Patents Assigned to Rice University
  • Publication number: 20140227745
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a metabolic transistor in bacteria where a competitive pathway is introduced to compete with a product pathway for available carbon so as to control the carbon flux in the bacteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Ka-Yiu SAN, George N. BENNETT, Hui WU
  • Publication number: 20140220773
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to methods of preparing graphene nanoribbons from a graphene film associated with a meniscus, where the method comprises patterning the graphene film while the meniscus acts as a mask above a region of the graphene film, and where the patterning results in formation of graphene nanoribbons from the meniscus-masked region of the graphene film. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of preparing wires from a film associated with a meniscus, where the method comprises patterning the film while the meniscus acts as a mask above a region of the film, and where the patterning results in formation of a wire from the meniscus-masked region of the film. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to chemical methods of preparing wires from water-reactive materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Vera Abramova, Alexander Slesarev
  • Patent number: 8795991
    Abstract: Improved bacteria for making succinate and other 4 carbon dicarboxylates from the Krebs cycle have modifications to reduce acetate, lactate, EtOH and formate, as well as turn on the glyoxylate shunt, produce more NADH and overexpress In one embodiment, the bacteria are ?adhE?ldhA?iclR?ack-pta plus PYC+ and NAD+-dependant FDH+.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Ka-Yiu San, George Bennett, Grant Balzer, Jiangfeng Zhu, Chandresh Thakker, Ailen Sanchez
  • Publication number: 20140212935
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an engineered bacteria for producing short chain fatty acid with the overexpression of a long chain (>C12) acyl-ACP thioesterases (long-TE) and a short chain (?C12) acyl-ACP thioesterases (short-TE).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Ka-Yiu SAN, Songi HAN
  • Patent number: 8791073
    Abstract: Peptide-modified polyurethanes comprising the reaction product of an isocyanate, a chain extender, and a peptide are provided. Also provided processes for making a peptide-modified polyurethane comprising: providing an isocyanate; providing a chain extender; providing a peptide; and allowing the isocyanate, chain extender, and peptide to react thereby forming the peptide-modified polyurethane, as well as methods for treating a subject comprising: providing a peptide-modified polyurethane that comprises the reaction product of an isocyanate, a chain extender, and a peptide; and administering the peptide-modified polyurethane to the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Jennifer L. West, Ho-Wook Jun, Lakeshia J. Taite
  • Patent number: 8784866
    Abstract: Compositions comprising a plurality of functionalized carbon nanotubes and at least one type of payload molecule are provided herein. The compositions are soluble in water and PBS in some embodiments. In certain embodiments, the payload molecules are insoluble in water. Methods are described for making the compositions and administering the compositions. An extended release formulation for paclitaxel utilizing functionalized carbon nanotubes is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignees: William Marsh Rice University, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Rebecca Lucente-Schultz, Ashley Leonard, Dmitry V. Kosynkin, Brandi Katherine Price, Jared L. Hudson, Jodie L. Conyers, Jr., Valerie C. Moore, S. Ward Casscells, Jeffrey N. Myers, Zvonimir L. Milas, Kathy A. Mason, Luka Milas
  • Publication number: 20140193711
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of preparing porous silicon particulates by: (a) electrochemically etching a silicon substrate, where electrochemical etching comprises exposure of the silicon substrate to an electric current density, and where electrochemical etching produces a porous silicon film over the silicon substrate; (b) separating the porous silicon film from the silicon substrate, where the separating comprises a gradual increase of the electric current density in sequential increments; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) a plurality of times; (d) electrochemically etching the silicon substrate in accordance with step (a) to produce a porous silicon film over the silicon substrate; (e) chemically etching the porous silicon film and the silicon substrate; and (f) splitting the porous silicon film and the silicon substrate to form porous silicon particulates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicants: Lockheed Martin Corporation, William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Sibani Lisa Biswal, Michael S. Wong, Madhuri Thakur, Steven L. Sinsabaugh
  • Publication number: 20140187651
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to collagen, and more particularly compositions and methods related to collagen-mimetic peptides. More specifically, the present disclosure provides a collagen-mimetic peptide and peptide systems comprising the amino acid sequence (Pro-Lys-Gly)4(Pro-Hyp-Gly)4(Asp-Hyp-Gly)4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Hartgerink, Lesley R. O'Leary
  • Publication number: 20140178688
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to methods of controllably forming Bernal-stacked graphene layers. In some embodiments, the methods comprise: (1) cleaning a surface of a catalyst; (2) annealing the surface of the catalyst; (3) applying a carbon source onto the cleaned and annealed surface of the catalyst in a reaction chamber; and (4) growing the Bernal-stacked graphene layers on the surface of the catalyst in the reaction chamber, where the number of formed Bernal-stacked graphene layers is controllable as a function of one or more growth parameters. Further embodiments of the present disclosure also include steps of: (5) terminating the growing step; and (6) transferring the formed Bernal-stacked graphene layers from the surface of the catalyst onto a substrate. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to graphene films formed by the methods of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Zhengzong Sun, Abdul-Rahman O. Raji
  • Patent number: 8761152
    Abstract: A computer readable medium comprising computer readable code for data transfer. The computer readable code, when executed, performs a method. The method includes receiving, at a first Axon, an ARP request from a source host directed to a target host. The method also includes obtaining a first route from the first Axon to the second Axon, and generating a target identification corresponding to the target host. The method further includes sending an Axon-ARP request to the second Axon using the first route, and receiving an Axon-ARP reply from the second Axon, where the Axon-ARP reply includes a second route. The method further includes storing the first route in storage space on the first Axon, where the storage space is indexed by the target identification, and sending an ARP reply to the first host where the source host is configured to send a packet to the target host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Scott Rixner, Alan L. Cox, Michael Foss, Jeffrey Shafer
  • Patent number: 8748147
    Abstract: Chimeric proteins comprising a sequence nonspecific single-stranded nucleic-acid-binding domain joined to a catalytic nucleic-acid-modifying domain are provided. Methods comprising contacting a nucleic acid molecule with a chimeric protein, as well as systems comprising a nucleic acid molecule, a chimeric protein, and an aqueous solution are also provided. The joining of sequence nonspecific single-stranded nucleic-acid-binding domain and a catalytic nucleic-acid-modifying domain in chimeric proteins, among other things, may prevent the separation of the two domains due to their weak association and thereby enhances processivity while maintaining fidelity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Yousif Shamoo, Siyang Sun
  • Publication number: 20140154269
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the invention pertains to therapeutic compositions for treating a brain tumor. Such therapeutic compositions generally comprise: (1) a nanovector; (2) an active agent associated with the nanovector with activity against brain tumor cells; and (3) a targeting agent associated with the nanovector with recognition activity for a marker of the brain tumor cells. In some embodiments, the active agent and the targeting agent are non-covalently associated with the nanovector. Additional embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods of treating a brain tumor in a subject (e.g., a human being) by administering the aforementioned therapeutic compositions to the subject. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of formulating therapeutic compositions for treating a brain tumor in a subject in a personalized manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicants: The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Jacob Berlin, Daniela Marcano, David S. Baskin, Martyn A. Sharpe
  • Publication number: 20140141224
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to methods of making carbon foams. In some embodiments, the methods comprise: (a) dissolving a carbon source in a superacid to form a solution; (b) placing the solution in a mold; and (c) coagulating the carbon source in the mold. In some embodiments, the methods of the present disclosure further comprise a step of washing the coagulated carbon source. In some embodiments, the methods of the present disclosure further comprise a step of lyophilizing the coagulated carbon source. In some embodiments, the methods of the present disclosure further comprise a step of drying the coagulated carbon source. In some embodiments, the methods of the present disclosure also include steps of infiltrating the formed carbon foams with nanoparticles or polymers. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to the carbon foams formed by the aforementioned methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Matteo Pasquali, Tien Yi Theresa Hsu Whiting, Francesca Mirri, Bryan Thomas Whiting
  • Publication number: 20140138587
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to methods of forming cross-linked carbon materials by: (a) associating a sulfur source with carbon materials, where the sulfur source comprises sulfur atoms; and (b) initiating a chemical reaction, where the chemical reaction leads to the formation of covalent linkages between the carbon materials. In some embodiments, the covalent linkages between the carbon materials comprise covalent bonds between sulfur atoms of the sulfur source and carbon atoms of the carbon materials. In some embodiments, the chemical reactions occur in the absence of solvents while carbon materials are immobilized in solid state. In some embodiments, the carbon materials include carbon nanotube fibers. In some embodiments, the methods of the present disclosure also include a step of doping carbon materials with a dopant, such as iodine. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to cross-linked carbon materials formed in accordance with the above methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Matteo Pasquali, Bryan Thomas Whiting
  • Patent number: 8732468
    Abstract: Techniques are able to lock and unlock and integrated circuit (IC) based device by encrypting/decrypting a bus on the device. The bus may be a system bus for the IC, a bus within the IC, or an external input/output bus. A shared secret protocol is used between an IC designer and a fabrication facility building the IC. The IC at the fabrication facility scrambles the bus on the IC using an encryption key generated from unique identification data received from the IC designer. With the IC bus locked by the encryption key, only the IC designer may be able to determine and communicate the appropriate activation key required to unlock (e.g., unscramble) the bus and thus make the integrated circuit usable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of Michigan, William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Jarrod A. Roy, Farinaz Koushanfar, Igor L. Markov
  • Patent number: 8730460
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the use of a paper medium to measure blood hemoglobin concentration. In certain embodiments, spectrophotometric techniques are used to measure light transmission at specified wavelengths through a paper medium containing a blood sample. The light transmission information is then used in the calculation of blood hemoglobin concentration. In certain embodiments, the paper medium may be chemically treated to lyse the blood sample prior to measurement of the light transmission information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Jasper S. Yan, Meaghan McNeill Bond, John Neil Wright, Carlos Elguea, Rebecca Rae Richards-Kortum
  • Patent number: 8725784
    Abstract: A method for compressive domain filtering and interference cancelation processes compressive measurements to eliminate or attenuate interference while preserving the information or geometry of the set of possible signals of interest. A signal processing apparatus assumes that the interfering signal lives in or near a known subspace that is partially or substantially orthogonal to the signal of interest, and then projects the compressive measurements into an orthogonal subspace and thus eliminate or attenuate the interference. This apparatus yields a modified set of measurements that can provide a stable embedding of the set of signals of interest, in which case it is guaranteed that the processed measurements retain sufficient information to enable the direct recovery of this signal of interest, or alternatively to enable the use of efficient compressive-domain algorithms for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Mark A. Davenport, Petros T. Boufounos, Richard G. Baraniuk
  • Publication number: 20140120453
    Abstract: The present invention relates to patterned graphite oxide films and methods to make and use same. The present invention includes a novel strategy developed to imprint any required conductive patterns onto self-assembled graphene oxide (GO) membranes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicants: NanoHoldings, LLC, William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Pulickel M. Ajayan, Bhabendra K. Pradhan, Wei Gao
  • Publication number: 20140120081
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods of treating oxidative stress in a subject by administering a therapeutic composition to the subject. In some embodiments, the therapeutic composition comprises a carbon nanomaterial with anti-oxidant activity. In some embodiments, the anti-oxidant activity of the carbon nanomaterial corresponds to ORAC values between about 200 to about 15,000. In some embodiments, the administered carbon nanomaterials include at least one of single-walled nanotubes, double-walled nanotubes, triple-walled nanotubes, multi-walled nanotubes, ultra-short nanotubes, graphene, graphene nanoribbons, graphite, graphite oxide nanoribbons, carbon black, oxidized carbon black, hydrophilic carbon clusters, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the carbon nanomaterial is an ultra-short single-walled nanotube that is functionalized with a plurality of solubilizing groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicants: Baylor College of Medicine, William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Jacob Berlin, Daniela Marcano, Ashley Leonard, Thomas A. Kent, Robia G. Pautler, Brittany Bitner, Taeko Inoue
  • Publication number: 20140120024
    Abstract: Methods for producing macroscopic quantities of oxidized graphene nanoribbons are disclosed herein. The methods include providing a plurality of carbon nanotubes and reacting the plurality of carbon nanotubes with at least one oxidant to form oxidized graphene nanoribbons. The at least one oxidant is operable to longitudinally open the carbon nanotubes. In some embodiments, the reacting step takes place in the presence of at least one acid. In some embodiments, the reacting step takes place in the presence of at least one protective agent. Various embodiments of the present disclosure also include methods for producing reduced graphene nanoribbons by reacting oxidized graphene nanoribbons with at least one reducing agent. Oxidized graphene nanoribbons, reduced graphene nanoribbons and compositions and articles derived therefrom are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Dmitry V. Kosynkin, Amanda Dugue, Brandi Katherine Price-Hoelscher