Patents by Inventor Michael Mendez

Michael Mendez 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).

  • Patent number: 8969066
    Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for producing flocculation moieties in photosynthetic organisms. The photosynthetic organisms are genetically modified to effect production, secretion, or both, of the flocculation moieties. Also provided are methods of flocculating organisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Sapphire Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Mendez, Craig Behnke, Yan Poon, Philip Lee
  • Publication number: 20150056707
    Abstract: Provided herein are compositions and methods for engineering salt tolerance and producing products by photosynthetic organisms. The photosynthetic organisms can be genetically modified to be salt tolerant as compared to an unmodified organism and to produce useful products. The methods and compositions of the disclosure are useful in many therapeutic and industrial applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: SAPPHIRE ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: MICHAEL MENDEZ, SU-CHIUNG FANG, STEPHANE RICHARD
  • Publication number: 20140335562
    Abstract: Algae transformed with one or more polynucleotides encoding proteins that confer herbicide resistance are provided. The algae can be grown in small or large scale cultures that include one or more herbicides for the production and isolation of various products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: SAPPHIRE ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Su-Chiung FANG, Yan POON, Michael MENDEZ
  • Patent number: 8669059
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and compositions for high throughput screening of genetically modified photosynthetic organisms for plasmic state. The present invention provides methods of producing one or more proteins, including biomass degrading enzymes in a plant. Also provided are the methods of producing biomass degradation pathways in alga cells, particularly in the chloroplast. Single enzymes or multiple enzymes may be produced by the methods disclosed. The methods disclosed herein allow for the production of biofuel, including ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignees: The Scripps Research Institute, Sapphire Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Mayfield, Bryan O'Neill, Michael Mendez, Kari Mikkelson, Yan Poon
  • Publication number: 20140024872
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to bioengineering approaches for producing biofuel and, in particular, to the use of a C1 metabolizing microorganism reactor system for converting C1 substrates, such as methane or methanol, into biomass and subsequently into biofuels, bioplastics, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventors: Joshua Silverman, Sol M. Resnick, Michael Mendez
  • Publication number: 20140013658
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to bioengineering approaches for producing biofuel and, in particular, to the use of a C1 metabolizing microorganism reactor system for converting C1 substrates, such as methane or methanol, into biomass and subsequently into biofuels, bioplastics, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Joshua Silverman, Sol M. Resnick, Michael Mendez, Renee Saville, Sungwon Lee, Luan Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20120322102
    Abstract: Algae transformed with one or more polynucleotides encoding proteins that confer herbicide resistance are provided. The algae can be grown in small or large scale cultures that include one or more herbicides for the production and isolation of various products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: SAPPHIRE ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Su-Chiung Fang, Yan Poon, Michael Mendez
  • Publication number: 20120322157
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides novel proteins that when over expressed in algae result in an increase or change in fatty acid and/or glycerol lipid production and/or accumulation, without a substantial decrease in the growth rate of the alga or the break down of algal components, such as chlorophyll. The present disclosure also describes methods of using the novel proteins to increase or change the production and/or accumulation of fatty acids and/or glycerol lipids in algae. In addition, these proteins are useful tools in obtaining information about the fatty acid and triacyglyceride (TAG) synthetic pathways in algae.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: SAPPHIRE ENERGY, INC
    Inventors: Christopher Yohn, April Brand, Michael Mendez, Craig A. Behnke
  • Publication number: 20120309939
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods of expressing therapeutic proteins in photosynthetic organisms and the therapeutic proteins produced by the methods. The therapeutic proteins include high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein, fibronectin domain (10) (10FN3), fibronectin domain (14) (14FN3), interferon beta (IFN?), proinsulin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The photosynthetic organisms include prokaryotes such as cyanobacteria and eukaryotes such as alga and plants. Transformation of eukaryotes is preferably the plastid genome, more preferably the chloroplast genome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicants: THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SAPPHIRE ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Beth A. Rasala, Rosa M. F. Cardoso, Machiko Muto, Stephen P. Mayfield, Philip A. Lee, Craig A. Behnke, Michael Mendez
  • Publication number: 20120309014
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and compositions for high throughput screening of genetically modified photosynthetic organisms for plasmic state. The present invention provides methods of producing one or more proteins, including biomass degrading enzymes in a plant. Also provided are the methods of producing biomass degradation pathways in alga cells, particularly in the chloroplast. Single enzymes or multiple enzymes may be produced by the methods disclosed. The methods disclosed herein allow for the production of biofuel, including ethanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicants: The Scripps Research Institute, Sapphire Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Mayfield, Bryan O'Neill, Michael Mendez, Kari Mikkelson, Yan Poon
  • Patent number: 8318436
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and compositions for high throughput screening of genetically modified photosynthetic organisms for plasmic state. The present invention provides methods of producing one or more proteins, including biomass degrading enzymes in a plant. Also provided are the methods of producing biomass degradation pathways in alga cells, particularly in the chloroplast. Single enzymes or multiple enzymes may be produced by the methods disclosed. The methods disclosed herein allow for the production of biofuel, including ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignees: Sapphire Energy, Inc., The Scripps Research Institute
    Inventors: Stephen Mayfield, Bryan O'Neill, Michael Mendez, Yan Poon
  • Patent number: 8314222
    Abstract: The functional analysis of genes frequently requires the manipulation of large genomic regions. A yeast-bacteria shuttle vector is described that can be used to clone large regions of DNA by homologous recombination. Also described is a method for isolating entire genomes, including chloroplast genomes, or large portions thereof, and manipulating the same. Also described are methods for determining minimal genomes, minimal pathway requirements, and minimal organelle genomes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Sapphire Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Mendez, Bryan O'Neill, Kari Mikkelson
  • Publication number: 20120252054
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods of transforming various species of algae, for example, algae from the genus Scenedesmus and the genus Dunaliella, vectors and nucleic acid constructs useful in conducting such transformations, and recombinant algae, for example, Scenedesmus and Dunaliella produced using the vectors and methods disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: SAPPHIRE ENERGY INC
    Inventors: Kyle M. Botsch, Amy C. Curran, Wendy Levine, Bryan O'Neill, Shawn Joseph Szyjka, Michael Mendez
  • Patent number: 8268553
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and compositions for high throughput screening of genetically modified photosynthetic organisms for plasmic state. The present invention provides methods of producing one or more proteins, including biomass degrading enzymes in a plant. Also provided are the methods of producing biomass degradation pathways in alga cells, particularly in the chloroplast. Single enzymes or multiple enzymes may be produced by the methods disclosed. The methods disclosed herein allow for the production of biofuel, including ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignees: Sapphire Energy, Inc., The Scripps Research Institute
    Inventors: Stephen Mayfield, Bryan O'Neill, Michael Mendez, Kari Mikkelson, Yan Poon
  • Publication number: 20120107853
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and compositions for high throughput screening of genetically modified photosynthetic organisms for plasmic state. The present invention provides methods of producing one or more proteins, including biomass degrading enzymes in a plant. Also provided are the methods of producing biomass degradation pathways in alga cells, particularly in the chloroplast. Single enzymes or multiple enzymes may be produced by the methods disclosed. The methods disclosed herein allow for the production of biofuel, including ethanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicants: THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SAPPHIRE ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Mayfield, Bryan O'Neill, Michael Mendez, Yan Poon
  • Publication number: 20120094386
    Abstract: Provided herein are compositions and methods for engineering salt tolerance and producing products by photosynthetic organisms. The photosynthetic organisms can be genetically modified to be salt tolerant as compared to an unmodified organism and to produce useful products. The methods and compositions of the disclosure are useful in many therapeutic and industrial applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: SAPPHIRE ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Mendez, Su-Chiung Fang, Stephane Richard
  • Patent number: 8143039
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and compositions for high throughput screening of genetically modified photosynthetic organisms for plasmic state. The present invention provides methods of producing one or more proteins, including biomass degrading enzymes in a plant. Also provided are the methods of producing biomass degradation pathways in alga cells, particularly in the chloroplast. Single enzymes or multiple enzymes may be produced by the methods disclosed. The methods disclosed herein allow for the production of biofuel, including ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignees: Sapphire Energy, Inc., The Scripps Research Institute
    Inventors: Stephen Mayfield, Bryan O'Neill, Michael Mendez, Yan Poon
  • Publication number: 20120064629
    Abstract: This disclosure provides methods of designing and generating polypeptide variants that have altered properties compared to a parent polypeptide. The present disclosure provides methods of generating polypeptide variants, for example, variant isoprenoid synthases and/or variant prenyl transferases that have at least one desired property not present in the parent polypeptide. The present disclosure further provides polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding variant polypeptides, as well as vectors and host cells comprising the polynucleotides that encode the variant polypeptides. In other embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods of using the variant polypeptides to generate useful products, such as isoprenoid compounds and/or isoprenoid products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: Shapphire Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Mendez, Craig A. Behnke, Nicole A. Heaps
  • Publication number: 20110159595
    Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for producing flocculation moieties in photosynthetic organisms. The photosynthetic organisms are genetically modified to effect production, secretion, or both, of the flocculation moieties. Also provided are methods of flocculating organisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Michael Mendez, Craig Behnke, Yan Poon, Philip Lee
  • Publication number: 20100297749
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for biofuel production. Systems of integrated biorefineries (IBR) and methods of using IBRs for producing fuel compositions and other products are provided herein. The IBRs can use algae for generating biofeedstock to produce the fuel compositions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: SAPPHIRE ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: ALEX M. ARAVANIS, Brian L. Goodall, Michael Mendez, Jason L. Pyle, Jaime E. Moreno