Patents by Inventor Laurens Mets

Laurens Mets has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220411733
    Abstract: A method of using electricity to produce methane includes maintaining a culture comprising living methanogenic microorganisms at a temperature above 50° C. in a reactor having a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a proton permeable barrier, the first chamber comprising a passage between an inlet and an outlet containing at least a porous electrically conductive cathode, the culture, and water, and the second chamber comprising at least an anode. The method also includes coupling electricity to the anode and the cathode, supplying carbon dioxide to the culture in the first chamber, and collecting methane from the culture at the outlet of the first chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Publication number: 20220170050
    Abstract: Provided herein is an isolated Methanothermobacter microorganism that is (a) a microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910, deposited on Dec. 21, 2010, with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) under ATCC® Patent Deposit Designation No. PTA-11561, (b) a variant of the microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910, or (c) a progeny of the microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910, wherein the variant or progeny retains the phenotypic characteristics of the microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910. Also provided herein is a substantially pure culture or monoculture comprising the Methanothermobacter microorganism of the disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Publication number: 20210115477
    Abstract: A method of converting CO2 gas produced during industrial processes comprising contacting methanogenic archaea with the CO2 gas under suitable conditions to produce methane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Publication number: 20210032582
    Abstract: A method of using electricity to produce methane includes maintaining a culture comprising living methanogenic microorganisms at a temperature above 50° C. in a reactor having a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a proton permeable barrier, the first chamber comprising a passage between an inlet and an outlet containing at least a porous electrically conductive cathode, the culture, and water, and the second chamber comprising at least an anode. The method also includes coupling electricity to the anode and the cathode, supplying carbon dioxide to the culture in the first chamber, and collecting methane from the culture at the outlet of the first chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Publication number: 20200248207
    Abstract: Provided herein is an isolated Methanothermobacter microorganism that is (a) a microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910, deposited on Dec. 21, 2010, with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) under ATCC® Patent Deposit Designation No. PTA-11561, (b) a variant of the microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910, or (c) a progeny of the microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910, wherein the variant or progeny retains the phenotypic characteristics of the microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910. Also provided herein is a substantially pure culture or monoculture comprising the Methanothermobacter microorganism of the disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Publication number: 20180208884
    Abstract: A method of using electricity to produce methane includes maintaining a culture comprising living methanogenic microorganisms at a temperature above 50° C. in a reactor having a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a proton permeable barrier, the first chamber comprising a passage between an inlet and an outlet containing at least a porous electrically conductive cathode, the culture, and water, and the second chamber comprising at least an anode. The method also includes coupling electricity to the anode and the cathode, supplying carbon dioxide to the culture in the first chamber, and collecting methane from the culture at the outlet of the first chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Publication number: 20180094283
    Abstract: A method of converting CO2 gas produced during industrial processes comprising contacting methanogenic archaea with the CO2 gas under suitable conditions to produce methane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Publication number: 20160319305
    Abstract: Provided herein is an isolated Methanothermobacter microorganism that is (a) a microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910, deposited on Dec. 21, 2010, with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) under ATCC® Patent Deposit Designation No. PTA-11561, (b) a variant of the microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910, or (c) a progeny of the microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910, wherein the variant or progeny retains the phenotypic characteristics of the microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910. Also provided herein is a substantially pure culture or monoculture comprising the Methanothermobacter microorganism of the disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Patent number: 9428745
    Abstract: The invention provides an isolated Methanothermobacter microorganism that is (a) a microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910, deposited on Dec. 21, 2010, with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) under ATCC® Patent Deposit Designation No. PTA-11561, (b) a variant thereof, or (c) a progeny thereof, as further described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Publication number: 20140377830
    Abstract: A method of converting CO2 gas produced during industrial processes comprising contacting methanogenic archaea with the CO2 gas under suitable conditions to produce methane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Publication number: 20140011251
    Abstract: The invention provides an isolated Methanothermobacter microorganism that is (a) a microorganism of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus strain UC 120910, deposited on Dec. 21, 2010, with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) under ATCC® Patent Deposit Designation No. PTA-11561, (b) a variant thereof, or (c) a progeny thereof, as further described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Publication number: 20110287504
    Abstract: A method of using electricity to produce methane includes maintaining a culture comprising living methanogenic microorganisms at a temperature above 50° C. in a reactor having a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a proton permeable barrier, the first chamber comprising a passage between an inlet and an outlet containing at least a porous electrically conductive cathode, the culture, and water, and the second chamber comprising at least an anode. The method also includes coupling electricity to the anode and the cathode, supplying carbon dioxide to the culture in the first chamber, and collecting methane from the culture at the outlet of the first chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Publication number: 20110165667
    Abstract: A system to convert electric power into methane includes a reactor having a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a proton permeable barrier. The first chamber includes a passage between an inlet and an outlet containing at least a porous electrically conductive cathode, a culture comprising living methanogenic microorganisms, and water. The second chamber includes at least an anode. The reactor has an operating state wherein the culture is maintained at a temperature above 50° C. The system also includes a source of electricity coupled to the anode and the cathode, and a supply of carbon dioxide coupled to the first chamber. The outlet of the system receives methane from the first chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
    Inventor: LAURENS METS
  • Publication number: 20090130734
    Abstract: A method of converting CO2 gas produced during industrial processes comprising contacting methanogenic archaea with the CO2 gas under suitable conditions to produce methane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventor: Laurens Mets
  • Patent number: 6699654
    Abstract: This invention relates uses of components of plant-like metabolic pathways not including psbA or PPi phosphofructokinase and not generally operative in animals or encoded by the plastid DNA, to develop compositions that interfere with Apicomplexan growth and survival. Components of the pathways include enzymes, transit peptides and nucleotide sequences encoding the enzymes and peptides, or promoters of these nucleotide sequences to which antibodies, antisense molecules and other inhibitors are directed. Diagnostic and therapeutic reagents and vaccines are developed based on the components and their inhibitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventors: Rima L. W. McLeod, Craig W. Roberts, Fiona Roberts, Jennifer J. Johnson, Laurens Mets