Patents Assigned to Vrije Universiteit Brussel
  • Publication number: 20220389477
    Abstract: A method for determining a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to an antimicrobial drug for a bacteria culture in a container, the method comprising calculating for each well a third derivative of said detected intensity; comparing said third derivative of the detected intensity to one or more threshold values; determining a MIC value based on said comparison of said third derivative to said one or more threshold values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicants: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Universiteit Antwerpen
    Inventors: Wendy MEULEBROEK, Heidi OTTEVAERE, Hugo THIENPONT, Herman GOOSSENS, Pieter MOONS, Kristof VAES, Muriel DE BOECK, Christiaan BAELUS
  • Patent number: 11522502
    Abstract: A wideband radio-frequency transceiver front-end is provided. The transceiver front-end includes an antenna port and a transmission path coupled to the antenna port comprising a power amplifier and a first matching network. The transceiver front-end further includes a reception path coupled to the antenna port comprising a low noise amplifier and a second matching network. Furthermore, the transceiver front-end includes an impedance inverter coupled in-between the antenna port and the second matching network. Moreover, the transceiver front-end includes a controller comprising switching arrangement for a gate and a drain of the power amplifier. In this context, the controller is configured to initiate a first reception mode by connecting the gate of the power amplifier to ground and by connecting the drain of the power amplifier to a supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignees: IMEC VZW, VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
    Inventors: Xinyan Tang, Pierre Wambacq
  • Patent number: 11513089
    Abstract: A system for measuring electrical characteristics of bioparticles is described. The system comprises an incubator for performing electrochemical measurements in a defined environment and a substrate holder positioned in said incubator for holding a substrate comprising a plurality of wells. The system is furthermore configured for continuously or regularly measuring electrochemical data. The system also comprises a processing means for comparing the continuously or regularly measured electrochemical data with reference data and for determining a moment for adding an active compound based on said comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL, KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
    Inventors: Yves Van Ingelgem, Bart Landuyt, Sven Verguts
  • Patent number: 11446375
    Abstract: The present invention relates to nucleic acid regulatory elements that are able to enhance endothelial cell-specific expression of genes, methods employing these regulatory elements and uses of these elements. Expression cassettes and vectors containing these nucleic acid regulatory elements are also disclosed. The present invention is particularly useful for applications using gene therapy, more particularly endothelial cell-directed gene therapy, and for vaccination purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: Marinee Chuah, Thierry Vandendriessche
  • Publication number: 20220283074
    Abstract: A method and system for deriving particle characteristics is described. The method comprises imaging the movement of at least one free-floating particle in a liquid environment at at least one moment in time, determining for at least one moment in time a movement parameter based on the imaged movement of the free-floating particles in the liquid environment, and deriving from the movement parameter a characteristic of the at least one particle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicants: VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL, ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FÉDÉRALE DE LAUSANNE
    Inventors: Ronnie WILLAERT, Sandor KASAS, Pieterjan VANDEN BOER, Anton MALOVICHKO, Mitchel PEREZ GONZALEZ, Hichem SAHLI
  • Patent number: 11419950
    Abstract: The present invention relates to vectors containing liver-specific regulatory sequences and codon-optimized factor IX or factor VIII genes, methods employing these vectors and uses of these vectors. Expression cassettes and vectors containing these liver-specific regulatory elements and codon-optimized factor IX or factor VIII genes are also disclosed. The present invention is particularly useful for applications using gene therapy, in particular for the treatment of hemophilia A and B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: Thierry Vandendriessche, Marinee Chuah
  • Publication number: 20220162264
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel protein pores and their uses in analyte detection and characterisation. The invention particularly relates to an isolated pore complex formed by a CsgG-like pore and a modified CsgF peptide, or a homologue or mutant thereof, thereby incorporating an additional channel constriction or reader head in the nanopore. The invention further relates to a transmembrane pore complex and methods for production of the pore complex and for use in molecular sensing and nucleic acid sequencing applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicants: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited, VIB VZW, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: Han Remaut, Sander Van Der Verren, Nani Van Gerven, Lakmal Jayasinghe, Elizabeth Jayne Wallace, Pratik Raj Singh, Richard George Hambley, Michael Jordan, John Joseph Kilgour
  • Patent number: 11298433
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods, kits, and compositions for stratifying and treating subjects, e.g., subjects having cancer. In some examples, the methods involve use of a radiolabelled heavy chain variable domain derived from a heavy chain antibody (VHH), or a functional fragment thereof, as both a screening agent and a treatment agent. In some examples, the VHH, or a functional fragment thereof, that is radiolabelled with a radioisotope that is both a ?-emitter and ?-emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
    Inventors: Tony Lahoutte, Matthias D'Huyvetter, Jens De Vos, Nick Devoogdt
  • Patent number: 11277633
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a computer-implemented method for compensating motion for a digital holographic video stream, the method comprising: obtaining (1010) a sequence of frames representing consecutive holographic images of a scenery; obtaining (1020) translation and rotation vectors describing a relative motion of at least one object in said scenery between a pair of frames from among said sequence of frames; and applying (1030) an affine canonical transform to a first frame of said pair of frames so as to obtain a predicted frame, said affine canonical transform representing said translation and rotation vectors. The invention also pertains to a computer program product and to an apparatus for compensating motion for a digital holographic video stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: David Blinder, Colas Schretter, Peter Schelkens
  • Patent number: 11271526
    Abstract: A mixer comprises a substrate of a first conductivity type; at least one minority carrier injector for injecting minority carriers in the substrate in reply to a first electrical signal applied to the at least one minority carrier injector; at least two substrate taps located in the substrate for providing a majority carrier current density with associated electric field in the substrate in reply to a second electrical signal applied to the at least two substrate taps. The majority carrier current density's associated electric field determines the drift direction of the injected minority carriers. The mixer further comprises at least two minority carrier collectors located in the substrate, for collecting minority carriers from the substrate. Each minority carrier collector is located adjacent to one of the at least two substrate taps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
    Inventors: Maarten Kuijk, Thomas Van Den Dries
  • Publication number: 20220056517
    Abstract: A system for characterising a target polynucleotide, the system comprising a membrane and a pore complex; wherein the pore complex comprises: (i) a nanopore located in the membrane, and (ii) an auxiliary protein or peptide attached to the nanopore; wherein the nanopore and the auxiliary protein or peptide together form a continuous channel across the membrane, the channel comprising a first constriction region and a second constriction region; wherein the first constriction region is formed by a portion of the nanopore, and wherein the second constriction region is formed by at least a portion of the auxiliary protein or peptide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicants: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited, VIB VZW, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: Han Remaut, Sander Van Der Verren, Nani Van Gerven, Lakmal Nishantha Jayasinghe, Elizabeth Jayne Wallace, Pratik Raj Singh, Richard George Hambley, Michael Robert Jordan, John Joseph Kilgour, Andrew John Heron
  • Publication number: 20220042502
    Abstract: A piston compressor, comprising at least one piston compressor element (3) that is provided with a housing (8) with a compression chamber (13) in which a piston (10) is arranged movably back and forth in an axial direction (X-X?) between an upper dead point and a lower dead point by means of a drive shaft (5) driven by a rotary motor (6), and in which between this drive shaft (5) and the piston (10), a kinematic transmission (20) is provided for the primary drive of the piston (10), characterized in that the piston (10) is provided with a complementary drive (25) in the form of an electromagnetic linear drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicants: ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP, VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
    Inventors: Björn VERRELST, Jarl BECKERS
  • Publication number: 20220024994
    Abstract: Provided is a method of characterising a polynucleotide using a transmembrane pore, wherein the pore is a double pore comprising a first Csg G pore, or a homologue thereof, and a second CsgG pore, or a homologue thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicants: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited, VIB VZW, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: Lakmal Nishantha Jayasinghe, Elizabeth Jayne Wallace, Pratik Raj Singh, Richard George Hambley, Michael Jordan, Han Remaut
  • Publication number: 20220024985
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel protein pores and their uses in analyte detection and characterisation. The invention particularly relates to an isolated pore complex formed by a CsgG-like pore and a modified CsgF peptide, or a homologue or mutant thereof, thereby incorporating an additional channel constriction or reader head in the nanopore. The invention further relates to a transmembrane pore complex and methods for production of the pore complex and for use in molecular sensing and nucleic acid sequencing applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicants: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited, VIB VZW, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: Han Remaut, Sander Egbert Van Der Verren, Nani Van Gerven, Lakmal Nishantha Jayasinghe, Elizabeth Jayne Wallace, Pratik Raj Singh, Richard George Hambley, Michael Robert Jordan, John Joseph Kilgour
  • Patent number: 11215447
    Abstract: A transducer for assisting in measuring displacement or strain in an object of interest is described. A plate has at least two end sections for mounting the transducer. It comprises a flexible connection between the two end sections. The flexible connection comprises a plurality of rigid portions and flexible interconnections between the rigid portions for allowing relative movement of the rigid portions with respect to each other. The flexible connection has a central section substantially having a U-shape comprising two rigid portions spaced from each other over a distance and adapted for positioning a strain sensing element at the spacing in between said two rigid portions. The rigid portions and flexible interconnections are arranged so that a displacement applied to the end sections results in a relative displacement at the spacing in the central section that is larger than the relative displacement applied to the end sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
    Inventors: Urszula Nawrot, Thomas Geernaert, Francis Berghmans, Hugo Thienpont
  • Publication number: 20210372384
    Abstract: A piston compressor containing a housing with a compression chamber in it, having an inlet and an outlet and a piston arranged movably back and forth in an axial direction in the compression chamber between an upper dead point and a lower dead point, delimited by a kinematic mechanism with which the piston is connected. The drive is formed exclusively by an electromagnetic linear drive of the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicants: ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP, VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
    Inventors: Bjorn VERRELST, Jarl BECKERS
  • Patent number: 11162953
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of GPCR structure biology and signaling. In particular, the present invention relates to protein binding domains directed against or capable of specifically binding to a functional conformational state of a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). More specifically, the present invention provides protein binding domains that are capable of increasing the stability of a functional conformational state of a GPCR, in particular, increasing the stability of a GPCR in its active conformational state. The protein binding domains of the present invention can be used as a tool for the structural and functional characterization of G-protein-coupled receptors bound to various natural and synthetic ligands, as well as for screening and drug discovery efforts targeting GPCRs. Moreover, the invention also encompasses the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic usefulness of these protein binding domains for GPCR-related diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignees: VIB VZW, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Jr University
    Inventors: Jan Steyaert, Els Pardon, Soren G. F. Rasmussen, Juan Jose Fung, Brian Kobilka, Toon Laeremans
  • Patent number: 11162954
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of GPCR structure biology and signaling. In particular, the present invention relates to protein binding domains directed against or capable of specifically binding to a functional conformational state of a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). More specifically, the present invention provides protein binding domains that are capable of increasing the stability of a functional conformational state of a GPCR, in particular, increasing the stability of a GPCR in its active conformational state. The protein binding domains of the present invention can be used as a tool for the structural and functional characterization of G-protein-coupled receptors bound to various natural and synthetic ligands, as well as for screening and drug discovery efforts targeting GPCRs. Moreover, the invention also encompasses the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic usefulness of these protein binding domains for GPCR-related diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignees: VIB VZW, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Board of Trustees Leland Stanford Jr University
    Inventors: Jan Steyaert, Els Pardon, Soren G. F. Rasmussen, Juan Jose Fung, Brian Kobilka, Toon Laeremans
  • Publication number: 20210292376
    Abstract: The invention relates to mutant forms of CsgG. The invention also related to analyte detection and characterisation using CsgG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicants: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ltd., VIB VZW, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: Stefan Howorka, Han Remaut, Lakmal Jayasinghe, Elizabeth Jayne Wallace, James Clarke, Richard George Hambley, Jonathan Bankes Pugh
  • Publication number: 20210284696
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel protein pores and their uses in analyte detection and characterisation. The invention particularly relates to an isolated pore complex formed by a CsgG-like pore and a modified CsgF peptide, or a homologue or mutant thereof, thereby incorporating an additional channel constriction or reader head in the nanopore. The invention further relates to a transmembrane pore complex and methods for production of the pore complex and for use in molecular sensing and nucleic acid sequencing applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicants: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited, VIB VZW, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: Han Remaut, Sander Van Der Verren, Nani Van Gerven, Lakmal Jayasinghe, Elizabeth Jayne Wallace, Pratik Raj Singh, Richard George Hambley, Michael Jordan, John Joseph Kilgour