Patents Assigned to Medical Research Council
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Patent number: 9528106Abstract: The invention describes a method for isolating one or more genetic elements encoding a gene product having a desired activity, comprising of the steps of: (a) compartmentalizing genetic elements into microcapsules; (b) expressing the genetic elements to produce their respective gene products within the microcapsules; (c) sorting the genetic elements which produce the gene product having a desired activity. The invention enables the in vitro evolution of nucleic acids by repeated mutagenesis and iterative applications of the method of the invention.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2013Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Medical Research CouncilInventors: Andrew Griffiths, Dan Tawfik
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Patent number: 9498759Abstract: The invention describes a method for the identification of compounds which bind to a target component of a biochemical system or modulate the activity of the target, comprising the steps of: a) compartmentalizing the compounds into microcapsules together with the target, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsule; and b) identifying the compound which binds to or modulates the activity of the target; wherein at least one step is performed under microfluidic control. The invention enables the screening of large repertoires of molecules which can serve as leads for drug development.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2005Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignees: President and Fellows of Harvard College, Medical Research CouncilInventors: Andrew Griffiths, David Weitz, Keunho Ahn, Darren R. Link, Jerome Bibette
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Patent number: 9448172Abstract: The invention describes a method for the identification of compounds which bind to a target component of a biochemical system or modulate the activity of the target, comprising the steps of: a.) compartmentalizing the compounds into microcapsules together with the target, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsules; and b.) identifying the compound which binds to or modulates the activity of the target. The invention enables the screening of large repertoires of molecules which can serve as leads for drug development.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2005Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: Medical Research CouncilInventors: Andrew David Griffiths, Chris Abell, Florian Hollfelder, Enrico Mastrobattista
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Publication number: 20160231333Abstract: In one aspect, provided herein is a method for detecting tuberculosis in a subject, comprising (a) determining a level of one or more host immune system biomarkers in a sputum sample obtained from the subject; and (b) comparing the levels of the biomarkers in the sputum sample to one or more reference values; wherein the levels of the biomarkers in the sputum sample compared to the reference values are indicative of the presence or absence of tuberculosis in the subject.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2014Publication date: August 11, 2016Applicant: MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCILInventor: Jayne Sutherland
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Patent number: 9388216Abstract: The present invention relates to agents, compositions and methods for use in medicine. In particular, the invention relates to agents related to GnRH peptides.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2007Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: Medical Research CouncilInventors: Robert Peter Millar, Stuart Russell Maudsley, Rakel Lopez De Maturana Garmendia
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Publication number: 20160189919Abstract: An electron microscopy sample support comprises: a support member; and a metal foil comprising a porous region. The support member is configured to give structural stability to the metal foil, and the porous region of the metal foil is configured to receive an electron microscopy sample. Also provided is a method of manufacturing such an electron microscopy sample support, a method of imaging using such an electron microscopy sample support and an apparatus operable to perform such imaging. An electron microscopy specimen support in accordance with aspects and embodiments may reduce particle motion and/or sample char ging in electron microscopy, and thus improve information content available from electron micrographs. Appropriately designed and constructed supports may lead to an increased resolution per particle and increased accuracy of angular assignments in 3D reconstructions of for example, biological specimens.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2014Publication date: June 30, 2016Applicant: MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCILInventors: Lori A. PASSMORE, Christopher J. RUSSO
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Patent number: 9316712Abstract: In a method and system for acquiring magnetic resonance image data from a subject, using a data acquisition unit in which a basic magnetic field is generated, a division is designated in a planar section through the subject that divides the planar section into a first section and a second section, with the homogeneity of the basic magnetic field being better in said first section than in said second section. An echo planar imaging sequence is implemented to acquire the magnetic resonance imaging data, with magnetic resonance data being acquired from the first section only from gradient echo signals in the echo planar imaging sequence, and magnetic resonance data from said the second section being acquired from both gradient echo signals and spin echo signals in the echo planar imaging sequence.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2009Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignees: Siemens PLC, Medical Research CouncilInventors: David Andrew Porter, Christian Schwarzbauer
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Patent number: 9314485Abstract: The invention relates to a method of inducing Foxp3 expression in a T cell comprising (i) stimulating a T cell (ii) inhibiting signalling via PI3K alpha or PI3K delta or m-TOR or Akt in said T cell, wherein said inhibition is commenced 10 to 22 hours after the stimulation of (i). The invention also relates to certain uses of PI3K inhibitors, PI3K inhibitors for particular uses, and kits.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2014Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCILInventor: Matthias Michael Merkenschlager
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Patent number: 9302014Abstract: The present invention discloses cell penetrating peptides (CPP or membrane translocating peptide) and their conjugates with cargo molecules. The peptides are useful as drug delivery systems, particularly as delivery vehicles for nucleotide-based therapeutics, such as polynucleotides, oligonucleotides and peptide nucleic acids. A CPPs of the invention provides a balance between good cell entry efficiency and low toxicity and comprises three contiguous domains: the central one being hydrophobic and the flanking ones consisting of arginine and aminohexanoic acid or beta-alanine residues. The hydrophobic domain contains a sequence selected from YQFLI, YRFLI, IQFLI and IRFLI.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2012Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: Medical Research CouncilInventors: Michael John Gait, Andrey Alexandrovich Arzumanov, Amer F. Saleh, Matthew J. A. Wood, Corinne Betts, Taeyoung Koo
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Publication number: 20160040223Abstract: A method for determining the sequence of nucleotide bases in a polynucleotide analyte is provided. It is characterised by the steps of (1) generating a stream of single nucleotide bases from the analyte; (2) producing captured molecules by reacting each single nucleotide base with a capture system; (3) amplifying at least part of the captured molecule to produce a plurality of amplicons characteristic of the single nucleotide base; (4) labelling the amplicons with a corresponding probe having a characteristic detectable element and (5) detecting a property characteristic of the detectable element.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2014Publication date: February 11, 2016Applicants: MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, BASE4 INNOVATION LTDInventors: Cameron Alexander FRAYLING, Barnaby BALMFORTH, Bruno Flavio Nogueira de Sousa SOARES, Thomas Henry ISAAC, Boris BREINER, Alessandra NATALE, Michele AMASIO, Paul DEAR
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Publication number: 20160040224Abstract: A method for determining the sequence of nucleotide bases in a polynucleotide analyte is provided. It is characterised by the steps of (1) generating a stream of single nucleotide bases from the analyte by pyrophosphorolysis; (2) producing captured molecules by reacting each single nucleotide base with a capture system labelled with detectable elements in an undetectable state; (3) releasing the detectable elements from each captured molecule in a detectable state and (4) detecting the detectable elements so released and determining the sequence of nucleotide bases therefrom. The method can be used advantageously in sequencers involving the use of microdroplets.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2014Publication date: February 11, 2016Applicants: MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, BASE4 INNOVATION LTDInventors: Cameron Alexander FRAYLING, Barnaby BALMFORTH, Bruno Flavio Nogueira de Sousa SOARES, Thomas Henry ISAAC, Boris BREINER, Alessandra NATALE, Michele AMASIO, Paul DEAR
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Publication number: 20160031966Abstract: The present invention relates to mutant transmembrane proteins which have increased conformational stability when compared to their parent protein, methods of selection and production. In particular the invention relates to mutant transmembrane proteins which are mutated in or in the proximity of the transmembrane alpha helices or in a kinked region or in an alpha-helix adjacent to a kink. The mutant transmembrane proteins have use in crystallisation studies and also in screening to identify compounds for use in drug discovery and therapy.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2014Publication date: February 4, 2016Applicant: Medical Research CouncilInventor: Christopher Gordon Tate
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Patent number: 9228179Abstract: An engineered DNA polymerase characterised in that the polymerase exhibits an enhanced ability to process nucleic acid in the presence of environmental and biological inhibitors compared to wild type DNA polymerase.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2013Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCILInventors: Philipp Holliger, Marc D'Abbadie, Claudia Baar
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Patent number: 9222925Abstract: Oxygen sensors and their uses are disclosed, and more particularly to oxygen sensors for use in product packaging for storing an article in a packaging envelope under modified atmosphere conditions wherein the oxygen sensors comprise solid oxo-hydroxy metal ion materials, optionally modified with one or more ligands and/or optionally having polymeric structures. The sensors may be present in a hydrated, oxygen permeable matrix, for example formed from a material, such as gelatine. The sensors are useful in many technical fields, and find particular application in the field of food packaging as they are safely disposable (e.g. are environmentally friendly), cheap to manufacture, and provide detectable changes in the presence of oxygen that are easy to read.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2012Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: Medical Research CouncilInventors: Jonathan Joseph Powell, Nuno Jorge Rodrigues Faria, Carlos Andre Passos Bastos
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Patent number: 9193781Abstract: This invention relates to humanized antibodies and fragments thereof which bind to hepatitis C virus E2 protein and methods of their use.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2008Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignees: MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL TECHNOLOGYInventors: David J. Matthews, David G. Williams, Arvind Patel
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Patent number: 9186643Abstract: The invention describes a method for isolating one or more genetic elements encoding a gene product having a desired activity, comprising the steps of: (a) compartmentalizing genetic elements into microcapsules; and (b) sorting the genetic elements which express the gene product having the desired activity; wherein at least one step is under microfluidic control. The invention enables the in vitro evolution of nucleic acids and proteins by repeated mutagenesis and iterative applications of the method of the invention.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2012Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignees: Medical Research Council, President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeInventors: Andrew David Griffiths, David A. Weitz, Darren R. Link, Keunho Ahn, Jerome Bibette
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Patent number: 9181293Abstract: A method of synthesising Aspalathin and its analogues or derivatives is disclosed. The method comprises synthesising a compound of formula 1 or its analogues or derivatives: wherein each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10 is independently selected from the group consisting of —H, —OH, hydrocarbyl groups, saccharide moieties and —OR15; R15 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl group (e.g. methoxy or ethoxy), an acyl group and a benzyl group; and R11, R12, R13 and R14 are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, hydrocarbyl groups, saccharide moieties, an acyl group and a benzyl group.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2010Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: South African Medical Research CouncilInventors: Jan Hendrik Van der Westhuizen, Daneel Ferreira, Elizabeth Joubert, Sussana Lucia Bonnet
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Patent number: 9169471Abstract: The invention relates to a nucleic acid polymerase capable of producing a non-DNA nucleotide polymer from a DNA nucleotide polymer template, said polymerase comprising amino acid sequence having at least 36% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein said amino acid sequence is mutated relative to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 at one or more residues of the thumb region, said residues selected from: amino acids 651 to 679 (patch 10A); wherein said amino acid sequence is mutated relative to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 at residue E664. In one embodiment said polymerase comprises the mutations Y409G and E664K. In one embodiment said polymerase comprises amino acid sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:12.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2011Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: Medical Research CouncilInventors: Philipp Holliger, Christopher Cozens, Vitor B. Pinheiro, Alexander I. Taylor
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Patent number: 9139628Abstract: Methods for delivering non-mitochondrial proteins to mitochondria are provided. Also provided are nucleic acid constructs comprising a coding sequence encoding a DNA-binding polypeptide, fused to a mitochondrial targeting sequence (MTS) and a nuclear export signal (NES), and the encoded proteins. The construct successfully delivers DNA binding proteins to the mitochondrion. A chimeric methylase based on the above construct is successfully delivered to mitochondria, resulting in modification of mtDNA.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2008Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: Medical Research CouncilInventors: Michal Minczuk, Monika A. Papworth, Aaron Klug
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Patent number: 9120850Abstract: A modified protein of the single strand DNA-binding domain, SSB family comprising a detectable label is disclosed. The label has detectable characteristics which alter on binding single stranded DNA. The protein is thus useful in an assay for single stranded DNA.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2008Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignees: MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIAInventors: Mark Dillingham, Stephen C. Kowalczykowski, Martin Webb