Patents Assigned to The University of Queensland
  • Patent number: 9150621
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of mutant glycoproteins from pathogenic bacteria lacking one or more phosphorylcholine and/or glycosylation post-translational modifications as immunogens. These post-translational modifications act as masking structures that elicit an immune response which does not confer protection on an infected individual. The removal or modification of these masking structures alters the protein such that it elicits a stronger immune response to the protein and/or the bacterial pathogen. Particular examples are pilin proteins and nitrite reductase glycoproteins of Neisseria bacteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventor: Michael Paul Jennings
  • Publication number: 20150274562
    Abstract: A wastewater refinery comprising one or more electrodialytic cells with mono-, di-, or multi-valent selective membranes interspersed with one or more concentrate compartments to selectively recovery ions from wastewater. The wastewater refinery may harvest ions by utilising techniques including ion selective resins and pervaporation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicants: Grains Research & Development Corporation, The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Damien Batstone, Chirag Mehta
  • Patent number: 9062118
    Abstract: The invention relates to relatively short peptides (termed J-Superfamily conotoxin peptides, J-conotoxins or J-conotoxin peptides herein), about 25 residues in length, which are naturally available in minute amounts in the venom of the cone snails or analogous to the naturally available peptides, and which preferably include two disulfide bonds. The J-conotoxins are useful for treating disorders involving voltage gated ion channels and/or receptors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignees: University of Utah Research Foundation, The University of Queensland, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Wissenschaften e.V.
    Inventors: Julita S. Imperial, Baldomero M. Olivera, Paul F. Alewood, Heinz Terlau, David J. Craik, Estuardo Lopez-Vera, Pradip K. Bandyopadhyay
  • Publication number: 20150150788
    Abstract: A method for delivering a compound through a biological barrier including applying a force to a plurality of microparticles on a surface of the barrier so that at least some of the microparticles penetrate the biological barrier to facilitate delivery of the compound therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Tarl W. Prow, H. Peter Soyer
  • Patent number: 9017697
    Abstract: This invention discloses methods and compositions for modulating immune responses, which involve particulate delivery of agents to immune cells, wherein the agents comprise an inhibitor of the NF-?B signaling pathway and an antigen that corresponds to a target antigen. The methods and compositions of the present invention are particularly useful in the treatment or prophylaxis of an undesirable immune response associated with the target antigen, including autoimmune diseases, allergies and transplantation associated diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Ranjeny Thomas, Nigel Meredith Davies, Brendan John O'Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8977085
    Abstract: A method of forming an optical fiber tip, the method including, roughening at least part of an end portion of the optical fiber; and, etching the roughed end portion to thereby form an optical fiber tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Laurence James Walsh, Roy George
  • Publication number: 20150031600
    Abstract: The present invention relates to designed polypeptide biosurfactants that may be prepared by recombinant technology in commercially useful amounts and purified by simple non-chromatographic methods. The designed polypeptide biosurfactants comprise at least one stimuli-responsive amino acid residue or at least one glutamine or asparagine residue and may be useful in modulating the stability of a foam, alone or in combination with an ?-helical peptide. The designed polypeptide biosurfactant may be useful in the formation and collapse of foams in foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, cosmetics, cleaning products, mineral recovery, bioremediation, oil recovery and laundry products. The designed biosurfactants may also be useful in recombinant production and purification of peptides, polypeptides and proteins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Anton Peter Jacob Middelberg, Mirjana Dimitrijev-Dwyer, Michael Brech
  • Patent number: 8927503
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel compounds of the Formula (1), pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and methods for using such compounds as tools for biological studies or as agents or drugs for modulating Protease Activated Receptor-2 (PAR2) and for treating a subject at risk of—or susceptible to—a disease or disorder, or having a disease or disorder associated with undesirable PAR2 activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: David Paul Fairlie, Ligong Liu, Mei Kwan Yau, Jacky Yung Suen, Robert Reid
  • Patent number: 8921306
    Abstract: The present invention relates to nociceptin peptide mimetics that have ?-helical structures and bind to and modulate the opioid receptor-like-1 (ORL-1) receptor. The peptide mimetics are constrained cyclic nociceptin analogs which have either agonist or antagonist activity. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the nociceptin peptide mimetics and methods of treating or preventing a disease or condition ameliorated by modulating the ORL-1 receptor are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: David Fairlie, Rosemary Sharon Harrison, Nicholas Evan Shepherd
  • Patent number: 8901085
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel compounds of the Formula (1), pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and methods for using such compounds as tools for biological studies or as agents or drugs for modulating Protease Activated Receptor-2 (PAR2) and for treating a subject at risk of—or susceptible to—a disease or disorder, or having a disease or disorder associated with undesirable PAR2 activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: David Paul Fairlie, Ligong Liu, Mei Kwan Yau, Jacky Yung Suen, Robert Reid
  • Patent number: 8883015
    Abstract: A method of producing projections on a patch including providing a mask on a substrate and etching the substrate using an etchant and a passivant to thereby control the etching process and form the projections, wherein the passivant does not include oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Fernance Kendall, Derek William Kenneth Jenkins
  • Publication number: 20140329761
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to methods for the prevention and treatment of acute inflammatory conditions in individuals using an agonist of the complement C3a receptor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Trent Martin Woodruff, Stephen Maxwell Taylor
  • Patent number: 8880207
    Abstract: An apparatus for diagnosing sleep disorders such as OASHS from snore sounds includes a segmentation module (126) coupled to a data logger (124) to provide segments of the digitized audio signal to a Snore Segment Identifier (128). A total airways response (TAR) module (130), pitch calculator (132), and MFCC calculator (134) are each coupled to an output side of the snore segment identifier module (128). Each of these modules is respectively arranged to calculate pitch, bispectrum, diagonal slice, and MFCC parameters for the snore segments received from the snore segment identifier (128). Similarly, the NGI calculator (136) produces a non-Gaussianity index for the digitized audio signal. A classification module (144) is arranged to process the calculated parameters and compare a resulting diagnosis probability to a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Udantha Abeyratne, Asela Samantha Karunajeewa, Houman Ghaemmaghami
  • Publication number: 20140315796
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel compounds of the Formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and methods for using such compounds as tools for biological studies or as agents or drugs for therapies such as metabolic syndrome, obesity, type II diabetes, fibrosis and cardiovascular diseases, whether they are used alone or in combination with other treatment modalities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: David Fairlie, Ligong Liu, Mei-Kwan Yau, Jacky Yung Suen, Robert Reid, Rink-Jan Lohman, Abishek Venkatasubramania Iyer, Junxian Lim, Lindsay Charles Brown
  • Patent number: 8858951
    Abstract: The invention is directed to the use of (i) a first antigen corresponding to a target antigen of interest, together with (ii) a second antigen, corresponding to a modified form of the target antigen, whose rate of intracellular proteolytic degradation is increased, enhanced or otherwise elevated relative to the first antigen, in compositions and methods for inducing both humoral and cellular immunity in an individual. The ability to provide compositions, which are capable of inducing both host-protective antibody and cell-mediated immune responses, facilitates the generation of immunogenic compositions capable of combating, inter alia, conditions that have long latency periods and, therefore, benefit from the dual approach of prophylaxis and therapy in one delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventor: Ian Hector Frazer
  • Patent number: 8860414
    Abstract: A gradient coil arrangement for use in a magnetic imaging system, the imaging system being for generating a magnetic imaging field in an imaging region provided in a bore. The coil arrangement includes a first portion having a substantially cylindrical shape for positioning in the bore, a second portion extending outwardly from an end of the first portion, the second portion being for positioning outside the bore and at least one coil for generating a gradient magnetic field in the imaging region, the at least one coil having a first part provided on the first portion and a second part provided on the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Ian Malcolm Brereton, Graham John Galloway, Viktor Vegh, Quang Minh Tieng
  • Patent number: 8840339
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for remediation of sites contaminated with metals such as former industrial sites and mines. In particular the invention provides a process for site remediation comprising the steps of: (a) adding metal-binding particles to a site containing one or more metal contaminants such that at least some of the one or metal contaminants are sequestered by the particles, and (b) populating the site with plants. The use of the particles of the present invention in association with plants, and microbiota associated with the plant roots can achieve sustainable phytostabilization of contaminated sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Laurence Suzanne Rosa Rossato, Michael Monteiro, Michael Whittaker, Thomas Baumgartl, David Doley, Alex Pudmenzky, Susanne Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8822509
    Abstract: This invention discloses compositions and methods for inducing, promoting or otherwise facilitating pain relief. More particularly, the present invention discloses the use of sub-normovasodilatory doses of nitric oxide donors in the therapeutic management of vertebrate animals including humans, for the prevention or alleviation of pain, especially neuropathic pain. According to some embodiments of the present invention, nitric oxide donors are administered by any suitable route so as to provide concentrations of NO that are about ½ to 10?15 of those known to induce vasodilation in normal circulations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventor: Maree Therese Smith
  • Patent number: 8790889
    Abstract: A method of activating a latent neural precursor cell population, comprising: (1) providing a neural cell population derived from the hippocampus; (2) introducing the neural cell population to a neurosphere-forming culture medium; and (3) activating the latent precursor cell population by treatment with a ?3 adrenergic receptor agonist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Dhanisha Jhaveri, Perry Francis Bartlett
  • Patent number: 8765677
    Abstract: This invention relates to an isolated, synthetic or recombinant peptide, wherein the peptide comprises the sequence: C K G K G A Xaa1 C R Xaa2 Xaa3 Xaa4 Y Xaa5 C C Xaa6 G Xaa7 C R Xaa8 Xaa9 R C SEQ ID NO: 1 wherein Xaa1, Xaa3, Xaa4, Xaa6, Xaa7 and Xaa8 are independently selected from serine and threonine; Xaa2 is selected from arginine and lysine; Xaa5 is selected from aspartic acid and glutamic acid; and Xaa9 is selected from glycine, alanine, valine, leucine and isoleucine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignees: The University of Queensland, The University of Sydney
    Inventors: Richard Lewis, David John Adams, Geza Berecki, Roger Drinkwater, Paul Francis Alewood, MacDonald James Christie