Patents Assigned to McGill University
  • Patent number: 9464048
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel pharmaceutically-useful compounds which are antagonists of the 5-oxo-ETE receptors, such as the OXE receptor. These compounds have use as therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents for diseases characterized by tissue eosinophilia, such as inflammatory conditions including respiratory diseases. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions, to the use of such compounds and compositions as medicaments, and to therapeutic methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignees: Florida Institute of Technology, The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: William S. Powell, Joshua Rokach
  • Patent number: 9448069
    Abstract: Micromachined gyroscopes, such as those based upon microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have the potential to dominate the rate-sensor market mainly due to their small size, low power and low cost. As MEMS gyroscopes are resonant devices requiring active excitation it would be beneficial to improve the resonator Q-factor reducing the electrical drive power requirements for the excitation circuitry. Further, many prior art MEMS gyroscope designs have multiple resonances arising from design and manufacturing considerations which require additional frequency tuning and control circuitry together with the excitation/sense circuitry. It would therefore be beneficial to enhance the bandwidth of the resonators to remove the requirement for such circuitry. Further, to address the relatively large dimensions of MEMS gyroscopes it would be beneficial for the MEMS gyroscopes to be fabricated directly above the CMOS electronics thereby reducing the die dimensions and lowering per die cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: Mourad El-Gamal, Mohannad Elsayed, Paul-Vahe Cicek, Frederic Nabki
  • Patent number: 9428447
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to novel compounds having vitamin D receptor agonist and histone deacetylase inhibitory efficacy as well as methods for reducing or inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells or for treating cancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: James L. Gleason, John H. White, Dainis Kaldre, Joshua Fischer
  • Publication number: 20160215347
    Abstract: A novel gene (EPM2A) that is deleted or mutated in people with Lafora's disease is described. The EPM2A gene encodes a protein having an active catalytic site of a protein tyrosine phosphatase. Many different sequence mutations as well as several microdeletions in EPM2A have been found that co-segregate with Lafora's disease.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicants: The Hospital for Sick Children, McGill University, U.S. Government Department of Veterans Affairs, The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Stephen W. Scherer, Berge A. Minassian, Antonio Delgado-Escueta, Guy Rouleau
  • Patent number: 9400127
    Abstract: Cryogenic electronics based upon semiconductive devices, superconductive devices, or a combination of the two present opportunities for a wide variety of novel, fast, and low power devices. However, such cryogenic electronics require cooling which is typically achieved through fluid refrigerants such as liquid nitrogen or liquid helium. Solid state refrigeration based upon adiabatic demagnetization in paramagnetic salts offers one alternative but requires that the solid state cooler and cryogenic electronic circuits be different physical elements. The inventors present solid state cooling for semiconductor materials including but not limited to silicon. Beneficially active electronic devices can be integrated monolithically with solid state semiconductor coolers exhibiting magnetic cooling within the whole substrate or predetermined regions of the substrate. Alternatively, active devices may be formed with semiconductor layers integral to them that exhibit magnetic cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: Guillaume Gervais, Thomas Szkopek, Jonathan Guillemette
  • Patent number: 9400269
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting target chemicals are disclosed. A system includes a chemical sensor configured to filter light. The chemical sensor includes a referencing arm configured to output light at a first intensity level and a sensing arm sensitive to a target chemical. The sensing arm is configured to output light at a second intensity level. A difference between the first intensity level and the second intensity level indicates a presence of the target chemical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: Patanjali Kambhampati, Jonathan Ikola Saari, Nate Quitoriano, James Forbes, Gordon Roberts
  • Patent number: 9389214
    Abstract: A soil analysis apparatus includes at least one sensor element for measuring a property of the soil; a blade assembly having at least one blade and being displaceable between a raised position and an excavation position, the at least one blade being operable to excavate the soil at a test location when the blade assembly is in the excavation position, the blade assembly being further operable to enter a sensor permitting configuration; and a first actuator operable to displace the at least one sensor element between an initial position and a sensing position along a sensor displacement path, the sensor element being proximate the soil at the test location when in the sensing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: Viacheslav Adamchuk, Nandkishor Dhawale, Frédéric René-Laforest, Shiv Prasher, Antoine Pouliot
  • Publication number: 20160150742
    Abstract: A flue gas treatment apparatus has a flue gas inlet, a treated gas outlet downstream of the flue gas inlet, and a gas flow path therebetween. The flue gas treatment apparatus comprises a particulate removal device. A first heater is downstream of the particulate removal device. The first heater heats the flue gas to a first treatment temperature. A first catalytic converter is downstream of the first heater for eliminating at least some CO and SO2 from the flue gas. A second heater is downstream of the first catalytic converter for heating the flue gas to a second treatment temperature. A second catalytic converter is downstream of the second heater for eliminating at least some NOx from the flue gas. At least a first fan forces the flue gas from the flue gas inlet to the treated gas outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Applicant: Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/ McGill University
    Inventors: Mark Lefsrud, Yves Roy, Francis Filion, Julien Bouchard, Quoc Nguyen, Louis-Martin Dion, Antony Glover
  • Patent number: 9356091
    Abstract: Semiconductor micro- and nanotubes allow the incorporation of ordered structures such as quantum wells and quantum dots into them providing the potential for ultralow threshold micro- and nanoscale lasers for use in applications such as future ultrahigh-speed photonic systems as well as quantum information processing. According to the invention a means of manufacturing these with high reproducibility, low processing complexity, and at high densities is provided. Also provided is a means of releasing these micro- and nanotubes with low stress and a method of “pick-and-place” allowing micro- and nanotubes to be exploited in devices integrated on substrates that are either incompatible with the manufacturing technique or where the area of substrate required to manufacture them is detrimental to the cost or performance of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: The Royal Institute for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventor: Zetian Mi
  • Patent number: 9334539
    Abstract: A novel gene (EPM2A) that is deleted or mutated in people with Lafora's disease is described. The EPM2A gene encodes a protein having an active catalytic site of a protein tyrosine phosphatase. Many different sequence mutations as well as several microdeletions in EPM2A have been found that co-segregate with Lafora's disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignees: The Hospital for Sick Children, McGill University, The Regents of the University of California, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Stephen W. Scherer, Berge A. Minassian, Antonio Delgado-Escueta, Guy Rouleau
  • Patent number: 9315546
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel peptides that can modulate the ghrelin receptor (growth hormone secretagogue receptor, GHS-R1a and sub-types, isoforms and variants thereof). These peptides are useful as antagonists of the ghrelin receptor as well as inverse agonist, partial agonist or a combination of these activities as medicaments for treatment and prevention of a range of medical conditions including, but not limited to, metabolic and/or endocrine disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular disorders, obesity and obesity-associated disorders, diabetes, central nervous system disorders, genetic disorders, and hyperpro-liferative disorders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignees: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund, McGill University
    Inventors: Cyril Y. Bowers, David H. Coy, Simon J. Hocart, Gloria S. Tannenbaum
  • Patent number: 9281902
    Abstract: Broadband access networks are driving the upgrade of DWDM networks from 10 Gb/s per channel to more spectrally-efficient 40 Gb/s or 100 Gb/s. Signal quality degradation due to linear and non-linear impairments are significant and error control coding and signal processing solutions play increasingly key roles in meeting increasing demand, providing improved quality of service, and reduced cost. It would be beneficial to reduce the power consumption of optical receivers for optical links exploiting for example LPDC encoding. Accordingly, the inventors have established a low complexity soft-decision front-end compatible with deployable LDPC codes in next-generation optical transmission systems. Beneficially the optical receiver design can be retro-fitted into deployed hard-decision based optical systems and replaces the 3-to-2 encoder of the prior art in the electrical portion of the receiver with a single gate design. Further, the design may act as a 2-bit Flash ADC in multimode fiber based optical receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/ McGill University
    Inventors: Odile Liboiron-Ladouceur, Meer Nazmus Sakib
  • Patent number: 9278086
    Abstract: The invention relates to compounds, methods, uses, compositions, combinations, kits and packages for the prevention and/or treatment of parasite infection (e.g., Plasmodium parasites) and/or disease (e.g., malaria) based on uses of (a) cystamine, cysteamine, and analogs, derivatives, prodrugs, precursors thereof; an agent capable of inducing their production; and/or salts thereof, and (b) artemisinin and functional derivative, analog, conjugate, metabolite, prodrug or precursor thereof, and/or salts thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: Philippe Gros, Gundula Min-Oo, Anny Fortin
  • Publication number: 20160051935
    Abstract: A technique for separating components of a microfluid, comprises a self-intersecting micro or nano-fluidic channel defining a cyclic path for circulating the fluid over a receiving surface of a fluid component separating member; and equipment for applying coordinated pressure to the channel at a plurality of pressure control areas along the cyclic path to circulate the fluid over the receiving surface, applying a pressure to encourage a desired transmission through the separating member, and a circulating pressure to remove surface obstructions on the separating member. The equipment preferably defines a peristaltic pump. Turbulent microfluidic flow appears to be produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicants: National Research Council of Canada, The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: Kebin LI, Teodor VERES, Tohid Fatanat DIDAR, Maryam TABRIZIAN
  • Patent number: 9249175
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to RNA monomers comprising O-acetal levulinyl protecting groups at the 2? and/or the 5?-hydroxy functionalities of the ribose moiety. Said monomers may be incorporated into oligoribonucleotides or RNA polynucleotides. Furthermore, the invention is directed to methods for the synthesis of said RNA monomers, oligoribonucleotides and RNA polynucleotides, as well as methods for their deprotection and methods for the use of said compounds and compositions comprising said compounds. In particular, such compounds and compositions comprising them are used in methods for light-directed synthesis of RNA microarrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignees: The Royal Institute for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Masad Damha, Jeremy Lackey, Debbie Mitra, Marvin Wickens, Franco Cerrina, Saima A. Akhtar, Mark Somoza
  • Patent number: 9240516
    Abstract: Amongst the candidates for very high efficiency electronics, solid state light sources, photovoltaics, and photoelectrochemical devices, and photobiological devices are those based upon metal-nitride nanowires. Enhanced nanowire performance typically require heterostructures, quantum dots, etc which requirement that these structures are grown with relatively few defects and in a controllable reproducible manner. Additionally flexibility according to the device design requires that the nanowire at the substrate may be either InN or GaN. Methods of growing relatively defect free nanowires and associated structures for group IIIA-nitrides are presented without the requirement for foreign metal catalysts, overcoming the non-uniform growth of prior art techniques and allowing self-organizing quantum dot, quantum well and quantum dot-in-a-dot structures to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: Zetian Mi, Md Golam Kibria
  • Patent number: 9216045
    Abstract: A bone screw and method of producing the same is described. The method of producing a bone screw includes forming a one-piece headless screw body out of a rigid metallic foam that is entirely porous throughout and defines a plurality of inter-connected pores having a size of about 30 to about 500 microns in diameter. The method includes providing at least one thread on an external surface of the screw body, and forming a bore extending through an entire axial length of the screw body, the bore forming a cannula that defines an annular radial wall thickness of the screw body. The method further includes disposing the inter-connected pores throughout the radial wall thickness of the screw body such as to allow for bone in-growth through the full radial wall thickness and into the cannula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignees: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University, National Research Council of Canada
    Inventors: Paul A. Martineau, Louis-Philippe Lefebvre, Edward J. Harvey
  • Patent number: 9193583
    Abstract: It would be beneficial to integrate MEMS devices with silicon CMOS electronics, package them in controlled environments, e.g. vacuum for MEMS resonators, and provide industry standard electrical interconnections such as solder bumps. However, to do so requires through-wafer via-based electrical interconnections. However, the fragile nature of the MEMS devices, the requirement for vacuum, hermetic sealing, and the stresses placed on metallization membranes are not present in conventional CMOS packaging. Accordingly there is provided a means of reinforcing through-wafer vias for integrated MEMS-CMOS circuits by in-filling the through-wafer electrical vias with low temperature deposited ceramic materials deposited with processes compatible with post-processing of CMOS electronics. Beneficially ceramics such as silicon carbide provide enhanced mechanical strength, enhanced expansion matching, and increased thermal conductivity in comparison to silicon and solder materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: Mourad El-Gamal, Dominique Lemoine, Paul-Vahe Cicek, Frederic Nabki
  • Patent number: 9176927
    Abstract: A polar code decoder includes: processing elements each receiving a pair of input values and applying a first or a second predetermined mathematical function depending on a provided function control signal; a first memory that stores at least one of the outputs from processing elements and a plurality of channel values relating to a received polar code to be decoded; a second memory that stores indices of a plurality of frozen bits each representing a bit within an information-bit vector of the polar code being decoded; and a computation block that receives a plurality of inputs from a portion of the processing elements and generates an output that is can be set to a predetermined frozen value or to a calculated value, depending on whether a current index of the bit being decoded is indicated as frozen or not frozen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignees: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University, The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Warren Gross, Gabi Sarkis, Alexandre Raymond, Camille Leroux, Ido Tal, Alexander Vardy
  • Publication number: 20150236353
    Abstract: A pure and crystalline single-crystal nitrogen-functionalized graphene nano-flake powder comprising from 2 atomic % to at least 35 atomic % of total functionalized nitrogen within the graphene nano-flakes is disclosed. As well, the method of producing the nano-flakes that comprises injecting a carbon source into a thermal plasma system, dissociating the carbon source into carbon atomic species, transporting the carbon atomic species through a controlled nucleation zone to produce a crystalline graphene nano-flake structure, injecting the nitrogen source into the thermal plasma system dissociating the nitrogen source into nitrogen active species, and transporting the nitrogen atomic species to contact the crystalline graphene nano-flakes to produce the crystalline nitrogen-functionalized graphene nano-flakes is also disclosed. Finally, a multilayer composite comprising a carbon substrate and a layer of crystalline nitrogen-functionalized graphene nano-flakes is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: The Royal Institution For The Advancement Of Learning / McGill University
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Meunier, Dimitrios Berk, Ramona Vasilica Pristavita, Dustin Binny, Norma-Yadira Mendoza Gonzalez, Pierre-Alexandre Pascone