Abstract: This invention relates to biomaterials, said biomaterials for use in methods to control and/or induce bone growth. Particularly, the invention relates to macroporous calcium phosphate biomaterials pre-loaded with certain amounts of osteoclastic activity inhibitors for use in methods to control and/or induce bone growth in primates.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ADP binding molecule comprising a polypeptide, said polypeptide comprising amino acid sequence corresponding to at least amino acids 11 to 310 of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein said polypeptide comprises a substitution relative to SEQ ID NO:1 at amino acid C287, and wherein said polypeptide comprises a further cysteine residue for attachment of at least one reporter moiety, and wherein said polypeptide has at least 68% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:1 at the amino acid residues corresponding to those shown in column III of table A.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of Stefin A as a scaffold protein for the display of inserted peptides, particularly wherein the Stefin A is a human Stefin A. Several mutations are advantageously made in the wild type stefin A sequence to improve it as a scaffold; preferably the Stefin A comprises a heterologous peptide insertion at the Leu 73 site. Furthermore, preferably the scaffold protein comprises a V48D mutation; preferably the scaffold protein comprises a G4W mutation. Preferably the scaffold comprises Leu73, V48D and G4W mutations. The invention also relates to the scaffold proteins themselves, in particular a stefin A polypeptide having the Leu73, V48D and G4W mutations, such as shown as SEQ ID NO: 1. The invention also relates to a method for identifying binding proteins and to peptide A (RLNKPLPSLPV) and its use in treating yeast infections.

Abstract: Ligand-modified poly oxo-hydroxy metal ion materials and their uses are disclosed, in particular for nutritional, medical, cosmetic or biologically related applications for example for the treatment of a deficiency related to a component of the material or for the removal of an endogenous substance capable of binding to the material. The present invention further relates to processes for preparing the materials and optimising their physico-chemical properties and their medical uses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a combination method for A) measuring the copy number frequency of one or more nucleic acid sequences in a sample; and B) analysing the sequence of at least part of the nucleic acid sequence(s), wherein method A) comprises the steps of: (i) providing one or more (e.g.

Abstract: There is described a method for identifying an interaction between an RNA and an RNA binding protein in a biological sample, comprising the steps of: a) contacting the biological sample with an agent that creates a covalent bond between the RNA and the RNA binding protein; b) fragmenting said RNA; c) ligating a first adapter to the fragmented RNA; d) hybridising a reverse transcription primer to said first adapter and reverse transcribing said cross-linked RNA; e) circularising the transcribed cDNA; f) linearising the circularised cDNA; and g) determining the sequence of one or more of the cDNAs.

Abstract: A method for assessing the effect of a test compound on LRRK2 in a cell-based system, the method comprising the steps of a) assessing the effect of exposing the cell-based system comprising LRRK2 to the test compound on the phosphorylation state of Ser910 and/or Ser935 of the LRRK2; and/or b) assessing the effect of exposing the cell-based system comprising LRRK2 to the test compound on the binding of the LRRK2 to a 14-3-3 polypeptide. The method may comprise or further comprise the step of assessing the effect of exposing the cell-based system comprising LRRK2 to the test compound on the subcellular location of LRRK2. The method is considered to be useful in assessing the effect of putative LRRK2 inhibitors in cell based systems, including in vivo systems.

Abstract: A method of assessing fluid flow in a body is provided which includes phase contrast velocity encoded MRI scanning the body to obtain the velocity of fluids flowing in each of a plurality of volume elements (voxels) in three orthogonal directions; determining whether the flow in each voxel (1) is significant typically by checking if it has a value exceeding a threshold value selected from either or both of a noise level value and a minimum expected constant flow or flow-time profile; comparing each voxel with significant flow to each adjacent voxels (4, 6, 6a, 8, 8a) in the same and adjacent parallel plains; registering a connection where an adjacent voxel has significant flow; and clustering and depicting connected voxels visually by computing isosurfaces.

Abstract: This invention relates to the finding that HP1? is phosphorylated at Thr51 at an early stage in the DNA damage response in cells. Thr51P HP1? is therefore a biomarker for DNA damage which may be useful, for example, in assessing DNA damage, cancer susceptibility or the responsiveness of an individual to DNA damaging therapies.

Abstract: Apparatus for obtaining an image of a specimen (6) by optical projection tomography comprises a confocal microscope which produces a light beam which scans the specimen (6) whilst the latter is supported in a rotary stage (7). Light passing through the specimen is passed through a convex lens (8) which directs, onto a central light detector of an array of detectors (9), light which exits or by-passes the specimen parallel to the beam incident on the specimen.

Abstract: Disclosed is an immunogen in sterile form suitable for administration to a human subject, the immunogen comprising: at least a portion of the gag protein of HIV, said gag protein being from an HIV clade or having a consensus sequence for one or more HIV clades, and comprising at least parts of p17 and p24; and a synthetic polypeptide comprising a plurality of amino acid sequences, each sequence comprising a human CTL epitope of an HIV protein, and wherein a plurality of HIV proteins are represented in the synthetic polypeptide, said CTL epitopes being selected to stimulate an immune response to one or more HIV clades of interest.

Abstract: The present invention provides artificial fusion proteins (AFPs) designed to elicit an anti-HIV immune response, as well as nucleic acid molecules and expression vectors encoding those proteins. The AFPs of the invention may comprise domains from various HIV proteins, such as Gag, Pol, Vif, and Env proteins, which are partial sequences. HIVCON is an AFP in which the HIV domains are from several HIV clade consensus sequences and which optionally contains additional domains which may be useful, for example, in monitoring expression levels or laboratory animal immune responses. Other aspects of the invention may include compositions and methods for inducing an anti-HIV immune response in a subject, preferably with a DNA prime-MVA boost strategy, and to induce a cell-mediated immune response.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for isolating one or more genetic elements encoding a gene product having a desired activity, comprising the steps of: (a) compartmentalising genetic elements into microcapsules; and (b) sorting the genetic elements which express the gene product having the desired activity; wherein at least one step is under microfluidic control. The invention enables the in vitro evolution of nucleic acids and proteins by repeated mutagenesis and iterative applications of the method of the invention.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a cell comprising a nucleic acid encoding an Activation Induced Deaminase (AID) polypeptide, a fusion protein comprising an AID polypeptide, and methods of using a nucleic acid encoding an AID polypeptide.

Abstract: A method for identifying a compound expected to be useful in modulating a LRRK2 protein kinase activity, the method comprising the steps of (1) determining whether a test compound modulates the protein kinase activity of a LRRK2 polypeptide on a substrate Ezrin/Radixin/moesin (ERM) family polypeptide and (2) selecting a compound which modulates the LRRK2 polypeptide protein kinase activity. Such a compound may be useful in treating Parkinson's Disease or Parkinsonism. A catalytically active fragment of LRRK2 is identified, requiring the GTPase, COR and kinase domains as well as the WD_40-like motif and C-terminal tail.

Abstract: Phosphate binding materials and compositions comprising them which are solid ligand-modified poly oxo-hydroxy metal ion materials are disclosed that are based on ferric iron oxo-hydroxides modified with carboxylic acid ligands, or ionized forms thereof. These materials are made and tested in the examples provided in the application to demonstrate that they can bind phosphate in in vitro and in in vivo studies.

Abstract: The present invention discloses cell penetrating peptides and conjugates of a cell penetrating peptide and a cargo molecule.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide processes for the selection of HIV-1 subtype (clade) C isolates, selected HIV-1 subtype C isolates, their genes and modifications and derivatives thereof for use in prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines to produce proteins and polypeptides for the purpose of eliciting protection against HIV infection or disease. A process for the selection of HIV subtype isolates comprises the steps of isolating viruses from recently infected subjects; generating a consensus sequence for at least part of at least one HIV gene by identifying the most common codon or amino acid among the isolated viruses; and selecting the isolated virus or viruses with a high sequence identity to the consensus sequence. HIV-1 subtype C isolates, designated Du422, Du 151 and Du 179 (assigned Accession Numbers 01032114, 00072724 and 00072725, respectively, by the European Collection of Cell Cultures) are also provided.

Abstract: A general immunoglobulin-target assay system is provided, in which a positive outcome (the generation of a signal) depends only on the intracellular interaction of immunoglobulin with target. This can be accomplished for many immunoglobulins expressed in yeast and/or in mammalian cells and allows the selection of immunoglobulins which are capable of functioning in an intracellular environment.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for isolating one or more genetic elements encoding a gene product having a desired activity, comprising the steps of: (a) compartmentalising genetic elements into microcapsules; (b) expressing the genetic elements to produce their respective gene products within the microcapsules; (c) sorting the genetic elements which produce the gene product having the desired activity using a change in the optical properties of the genetic elements. The invention enables the in vitro evolution of nucleic acids and proteins by repeated mutagenesis and iterative applications of the method of the invention.