Deputy U.S. Commissioner for Patents Andy Faile, from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, during the 3rd Annual Conference of the National Academy of Inventors, on March 7, 2014, in Alexandria, Va., at the headquarters of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The 2013 class of NAI Fellows represents 94 universities and governmental and non-profit research institutes. Together, they hold more than 5,600 U.S. patents. Included are 26 presidents and senior leaders from research universities and non-profit research institutes, 69 members of the National Academies, five inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, six recipients of the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation, two recipients of the U.S. National Medal of Science and nine Nobel Laureates.

Tipton was named president and CEO of Southern Research Institute in 2013, and has 31 issued U.S. patents, 22 published U.S. patent applications, and numerous foreign equivalents, with more than 70 presentations and publications.

He has worked in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry for 25 years, participating in the growth aspects of three start-up companies. The company he founded in 2005 as a Southern Research Institute spin-out company—Brookwood Pharmaceuticals—was acquired by SurModics in August 2007 and then by Evonik in November 2011. At Evonik, Tipton served as senior vice president of the Birmingham Division and also led the company’s global drug delivery program.

From 1993 to 2004, Tipton held roles of increasing responsibility at Durect Corporation, including that of senior vice president of biodegradable systems, chief operating officer, vice president of its wholly-owned subsidiary Southern BioSystems, and president of Birmingham Polymers. He was with Atrix Laboratories (now part of QLT Inc.) from 1988 until 1993, as manager of Polymer Science and Senior Polymer Chemist.

Tipton serves on multiple boards including the Controlled Release Society (CRS), the Birmingham Venture Club, the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama Foundation, and the Biotech Association of Alabama (BioAlabama). He is a fellow of AIMBE and CRS and was awarded the CRS Distinguished Service Award in 2012. He serves as an external advisor to the Biomedical Engineering Department at University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and volunteers as a mentor and judge in business plan competitions.

The NAI Fellows Selection Committee was comprised of 13 Members including NAI Charter Fellows, recipients of U.S. National Medals, National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees, members of the National Academies and senior officials from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Association of University Technology Managers, and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

About Southern Research Institute

Southern Research Institute is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) scientific research organization founded in 1941 that conducts preclinical drug discovery and development, advanced engineering research in materials, systems development, and environment and energy research. Approximately 500 scientific and engineering team members support clients and partners in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, defense, aerospace, environmental and energy industries. Southern Research is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., with additional laboratories and offices in Wilsonville and Huntsville, Ala., Frederick, Md., Durham, NC, Houston, TX, and Cartersville, Ga.

The National Academy of Inventors® is a 501(c)(3) non-profit member organization comprised of U.S. and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutions, with over 3,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 200 institutions, and growing rapidly. It was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society. The NAI edits the multidisciplinary journal, Technology and Innovation – Proceedings of the National Academy of Inventors, published by Cognizant Communication Corporation (NY).

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