Patents Assigned to Virginia Tech
  • Patent number: 12378286
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a composition comprising a purified or isolated Hyde1 gene product, or a functional fragment thereof; a modified host cell capable of expressing a Type VI secretion system (T6SS), Hyde1, and/or Hyde2, or a functional fragment thereof; a method of treating a disease caused all or in part by a bacterial cell, comprising administering a composition of the present invention to a subject in need thereof; and a method to limit or reduce growth of a pathogenic bacteria in an environment, comprising: introducing a non-pathogenic bacterial capable of expressing a Type VI secretion system (T6SS), Hyde1, and/or Hyde2, or functional fragment thereof, to an environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, ETH-Zurich, Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Inventors: Asaf Levy, Maximilian Mittelviefhaus, Jiamin Miao, Kunru Wang, Bingyu Zhao, Julia Vorholt-Zambelli, Jeffrey L. Dangl
  • Patent number: 12360906
    Abstract: Provided is a method of data storage, the method including receiving, at a host of a key-value store, a request to access a data node stored on a storage device of the key-value store, locating an address corresponding to the data node in a host cache on the host, and determining that the data node is in a kernel cache on the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, INC.
    Inventors: Naga Sanjana Bikonda, Wookhee Kim, Madhava Krishnan Ramanathan, Changwoo Min, Vishwanath Maram
  • Patent number: 12360315
    Abstract: A method of making an article comprising one or more layers of plasmonic nanoparticles located between opposing layers of dielectric materials and an article comprising one or more layers of plasmonic nanoparticles located between opposing layers of dielectric materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
    Inventors: Guoliang Liu, Assad U. Khan
  • Publication number: 20250221936
    Abstract: Described herein are engineered hemichannels, engineered vesicles that can contain the one or more of the engineered hemichannels, pharmaceutical formulations thereof, and uses thereof. In some aspects, the engineered vesicles can include one or more cargo molecules. Also described herein are methods of loading the engineered vesicles. In some aspects, loading of one or more cargo molecules engineered vesicles can be optionally via an engineered hemichannel contained in the engineered vesicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2025
    Publication date: July 10, 2025
    Applicant: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
    Inventors: Robert G. GOURDIE, L. Jane JOURDAN, Eda ROGERS
  • Patent number: 12352695
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the health of dialysis patients with Raman spectroscopy measurements of one or more target analytes is described. The methods include irradiating one or more fluids of interest with light to produce one or more spectrum and detecting the spectrum with a detector. The fluids of interest are preferably those related to dialysis, including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. In a preferred embodiment, the fluids are irradiated with monochromatic light, and one or more Raman spectra are detected as a result of the irradiation. The fluids may be irradiated within the dialysis tubing itself, or removed from the dialysis tubing and irradiated in a separate chamber. The Raman spectra of one or more target analytes of a dialysis patient may be followed over time or compared to one or more reference spectra, thereby providing information on the health of dialysis patients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Robertson, Ryan Senger, Pang Du
  • Patent number: 12334997
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training and deploying machine-learned communication over multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy James O'Shea, Tugba Erpek
  • Patent number: 12325208
    Abstract: In some aspects, described herein are methods of additive manufacturing in which one or more corrugated layers are incorporated into the three-dimensional (3D) object. Also provided herein are 3D objects that can include one or more corrugated layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Brook Kennedy, Edward Olin Coe
  • Patent number: 12318156
    Abstract: Various embodiments for a continuum manipulator are described for use in robotic surgical systems or other desired applications. The continuum manipulator includes an extensible continuum manipulator (ECM) body comprising a plurality of subsegments serially connected to one another. Adjacent ones of the subsegments are coupled by rack-and-pinion transmission sets that are configured to propagate subsegment motion to downstream ones of the subsegments. A multi-chain flexible parallel mechanism is provided in each of the subsegments that is configured to generate a desired spatial bending and extension mobility for each of the subsegments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
    Inventors: Pinhas Ben-Tzvi, Yujiong Liu
  • Patent number: 12293297
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training and deploying machine-learned compact representations of radio frequency (RF) signals. One of the methods includes: determining a first RF signal to be compressed; using an encoder machine-learning network to process the first RF signal and generate a compressed signal; calculating a measure of compression in the compressed signal; using a decoder machine-learning network to process the compressed signal and generate a second RF signal that represents a reconstruction of the first RF signal; calculating a measure of distance between the second RF signal and the first RF signal; and updating at least one of the encoder machine-learning network or the decoder machine-learning network based on (i) the measure of distance between the second RF signal and the first RF signal, and (ii) the measure of compression in the compressed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy James O'Shea
  • Patent number: 12285910
    Abstract: In various aspects, top-down stereolithography apparatus and methods of use thereof are provided herein that allow for additive manufacturing of an article from a high-viscosity resin. The apparatus and methods can print resins having viscosities higher than conventional systems, e.g. viscosities up to about 100 Pa·s at the elevated temperature. The resin may have a room temperature viscosity of about 100 Pa·s, about 250 Pa·s, about 1000 Pa·s, or more. In some aspects, the resin is a solid at room temperature. The apparatus and methods do not rely upon solvents or other viscosity modifiers being added to the resin, and are capable of top-down additive manufacturing approaches which provide reduced stress on the printed article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas Chartrain, Viswanath Meenakshisundaram, Christopher B. Williams
  • Patent number: 12269744
    Abstract: Methods of making graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide are provided. The methods can include a simple one-pot synthesis of graphene oxide from a purified coal powder using a mild oxidizing acid. The methods provide for an improved, more cost-effective, and simpler process than conventional methods such as Hummers methods. In some aspects, placing the purified coal powder in the mild oxidation atmosphere includes contacting the purified coal powder with a mild oxidizing acid such as nitric acid, nitrous acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, benzoic acid, or a combination thereof. In some aspects, the mild oxidizing acid consists essentially of nitric acid. Graphene oxides and reduced graphene oxides prepared by the methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Roop L. Mahajan, Seul-Yi Lee
  • Patent number: 12255004
    Abstract: Aspects of multi-phase integrated coupled inductors are described. In one embodiment, a multi-phase integrated coupled inductor includes a magnetic core and a coupled set of inductors. Each inductor can include conductive vias that are asymmetrically distributed in two symmetrical core slots in the magnetic core, so that each inductor has a different number of lateral-flux vias in each slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
    Inventors: Feiyang Zhu, Qiang Li, Fred C. Lee
  • Patent number: 12252619
    Abstract: In various aspects, a polymer resin is provided for vat or ultraviolet-assisted direct ink writing (UV-DIW) photopolymerization. The resin can include a polyamic acid salt formed from the addition of a photocrosslinkable amine to a polyamic acid. The resin can include a photoinitiator suitable for initiating crosslinking of the photocrosslinkable amine when exposed to a light source of a suitable wavelength and intensity. The polyamic acid can be formed, for instance, by the addition of a diamine to a suitable dianhydride. Methods of additive manufacturing using the resins are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Rau, Jana Herzberger, Timothy Long, Christopher Williams
  • Patent number: 12244226
    Abstract: Topologies and configurations of step-down power supplies including unidirectional balancing cells are described. In one example, a step-down power supply includes an input and an output, a string of series-connected capacitors, and a plurality of unidirectional balancing cells coupled to the capacitors in the string of series-connected capacitors. A first balancing can be configured to transfer power, unilaterally, in a first direction among at least two capacitors in the string of series-connected capacitors, and a second balancing cell can be configured to transfer power, unilaterally, in a second direction among at least two capacitors in the string of series-connected capacitors, where the first direction is different than the second direction. The power supply can also include a gate controller for a balancing cell. The gate controller generates switching control signals at a first switching frequency that is decoupled from a resonant frequency of a balancing branch in the balancing cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
    Inventors: Keyao Sun, Rolando Burgos, Dushan Boroyevich
  • Patent number: 12234229
    Abstract: Sphingosine kinases are enzymes that catalyze the biosynthesis of sphingosine-1-phosphate. The invention provides prodrugs of compounds that are effective for inhibition of sphingosine kinase type 1, sphingosine kinase type 2, or both, according to formula (I) as described herein. Formula I compounds are useful in the treatment of a range of diseases wherein increasing the level of sphingosine-1-phosphate in blood is medically indicated. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions of Formula I compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignees: University of Virginia Patent Foundation, Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Brandon Thorpe, Webster L. Santos, Kevin R. Lynch
  • Patent number: 12232792
    Abstract: The present invention relates to medical devices and methods for treating a lesion such as a vascular stenosis using non-thermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE). Embodiments of the present invention provide a balloon catheter type NTIRE device for treating a target lesion comprising a plurality of electrodes positioned along the balloon that are electrically independent from each other so as to be individually selectable in order to more precisely treat an asymmetrical lesion in which the lesion extends only partially around the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignees: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc., AngioDynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Neal, Paulo A. Garcia, Rafael V. Davalos, Peter Callas
  • Patent number: 12223443
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training and deploying machine-learning estimation networks in a communications system. One of the methods includes: processing first information with ground truth information to generate a first RF signal by altering the first information by channel impairment having at least one channel effect, using a receiver to process the first RF signal to generate second information, training a machine-learning estimation network based on a network architecture, the second information, and the ground truth information, receiving by the receiver a second RF signal transmitted through a communication channel including the at least one channel effect, inferring by the trained estimation network the receiver to estimate an offset of the second RF signal caused by the at least one channel effect, and correcting the offset of the RF signal with the estimated offset to obtain a recovered RF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy James O'Shea, Kiran Karra, T. Charles Clancy
  • Patent number: 12220860
    Abstract: Photocurable colloid binders are provided that overcome deficiencies associated with 3D printing of high molecular weight polymers via VAT photopolymerization. Methods of additive manufacturing are also provided using the binders. The approaches described herein effectively decouple the viscosity-molecular weight relationship by synthesizing and processing photo-reactive aqueous colloids that are sequestered within a photocrosslinkable scaffold. Sequestering polymers within discrete internal phases prevents inter-particle entanglement of the polymer chains, thus ensuring low viscosity. VP of polymer colloids results in a solid green body embedded with high molecular weight polymer particles. A post-processing heated drying step allows the polymers to coalesce and further entangle, forming a semi-interpenetrating network with mechanical performance of the high molecular weight material. The resins can further include inorganic particles such as silica and other ceramics, metal particles, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy E. Long, Viswanath Meenakshisundaram, Philip J. Scott, Christopher B. Williams
  • Patent number: 12214189
    Abstract: Electroporation-based therapies (EBTs) employ high voltage pulsed electric fields (PEFs) to permeabilize tumor tissue, resulting in changes in passive electrical properties detectable using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Currently, commercial potentiostats for EIS are limited by impedance spectrum acquisition time (˜10 s); this timeframe is much larger than pulse periods used with EBTs (˜1 s). Fourier Analysis SpecTroscopy (FAST) is introduced as a methodology for monitoring tissue inter-burst impedance (diagnostic FAST) and intra-burst impedance (therapeutic FAST) during EBTs. FAST is a rapid-capture (<<1 s) technique which enables monitoring of inter-burst and intra-burst impedance during EBTs in real-time. FAST identified a frequency which delineates thermal effects from electroporation effects in measured impedance. Significance: FAST demonstrates the potential to perform EIS, in addition to intra-burst impedance spectroscopy, using existing pulse generator topologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignees: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc., Angio Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Melvin F. Lorenzo, Christopher B. Arena, Suyashree Bhonsle, Natalie White, Lucy Epshteyn, Rafael V. Davalos
  • Patent number: 12212247
    Abstract: Three-phase interleaved resonant converters with integrated magnetics are described. In various examples, transformers are integrated into a transformer core of a converter. A primary side circuit includes a set of circuit segments corresponding to phases of the three-phase interleaved converter. Each of the circuit segments include an integrated winding component that provides a transformer primary winding and a resonant inductor connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
    Inventors: Rimon Gadelrab, Fred C. Lee