Patents Assigned to The University of Queensland
  • Patent number: 8173427
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing a population of post-mitotic cells of the neutrophil lineage, which method comprises the ex vivo steps of: (a) providing a population of cells comprising neutrophil progenitor cells; and (b) culturing the population of cells in an animal cell culture medium comprising (i) one or more early acting cytokines and (ii) one or more cytokines that differentiate said progenitor cells into a neutrophil specific lineage, under conditions of low oxidative stress, the culture medium being agitated when the cells are at a cell density at which oxygen transfer via the surface of the culture medium is insufficient for growth of the progenitor cells and the progeny thereof under static conditions, to produce a population of post-mitotic cells of the neutrophil lineage. The resulting population of cells can be used to increase the number of neutrophils in a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Lars K. Nielsen, Emma L. Palfreyman, Nicholas E. Timmins
  • Publication number: 20120065713
    Abstract: A portable handheld thermo-electric device (10) is used to test for decreased cold pain thresholds or increased sensitivity to cold stimulation (cold hyperalgesia) in a patient. The thermo-electric device (10) comprises a probe (18), a Peltier module (12) and a control unit (16) operable to energize the Peltier module (12) so that the temperature of the probe 18 is variable in a range between a predetermined upper temperature limit and a predetermined lower temperature limit during a test cycle of the thermo-electric device (10). A thermal mass (14) is adapted for thermal contact with an interface side (34) of the Peltier module (12). The Peltier module (12) has thermal properties which enables it to be cooled to a temperature below the predetermined upper temperature limit and thereafter maintain the interface side (34) of the Peltier module (12) at a temperature below the predetermined upper temperature limit for the duration of the test cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Matthew Campbell Greaves, Michele Sterling
  • Patent number: 8124373
    Abstract: The invention is directed to novel enzymes that convert sucrose to isomaltulose. More particularly, the present invention discloses novel sucrose isomerases, polynucleotides encoding these sucrose isomerases, methods for isolating such polynucleotides and nucleic acid constructs that express these polynucleotides. Also disclosed are cells, including transformed bacterial or plant cells, and differentiated plants comprising cells, which contain these sucrose isomerase-encoding polynucleotides, as well as extracts thereof. Methods of producing isomaltulose are also disclosed which use the polypeptides, polynucleotides, cells, cell extracts and plants of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Robert George Birch, Luguang Wu
  • Patent number: 8100581
    Abstract: The invention relates generally to a method of determining the presence of a mineral within a material, such as a rock, a rock fragment, soil, sand or other geological material including: applying pulsed microwave radiation to the material; detecting radiation emitted from the material after the application of the pulsed microwave radiation; and analysing the detected radiation to determine the presence of mineral within the material. The invention also provides a method of sorting rock fragments into at least two streams using this method and an apparatus for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventor: Nenad Djordjevic
  • Publication number: 20120004749
    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: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Udantha Abeyratne, Asela Samantha Karunajeewa, Houman Ghaemmaghami
  • Publication number: 20110301487
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for detecting Macro Sleep Architecture states of a subject such as WAKE, NREM and REM sleep from a subject's EEG. The apparatus includes an EEG digital signal assembly of modules arranged to convert analogue EEG signals into digital EEG signals. A bispectrum assembly is responsive to the EEG digital signal assembly and converts the digital EEG signals into signals representing corresponding bispectrum values. A bispectrum time series assembly, in electrical communication with an output side of the bispectrum assembly, generates at least one bispectrum time series for a predetermined frequency. A macro-sleep architecture (MSA) assembly is responsive to the bispectrum time series assembly and is arranged to produce classification signals indicating classification of segments of the EEG signals into macro-sleep states of the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2009
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Udantha Abeyratne, Vinayak Swarnkar
  • Patent number: 8067004
    Abstract: The invention provides a novel surface polypeptide from Neisseria meningitidis as well as nucleic acid and nucleic acid sequence homologues encoding this protein. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the polypeptide and nucleic acids of the invention are also disclosed as well as methods useful in the treatment, prevention and diagnosis of N. meningitidis infection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Ian Richard Anseim Peak, Michael Paul Jennings, E. Richard Moxon
  • Patent number: 8058242
    Abstract: The present invention discloses proteinaceous compounds that comprise at least a biologically active portion of a taipan natriuretic peptide (TNP) or a variant or derivative thereof. The invention also relates to the use of these compounds in methods for stimulating vasodilation, natriuresis, diuresis, renin-suppression, bactericidal activity, weight-loss or bone growth in a mammalian host. In specific embodiments, the compounds are useful in the treatment of congestive heart failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignees: The University of Queensland, Baker Heart Research Institute
    Inventors: Paul Alewood, Geoffrey A. Head, Bryan Fry
  • Publication number: 20110274713
    Abstract: The invention relates to compounds having formula (I): Scaffold-[L-(Antigen)t]y (I) wherein Antigen represents at least a portion of a target antigen for modulating an immune response; wherein t is 0 or an integer of at least 1; wherein y is at least 1; wherein the number of Antigens on the Scaffold is at least 2; wherein L is a linking group or a covalent bond, wherein when L is a covalent bond, the covalent bond is a single bond attached to a sp or sp2 hybridized atom of the Scaffold and when L is a linking group, the linking group is attached to the Scaffold through a single bond attached to a sp or sp2 hybridized atom; whereby the Scaffold is sufficiently rigid to maintain the relative position of the single bonds attached to sp or sp2 hybridized atoms. Further described are compositions containing the compounds and methods of using them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Paul Leslie Burn, Joanna T. Blanchfield, George Vamvounis, Yogendra Singh, Melissa Lee Foster
  • Patent number: 8044108
    Abstract: A porous polymer blend, and a method of producing a porous polymer blend from at least two immiscible polymers. The at least two immiscible polymer being blended together and exhibiting the absence of complete phase separation. The method of producing a porous polymer blend comprising: forming a liquid composition comprising at least two immiscible polymers dissolved in a common solvent; subjecting the liquid composition to a reduction in temperature to cause at least two immiscible polymers to phase separate into a common polymer rich phase and a common polymer poor phase; solidifying the at least two immiscible polymers in the common polymer rich phase so as to avoid complete phase separation of the at least two immiscible polymers; and removing the common polymer pore phase to provide a blend of the at least two immiscible polymers having a porous morphology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignees: The University of Queensland, The University of Melbourne
    Inventors: Justin John Cooper-White, Yang Cao, Andrew Stewart Rowlands
  • Patent number: 8039582
    Abstract: Methods of modulating interfacial characteristics in a self-assembled, force-transmitting peptide network at a fluid-fluid interface are disclosed. The methods involve exposing a peptide capable of participating in a self-assembled, force-transmitting peptide network, either before or after it interacts with other peptides to form the peptide network to a stimulus that alters the chemical and/or physical properties of the peptide. Use of such methods in applications such as emulsions and foams are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Anton Peter Jacob Middelberg, Annette Faith Dexter
  • Publication number: 20110252507
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the use of plants as bioreactors for the production of molecules having useful properties such as inter alia polymers, metabolites, proteins, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. More particularly, the present invention contemplates the use of grasses, and even more particularly C4 grasses, such as sugarcane, for the production of a range of compounds such as, for example, polyhydroxyalkanoates, pHBA, vanillin, indigo, adipic acid, 2-phenylethanol, 1,3-propanediol, sorbitol, fructan polymers and lactic acid as well as other products including, inter alia, other plastics, silks, carbohydrates, therapeutic and nutraceutic proteins and antibodies. The present invention further extends to transgenic plants and, in particular, transgenic C4 grass plants, capable of producing the compounds noted above and other products, and to methods for generating such plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicants: The University of Queensland, BSES Limited
    Inventors: Stevens Michael Brumbley, Matthew Peter Purnell, Barrie Fong Chong, Lars Arved Petrasovits, Lars Keld Nielsen, Richard Bruce McQualter
  • Patent number: 8022269
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for increasing the yield of a compound produced by an organism. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for increasing the total or soluble carbohydrate content or sweetness or increasing the content of an endogenous carbohydrate of a plant tissue by producing a sugar-metabolizing enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of an endogenous sugar (one that is normally produced in the plant) to an alien sugar (one that is not normally produced in the plant at the same developmental stage). The invention also relates to plants and plant parts that produce a sugar-metabolizing enzyme to yield an alien sugar, with the consequence of higher total fermentable carbohydrate content, and to fermentable carbohydrates and other products derived therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Robert George Birch, Luguang Wu
  • Publication number: 20110223542
    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: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventor: Mark Anthony Fernance Kendall
  • Publication number: 20110207181
    Abstract: The invention is directed to novel enzymes that convert sucrose to isomaltulose. More particularly, the present invention discloses novel sucrose isomerases, polynucleotides encoding these sucrose isomerases, methods for isolating such polynucleotides and nucleic acid constructs that express these polynucleotides. Also disclosed are cells, including transformed bacterial or plant cells, and differentiated plants comprising cells, which contain these sucrose isomerase-encoding polynucleotides, as well as extracts thereof. Methods of producing isomaltulose are also disclosed which use the polypeptides, polynucleotides, cells, cell extracts and plants of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: The University of Queensland, St. Lucia
    Inventors: Robert George BIRCH, Luguang WU
  • Patent number: 7977082
    Abstract: The invention is directed to novel enzymes that convert sucrose to isomaltulose. More particularly, the present invention discloses novel sucrose isomerases, polynucleotides encoding these sucrose isomerases, methods for isolating such polynucleotides and nucleic acid constructs that express these polynucleotides. Also disclosed are cells, including transformed bacterial or plant cells, and differentiated plants comprising cells, which contain these sucrose isomerase-encoding polynucleotides, as well as extracts thereof. Methods of producing isomaltulose are also disclosed which use the polypeptides, polynucleotides, cells, cell extracts and plants of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Queensland of St. Lucia
    Inventors: Robert George Birch, Luguang Wu
  • Publication number: 20110160069
    Abstract: Apparatus for use in detecting analytes in a subject, wherein the apparatus includes a number of projections provided on a patch, such that applying the patch to the subject causes at least some of the projections to be inserted into the subject and target one or more analytes and a reagent for detecting the presence or absence of analytes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Simon Robert Corrie, Mark Anthony Fernance Kendall
  • Publication number: 20110145939
    Abstract: A modified arthropod, an arthropod-modifying bacterium, and use thereof as an agent for control of diseases transmitted by arthropods, particularly mosquitoes, is provided. More specifically, an isolated arthropod-adapted Wolbachia bacterium capable of modifying one or more biological properties of a mosquito host is provided. The modified arthropod may be characterized as having a shortened life-span, a reduced ability to transmit disease, a reduced susceptibility to a pathogen, a reduced fecundity, and/or a reduced ability to feed from a host, when compared to a corresponding wild-type arthropod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventor: Scott Leslie O'Neill
  • Patent number: 7960340
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a molecular framework having a cyclic structure. More particularly, the present invention provides cyclic proteins and derivatives thereof in which particular turns and other elements of the molecular structure are held in defined orientations with respect to each other. The cyclic proteins of the present invention provide a molecular framework for the introduction of particular amino acids or heterologous amino acid sequences to facilitate the presentation of biological activities associated with these heterologous amino acid sequences. The molecular framework of the present invention may be naturally cyclic or may be a cyclized derivative of a linear molecular or may be a linear derivative of a cyclized molecule. The present invention contemplates the use of the molecular framework with or without particular amino acids inserted or substituted thereon for the treatment of or prophylaxis of disease conditions in animals, mammals (including humans) and plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: David J. Craik, Norelle Lee Daly, Clement Waim-Kunduane Waine
  • Publication number: 20110129485
    Abstract: An isolated modified galectin-2 protein comprising a mutation and/or modification which improves one or more properties of said isolated modified galectin-2 are provided. More particularly, the mutation of galectin-2 is substitution of cysteine 57, preferably with a methionine residue. Modification of an isolated galectin-2 includes a modification of cysteine 75. Modification includes chemical modification by PEGylation or alkylation. Also provided are isolated nucleic acid, genetic constructs comprising said isolated nucleic acids, antibodies, compositions and methods of modulating an immune response that may be useful in therapeutic and/or prophylactic treatment of disease, disorders or considers which involve an immune response is mediated by one or more cytokines or other soluble immunomodulators and/or the immune response is mediated by one or more cells of the immune system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Hui Wang, Anton P.J. Middelberg, Lizhong He