Patents by Inventor Robert T. Tranquillo

Robert T. Tranquillo 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).

  • Engineered blood vessels
    Patent number: 8192348
    Abstract: The present invention relates to engineered blood vessels and methods of making such vessels using matrices comprising endothelial and smooth muscle cells, or cells capable of differentiating into endothelial and smooth muscle cell lineages (e.g., stem cells, or the progenitors thereof).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Robert T. Tranquillo, Jeffrey Ross, Morayma Reyes
  • Tissue equivalent approach to a tissue-engineered cardiovascular valve
    Patent number: 6666886
    Abstract: The invention provides a molded valve leaflet containing a molded biopolymer having fibrils and cells within the molded biopolymer, wherein the fibrils of the molded biopolymer have commisure-to-commisure alignment. The invention also provides a valve equivalent containing a plurality of molded valve leaflets that are connected to a base, wherein the molded valve leaflets include a molded biopolymer having fibrils and cells within the molded biopolymer, wherein the fibrils of the molded biopolymer have commisure-to-commisure alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Robert T. Tranquillo, Timothy S. Girton, Michael Neidert
  • Magnetically oriented tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes and rods
    Patent number: 6544762
    Abstract: Tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes and rods include fibrils which are oriented (aligned) by a magnetic field. These oriented fibrils provide enhanced mechanical and cell guidance properties to the tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes. One such tissue-equivalent tube includes a body of collagen gel with mammalian tissue cells interspersed therein. The collagen fibrils are circumferentially oriented within the tubular body by a magnetic field, thereby inducing circumferential orientation of the cells. One such biopolymer rod includes collagen fibrils longitudinally oriented along the rod axis by a magnetic field that guides invasion of cells. Methods of making magnetically oriented tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes and rods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Robert T. Tranquillo, Stefano Guido
  • Method of nerve regeneration using biopolymer rods with oriented fibrils
    Patent number: 6461629
    Abstract: Tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes and rods include fibrils which are oriented (aligned) by a magnetic field. These oriented fibrils provide enhanced mechanical and cell guidance properties to the tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes. One such tissue-equivalent tube includes a body of collagen gel with mammalian tissue cells interspersed therein. The collagen fibrils are circumferentially oriented within the tubular body by a magnetic field, thereby inducing circumferential orientation of the cells. One such biopolymer rod includes collagen fibrils longitudinally oriented along the rod axis by a magnetic field that guides invasion of cells. Methods of making magnetically oriented tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes and rods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Robert T. Tranquillo, Stefano Guido
  • Magnetically oriented tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes
    Patent number: 6194182
    Abstract: Tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes include fibrils which are oriented by a magnetic field. These oriented fibrils provide enhanced mechanical properties to the tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes. One such tissue-equivalent tube includes a body of collagen with mammalian tissue cells interspersed therein. The collagen fibrils are circumferentially oriented within the tubular body by a magnetic field, thereby inducing circumferential orientation of the cells. Methods of making magnetically oriented tissue-equivalent tubes and biopolymer tubes are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Regents of University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Robert T. Tranquillo, Daniel L. Mooradian, Timothy Samuel Girton, Stefano Guido
  • Tissue-equivalent rods containing aligned collagen fibrils and schwann cells
    Patent number: 6057137
    Abstract: Tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes and rods include fibrils which are oriented (aligned) by a magnetic field. These oriented fibrils provide enhanced mechanical and cell guidance properties to the tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes. One such tissue-equivalent tube includes a body of collagen gel with mammalian tissue cells interspersed therein. The collagen fibrils are circumferentially oriented within the tubular body by a magnetic field, thereby inducing circumferential orientation of the cells. One such biopolymer rod includes collagen fibrils longitudinally oriented along the rod axis by a magnetic field that guides invasion of cells. Methods of making magnetically oriented tissue-equivalent and biopolymer tubes and rods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Robert T. Tranquillo, Daniel L. Mooradian, Timothy Sanuel Girton, Stefano Guido