Pioneered by NAI Fellow Dr. Joseph Kloepper of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, this technology focuses on the use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for plant health, nutrient uptake, and disease & pest control. Kloepper’s bacterial libraries have resulted in numerous license agreements with different companies and several products in field trials and on the market, driven by a call for greener, more organic crop treatments to replace harsh chemicals in agriculture.

Kloepper's work has also resulted in numerous internal collaborations, including nematode control with Kathy Lawrence, insect control with Henry Fadamiro, turf grass studies with David Held, environmental applications with Allen Torbert, and non-plant applications with Mark Liles. The latter includes probiotics for aquaculture, and identifying strains to control infections in animal and human health.

A light microscope adapter using technology invented by Dr. Vitaly Vodyanoy of the College of Veterinary Medicine provides far higher resolution than current top-of-the-line research microscopes. The technology enables researchers to observe living cells in extremely fine detail without the time consuming or invasive sample processing steps which are typical of current high-technology microscopes. Additional benefits include enhanced fluorescence & hyperspectral imaging capabilities and utility in the nanotechnology and materials industries.

Introduced to the market in late 2004, CytoViva continues to be actively sold into numerous markets.  CytoViva was won several major national awards: R&D Magazine's top 100 most technologically significant products introduced in 2006 AND 2007 and the Nano 50 Award by NASA Tech Briefs, which recognizes the most exceptional new products in the nanotechnology field.