Patents Assigned to The University of Hong Kong
  • Patent number: 7931918
    Abstract: A method of manufacture of ECM microparticles incorporating bioactive molecules for drug delivery has been developed, using a modified emulsification method or a water-in-oil-phase-separation method. The microspheres are photochemically crosslinked to control the release of the bioactive molecules for better drug delivery usage without compromising the biocompatibility of the crosslinked structures. The method uses mild fabrication conditions and simple processes, no toxic chemical crosslinking reagent, which may cause cytotoxicity and calcification after implantation, no organic solvents, which may reduce drug availability and bioactivity, and no vigorous stirring action, which may fragmentize material with poor shape and mechanical stability and thus destabilize the emulsion. The resulting microparticles or microspheres are of controlled size, controlled release, highly biocompatible, and useful for drug delivery as well as cell culture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Barbara Pui Chan, Ming Cheuk Chan, Kwok Fai So
  • Publication number: 20110059378
    Abstract: A catalyst for the generation of hydrogen from a small organic molecule comprises a tertiary metal composition where: the first metal is either Pt or Ru; the second metal is at least one of Pt, Ru, Au, Pd, Rh, Ir, Os, and/or Re; and Bi, primarily present in the form of an oxide or of a mixture of oxides and carbonates and in the +3 oxidation state. A portion of the first and/or second metal may be in the form of an oxide. The catalyst can be in the form of a nanoparticle and supported on an inert substrate, such as carbon. The catalyst can be used for dehydrogenation of formic acid or other small organic molecules in a liquid state at ambient pressures and at temperatures below the boiling point of the liquid. The liquid can be an aqueous solution of the small organic molecule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Kwong Yu Chan, Shaoan Cheng, Kwok Ying Tsang, Siu Wa Ting, Nicole Kathleen Van Der Laak
  • Patent number: 7880053
    Abstract: Methods of using genetically-transformed plants in the phytoremediation of lead are described. Unlike many organisms in which only 10-kDa ACBPs have been identified, there exists a family of six ACBPs in the model plant Arabidopsis. Other than a function in mediating the transfer of acyl-CoA esters in plant lipid metabolism, all six Arabidopsis ACBPs can bind the heavy metal lead and are therefore applicable for phytoremediation. These methods of phytoremediation will provide a cheap, simple and efficient method in the removal of contaminating lead from soil/water/environment by the growth of the ACBP-overexpressing genetically-transformed plants in the contaminated environment. There is also provided a method to remove lead from contaminated water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Mee Len Chye, Shi Xiao, Wei Gao
  • Patent number: 7816400
    Abstract: This invention provides a method for treating or preventing human atrial arrhythmia (fibrillation) using the leading flavone compound acacetin, and its derivatives and analogues that inhibit the ultra-rapidly-activating delayed rectifier potassium current (IKur or IKsus), transient outward potassium (Ito), and acetylcholine-activated potassium current (IK.ACh).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignees: The University of Hong Kong, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Gui-Rong Li, Chu-Pak Lau, Guo-Wei Qin, Hong-Bing Wang
  • Patent number: 7811675
    Abstract: Highly fluorescent metallo-supramolecules based on terpyridine-based monomers and transition metals have been obtained. These robust supramolecules provide high quantum yields with emissions from violet to blue, green or yellow color. They have emerged as promising emitters for polymeric light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) due to desirable properties such as high luminance, high purity, low cost, and good thermal stabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Chi-Ming Che, Sze-Chit Yu
  • Patent number: 7807626
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for suppressing tumor cell growth in a patient, comprising: administering to the patient an effective amount of an expression vector including a polynucleotide encoding a tumor suppressor protein having SEQ ID NO: 1 under conditions wherein the expression vector incorporates itself into the tumor cell genome and inhibits cell proliferation or induces cell death. The invention further provides a method for a method for inhibiting tumor cell proliferation in a tumor cell population comprising: administering to the tumor cell population an amount of a composition comprising a tumor suppressor protein having SEQ ID NO: 1 effective to inhibit tumor cell proliferation therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Stephen Yuen Wing Shiu, Kwok Ming Yao
  • Patent number: 7781732
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fully automated system capable of producing high quality real-time S-parameter images. It is a useful and versatile tool in Material Science and Solid State Technology for determining the location of subsurface defect types and concentrations on bulk-materials as well as thin-films. The system is also useful in locating top surface metallizations and structures in solid state devices. This imaging system operates by scanning the sample surface with either a small positron source (22Na) or a focused positron beam. The system also possesses another two major parts, namely electronic instrumentation and stand-alone imaging software. In the system, the processing time and use of system resources are constantly monitored and optimized for producing high resolution S-parameter image of the sample in real time with a general purpose personal computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Pranab Sabitru Naik, Christopher David Beling, Stevenson H. Y. Fung
  • Patent number: 7781190
    Abstract: This invention provides a method for combining overlapping DNA molecules comprising: (a) providing first and second DNA fragments, the first having a region homologous to a region in the second; (b) tagging the first DNA fragment with a selectable marker; (c) cloning the first DNA sequence into a retrieval vector to form a DNA-vector complex; (d) linearizing the DNA-vector complex; and (e) inserting the first DNA fragment from the DNA-vector complex into the second DNA fragment using homologous recombination to form a combined DNA molecule; and (f) removing the selectable marker, thereby generating a combined DNA molecule. The invention further provides a vector for retrieving and inserting a selected DNA molecule into a target DNA molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Jian-Dong Huang, Xin-Mei Zhang, Julian Alexander Tanner
  • Publication number: 20100198777
    Abstract: A sequence online analytical processing (S-OLAP) system 50 for analysing an event database (41) storing events (12), the system (50) comprising: an S-OLAP engine (53) to compute an S-cuboid (49) for a query on the event database (41); a sequence query engine (54) to form part of the S-cuboid (49) by performing the steps of: selection, clustering, sequence formation and sequence grouping; a cuboid repository (52) to store computed S-cuboids (49) and to be searched by the S-OLAP engine (53) for an S-cuboid query to determine whether an S-cuboid has previously been computed; and a sequence cache (56) to cache constructed sequence groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicants: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Eric Chi Lik LO, Benjamin Chi Ming Kao, Wai-Shing Ho, Chun-Kit Chui, Sau-Dan Lee
  • Patent number: 7767196
    Abstract: An adamantane functionalized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent has been synthesized, and shows high liver specificity, prolonged retention time in both the liver and kidneys, the highest relaxivity among clinical contrast agents, high water solubility, thermodynamic stability, signal intensity enhancement, hepatocellular uptake, and low osmolality and toxicity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Wing Tak Wong, Wai Yan Chan
  • Patent number: 7755826
    Abstract: Diarylethene-containing ligands and their coordination compounds are described. The ligands display photochromism with UV excitation, while the coordination compounds display photochromism with both excitation in the UV region and excitation into lower energy absorption bands characteristic of the coordination compounds, through which the excitation wavelengths for the photocyclization can be extended from ??340 nm to wavelengths beyond 470 nm. Switching of the luminescence properties of the compounds has also been achieved through photochromic reactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Vivian Wing-Wah Yam, Chi-Chiu Ko
  • Patent number: 7718516
    Abstract: A process and structure utilizes pulsed laser deposition technique to grow SrTiO3 (STO) films with single (110) out-of-plane orientation upon a surface of all (100), (110) and (111)-oriented silicon (Si) substrates. No designed buffer layer is needed beneath the STO thin films. The in-plane alignments for the epitaxial STO films grown directly on Si (100) are as STO [001]//Si [001] and STO [1 10]/Si [010]. The SrTiO3/Si interface is epitaxially crystallized without any amorphous oxide layer. The formation of a coincident site lattice at the interface between Si and a Sr-silicate and/or STO helps to stabilize STO in the epitaxial orientation. The invention can be applied to epitaxial template and barrier for the integration of many other functional oxide materials on silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Jianhua Hao, Ju Gao
  • Patent number: 7705040
    Abstract: This invention provides compositions which specifically reacts with peroxynitrite rather than other reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. This invention also provides related agents for measuring peroxynitrite. This invention also provides related methods for measuring peroxynitrite in a sample, high-throughput screening fluorescent methods for detecting peroxynitrite and high-throughput methods for screening compounds that increase or decrease the production of peroxynitrite comprising using such compositions and agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Dan Yang, Hua-Li Wang, Zhen-Ning Sun, Jian-Gang Shen
  • Publication number: 20100092978
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for diagnosing, treating and/or preventing cancers characterized by CDH17 overexpression based on the detection of CDH17 or the use of CDH17 as a target for therapeutic intervention or prophylactic intervention are provided. Methods for diagnosing and/or monitoring liver cancers using the expressing of CDH17 involve detecting and/or quantitating the CDH17 protein or encoding nucleic acids (DNA or RNA) in a biological sample such as urine from the subject. Methods for treating liver cancers using CDH17 as a target and of sensitizing cells with aberrant expression of CDH17 have also been developed. The methods include suppression or knockdown of the expression of CDH17 by administering an effective amount of a CDH17 inhibitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Moon Ching John Luk, Pui Yue Nikki Lee, Lingxiao Liu, Tung Ping Ronnie Poon, Sheung Tat Fan
  • Patent number: 7695471
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a bone fixation device having a fixation member using a shape memory effect to secure bone fractures, including but not limited to, femur, tibia and humerus fractures. The fixation member can be malleable at a room temperature, but become rigid at a body temperature because of the shape memory effect, such as derived from a super-elastic property found in such as a nickel titanium alloy. The fixation member can be formed on one or more of the shaft portion and the two end portions of a nail member for securing bone fractures, such as by providing translational and rotational stabilities. The fixation member is also capable of providing a continuous and controllable compression force over the fractured bone, if needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Kenneth M. C. Cheung, Kelvin W. K. Yeung, Tak-Lun Poon, Shew-Ping Chow, William Weijia Lu
  • Patent number: 7691495
    Abstract: Disclosed are electrophosphorescent organic metal complexes with formula (I) or (II), of either geometrical isomers, comprising two bidentate NN-type ligandsor a tetradentate NNNN-type ligand, and a transition metal. These electrophosphorescent materials are valuable to the application in organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs), including red-, orange-, or yellow-light OLEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Chi-Ming Che, Siu-Chung Chan
  • Publication number: 20100080824
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolated novel virus causing Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in humans (“hSARS virus”). The hSARS virus is identified to be morphologically and phylogenetically similar to known member of Coronaviridae. The present invention provides the complete genomic sequence of the hSARS virus. Furthermore, the invention provides the nucleic acids and peptides encoded by and/or derived from the hSARS virus and their use in diagnostic methods and therapeutic methods, including vaccines. In addition, the invention provides chimeric or recombinant viruses encoded by said nucleotide sequences and antibodies immunospecific to the polypeptides encoded by the nucleotide sequences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Joseph S.M. Peiris, Kwok Yung Yuen, Lit Man Poon, Yi Guan, Kwok Hung Chan, John M. Nicholls, Frederick C. Leung
  • Patent number: 7677249
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a device and method for providing a lateralization effect such as in a medical procedure. The lateralization device can have a supporting member, which can be adapted to be supported in a fixed position. A lateralization member can be provided to at least partially wrap around the supporting member and be mounted thereto to provide a lateralization effect. The lateralization member can be formed and/or adjusted to provide a variable lateralization. For example, the lateralization member can comprise a cylindrical member with an eccentric cut-out portion adapted to fit over the supporting member. The inter wall of the cut-out portion and the outer wall of the supporting member can be formed with interference fittings so that the lateralization member can rotate in relation to the supporting member to provide a variable lateralization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: James Kam Fu Kong, Eric Ping Chien, Keith Dip Kei Luk
  • Patent number: 7648977
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more of the following ruthenium oxalato compounds I, II, III and IV as an active ingredient. The pharmaceutical composition can be used for the treatment of viral-infected patients or prophylactic treatment of patients at risk from viral infection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Chi-Ming Che, Raymond Wai-Yin Sun, Ella Lai-Ming Wong
  • Patent number: 7645917
    Abstract: This invention relates to the production of dual models of Congenital Heart Defects and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy with the use of mice which are genetically modified by transgenic (gene-knockout) techniques. The present invention produces knockout mice that show multiple cardiovascular malformations which will serve as a model of cardiovascular diseases for the screening of potential drugs against ventricular remodeling, malignant arrhythmias, primary pulmonary hypertension, and degenerative valvular diseases, and congenital heart disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: The University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Kathryn Song-Eng Cheah, Janet Chyng-Jiau Lin Zhang