Patents Assigned to Brandeis University
  • Tethering cysteine residues using cyclic disulfides
    Patent number: 9428589
    Abstract: Described herein are compounds and methods for tethering proteins. For example, dimers of proteins, including SOD1 and DJ-1, are described, where the dimers are formed by the covalent bonding of a cysteine on the first monomer to a cysteine on the second monomer via a cyclic disulfide linker. The covalently attached dimers exhibit increased stabilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Jeffrey N. Agar, Joseph Salisbury
  • Modified Polymerase Compositions, Methods and Kits
    Publication number: 20160222434
    Abstract: This invention relates to Type I DNA polymerases, for example, Taq DNA polymerase, and to methods and reagent kits utilizing such polymerases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Arthur H. Reis, Vincent Mecozzi, Andrew Daab, Lawrence J. Wangh
  • detection assays
    Patent number: 9376723
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods, kits, and compositions related to nucleic acid detection that allow the detection and discrimination of various Staphylococcus species and types. In particular, provided herein are assays that allow the detection of MSSA, MSSE, MRSA, MRSE, VRSA, VRSE, and MRSA community strain by detecting the presence of absence of one or more target sequences selected from a list of target genes and sequences that include, but are not limited to: mecA, femA-SA, femA-SE, lukF-PV, lukS-PV, VanA, SCCmec type I, type II, type III, type IV, type V, and type VII. In certain embodiments, asymmetric PCR amplification methods are employed. In other embodiments, probe-target generated signals are detected at least two temperatures to generate a temperature/temperature signal ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Arthur H. Reis, Jr., Lawrence J. Wangh, Kenneth Pierce
  • Methods, kits and reaction mixtures for analyzing single-stranded nucleic acid sequences
    Patent number: 9353407
    Abstract: Provided herein are fluorescence detection methods for nucleic acid sequences and to kits for performing such methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Lawrence Wangh, John Rice, J. Aquiles Sanchez, Arthur Reis
  • ICE-CLEAVED ALPHA-SYNUCLEIN AS A BIOMARKER
    Publication number: 20160143985
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides ICE-cleaved alpha-synuclein fragments as biomarkers for alpha-synuclein-associated disease or disorder and/or for ICE-regulator therapy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Applicant: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Dagmar Ringe, Gregory A. Petsko, Quyen Hoang
  • Methods for the treatment or prevention of diabetes mellitus and other metabolic imbalances
    Patent number: 9326957
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods for treatment and prevention of a metabolic imbalance, including diabetes mellitus and other related diseases or disorders, using an extract from a fruit of genus Elaeis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: Brandeis University, Malaysian Palm Oil Board
    Inventors: Kenneth C. Hayes, Kalyana Sundram, Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi, Yew Ai Tan
  • Cancer therapy
    Patent number: 9220723
    Abstract: The present invention provides agents useful in the treatment of cancer, as well as systems for identifying and/or characterizing such agents, and systems for identifying and/or characterizing patient populations responsive to particular agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ruibao Ren, Benjamin Cuiffo
  • Par-baked and milled coffee beans for use in foods, beverages and dietary supplements
    Patent number: 9210948
    Abstract: The present invention concerns compositions and methods relating to the addition and use of par-baked and milled coffee beans in food products, beverages, and dietary supplements. Par-baked and milled coffee beans are a novel alternative to more costly chlorogenic acid extracts, and are edible and palatable as a food ingredient. The ingredient is prepared from the entire Coffea robusta or arabica green coffee bean and provides substantially increased amounts of dietary chlorogenic acid antioxidants compared to roasted beans. When the green coffee bean is appropriately par-baked at a temperature significantly lower than coffee roasting temperatures, the bean retains significant moisture, yet becomes embrittled, enabling milling to produce fine and beneficially hydrophilic particles, without any significant loss of bioactive chlorogenic acid and without significant pyrolysis occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventor: Daniel Perlman
  • Detecting nucleic acid variations within populations of genomes
    Patent number: 9169514
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to amplification and detection of a rare variant or variants of a DNA sequence in an abundant variant of the sequence, such as detection of a low-level somatic mutations and minority alleles in an excess of normal nucleic acid target sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Yanwei Jia, J. Aquiles Sanchez, John E. Rice, Lawrence J. Wangh
  • Truncated gaussian distribution of coffee particles, cartridge assemblies, and uses thereof
    Patent number: 9155319
    Abstract: The present technology relates to compositions, assemblies, and methods for the brewing of ground coffee bean particles, where the ground coffee bean particles have been separated on the basis of size to provide a truncated Gaussian distribution of particle sizes of coffee particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventor: Daniel Perlman
  • Vegetable oil composition containing palm mid-fraction fat and method of reducing plasma cholesterol
    Patent number: 9144245
    Abstract: A method and composition for reducing the cholesterolemic effect in mammals of ingesting a blended nutritional fat composition containing a palm mid-fraction (PMF) hardstock fat combined with an unsaturated vegetable oil. The composition is solid or semi-solid at 20° C. and fluid at 35° C., and includes between 15% and 45% by weight linoleic acid. The weight ratio of disaturated triglyceride (DST) molecules to trisaturated triglyceride (TST) molecules is greater than 10:1, and the PMF hardstock fat contains approximately 50% to 95% by weight DST molecules, the majority of which contain either palmitic acid or a combination of palmitic and stearic acids at the sn-1 and sn-3 triglyceride positions and either oleic acid or linoleic acid at the sn-2 molecular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Daniel Perlman, Kenneth C. Hayes
  • TREATMENT OF AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS
    Publication number: 20150259391
    Abstract: Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding NMD polypeptides, and methods of using such polypeptides and nucleic acids in the treatment of ALS and in screening for agents for the treatment of ALS are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Gregory A. Petsko, Dagmar Ringe, Shulin Ju
  • COOLING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CRYO SUPER-RESOLUTION FLOURESCENCE LIGHT MICROSCOPY AND OTHER APPLICATIONS
    Publication number: 20150248002
    Abstract: New systems and methods are described for maintaining a desired steady state temperature differential between two objects that may otherwise undergo heat transfer to restore thermal steady state. In one application, a cooling microscope assembly and its use with conventional optical microscopes are described for achieving super-resolution imaging. The assembly allows for the high resolution imaging of samples at cryogenic temperatures while maintaining the temperature of the objective lens above freezing by employing circulation systems and a coupling fluid between the sample and objective lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Charles G. Ingersoll, David J. Derosier, Gina Turrigiano, Marc Nahmani
  • Ice-cleaved alpha-synuclein as a biomarker
    Patent number: 9116157
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides ICE-cleaved alpha-synuclein fragments as biomarkers for alpha-synuclein-associated disease or disorder and/or for ICE-regulator therapy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Dagmar Ringe, Gregory A. Petsko, Quyen Hoang
  • COMBINATION OF DSDNA BINDING DYE AND PROBES FOR CHARACTERIZATION OF SSDNA SEQUENCES
    Publication number: 20150218625
    Abstract: This invention includes methods for analyzing single-stranded nucleic acid sequences, either RNA sequences or DNA sequences (ssDNA) utilizing dyes that fluoresce when associated with double strands, so-called DNA binding dyes or dsDNA-dyes. Methods according to this invention utilize a dsDNA-dye in combination with one or more hybridization probes that hybridize to a target nucleic acid sequence and that are labeled with a non-fluorescent quencher moiety, for example, a Black Hole quencher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: Brandeis University
    Inventors: John E. Rice, Yanwei Jia, Lawrence J. Wangh
  • Methods for the development of vaccines based on oligosaccharide-oligonucleotide conjugates
    Patent number: 9080169
    Abstract: Described herein are oligosaccharide-oligonucleotide conjugates useful as vaccines against one or more human or veterinary therapeutic indications, and methods of synthesizing and identifying them. The conjugates may be identified using non-human antibodies as binding targets, thereby expanding the power and scope of the invention. Efficacious conjugates may be identified through an iterative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Isaac Jonathan Krauss, Lizbeth K. Hedstrom, Iain S. MacPherson
  • Manipulation of fluids, fluid components and reactions in microfluidic systems
    Patent number: 9068699
    Abstract: Microfluidic structures and methods for manipulating fluids, fluid components, and reactions are provided. In one aspect, such structures and methods can allow production of droplets of a precise volume, which can be stored/maintained at precise regions of the device. In another aspect, microfluidic structures and methods described herein are designed for containing and positioning components in an arrangement such that the components can be manipulated and then tracked even after manipulation. For example, cells may be constrained in an arrangement in microfluidic structures described herein to facilitate tracking during their growth and/or after they multiply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignees: Brandeis University, President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Seth Fraden, Hakim Boukellal, Yanwei Jia, Seila Selimovic, Amy Rowat, Jeremy Agresti, David A. Weitz
  • Baluns, a fine balance and impedance adjustment module, a multi-layer transmission line, and transmission line NMR probes using same
    Patent number: 9065161
    Abstract: A pseudo-Marchand balun, compound balun and tunable multi-resonant coaxial balun, and NMR probes employing each such balun, and a fine balance and impedance adjustment module and a multi-layer transmission line for use in such NMR probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Jianping Hu, Judith Herzfeld
  • Reagents and methods for PCR
    Patent number: 9034605
    Abstract: Modified double-stranded oligonucleotides that have terminal regions on each of their strands, that have a hybrid length of 6-50 nucleotides long, that have a melting temperature Tm of at least 32° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Lawrence J. Wangh, John Rice, Nicholas Rice, Yanwei Jia
  • Conjugate addition reactions using bifunctional cinchona-alkaloid-based catalysts
    Patent number: 9006441
    Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to quinine-based and quinidine-based catalysts. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of preparing a chiral, non-racemic compound from a prochiral electron-deficient alkene, comprising the step of: reacting a prochiral electron-deficient alkene with a nucleophile in the presence of a catalyst; thereby producing a chiral, non-racemic compound; wherein said catalyst is a derivatized quinine or quinidine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventor: Li Deng