Penn State is a research institution -- everyone hears the claim sooner or later. But what the University researches is a mystery to most.

A recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education found that in 1992, of the nation's leading research universities, 98 saw an increase in money made from licensed inventions. That year, the University held 35 licenses generating royalties. These licenses are often the result of professors' long research hours.

Thomas Monahan, manager of the Intellectual Property Office, said although research funding is becoming harder to secure and not all products can be patented, because of cost, the office tries to look into the future.

"We try to recognize early those items that are going to bloom," he said.

Monahan said the office's licensing activities have become more important recently as more products have been developed. The office encourages researchers to bring new ideas out, although licensing costs can be up to $10,000 each, he said.

The inventions the University licenses cover a wide range of disciplines.

"It spans the spectrum of research activity here at the University -- as I think it should," Monahan said.

For example, Lester Casida Jr., professor emeritus of microbiology, discovered a type of bacteria that is useful in attacking certain kinds of fungi, like those that attack some alfalfa and tomato plants.

"I recognized that this was an invention," said Casida, whose discovery is so unusual that the bacterium has not even been given a species name yet. The bacterium, discovered in soil samples, is still being studied but has been licensed as U.S. Patent No. 5,232,850.

In the future, it could be used to kill fungi and, because it is not a chemical, would not have to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

University research has also found a solution to the problem of potentially harmful radiation from computer screens. Vijay and Vasundara Varadan, alumni distinguished professors of engineering science and electrical engineering, hold a patent for a special silicon-based polymer material.

Currently, all television and computer screens contain thin wires to shield against electromagnetic radiation. These wires can only be seen with a magnifying lens. But with the new polymer material, a totally clear shield could be used by coating glass or plastic with the substance.

"It will shield any field coming through the glass," said Vijay Varadan, who demonstrated the danger of electromagnetic fields by using a walkie-talkie to pick up the fields' static fuzz, which can even be radiated by fluorescent lights. The material he developed earned him patent No. 4,948,922.

But time and much research is needed to prove an invention and refine it, even after it has been patented. Perfecting an invention to be marketed can take several years, Monahan said. Marketing the product is an important step and helps make up for research and legal costs.