Patents Examined by Mindy G Brown
  • Patent number: 10167478
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the production and use of covalently closed circular (ccc) recombinant DNA molecules such as plasmids, cosmids, bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs), bacteriophages, viral vectors and hybrids thereof, and more particularly to vector modifications that improve expression of said DNA molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Nature Technology Corporation
    Inventor: James A. Williams
  • Patent number: 10130715
    Abstract: The present invention relates in some aspects to compositions (e.g., pharmaceutical, nutritional compositions, etc.), formulations, and food or beverage products comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of (a) ?-alanine or a derivative of ?-alanine, and (b) at least one agent that inhibits the N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) pathway or a pathway which converges downstream with the NMDA pathway. The compositions, formulations, and food or beverage products are useful for enhancing physical performance, reducing ?-alanine-induced paraesthesia, and improving tolerance and compliance to higher doses of ?-alanine, thereby reducing the length of time it takes to achieve peak effect of ?-alanine, and increasing the magnitude of peak effect on physical performance in a human or animal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Inventors: Hector L. Lopez, Timothy N. Ziegenfuss
  • Patent number: 10041128
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and kits for identifying, diagnosing, prognosing, and monitoring cervical cancer. These methods include determining the methylation status or the expression levels of particular genes, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: MD×Health SA
    Inventors: Wim Van Criekinge, Valerie Deregowski, Luc Dehaspe, G. Bea A. Wisman, Ate G. J. Van der Zee, E. M. D. Schuuring
  • Patent number: 9988667
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and devices for single object detection. The methods and devices can be used to identify a plurality of epigenetic markers on a genetic material, or a chromatin, encompassing fragments thereof. The invention provides for the characterization of the genetic material flowing through a channel in a continuous body of fluid based on detection of one or more properties of the genetic material. The methods and systems provided herein allow genome-wide, high-throughput epigenetic analysis and overcome a variety of limitations common to bulk analysis techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Cornell University
    Inventors: Harold G. Craighead, Benjamin R. Cipriany, Stephen Levy, Paul Soloway
  • Patent number: 9988637
    Abstract: A Cas9 expression plasmid, a genome editing system and a genome editing method for Escherichia coli are provided. The Cas9 expression plasmid includes a tracrRNA sequence, a Cas9 gene and a chloramphenicol resistance gene (CmR). The Cas9 expression plasmid is applied to CRISPR/Cas-coupled ?-red recombineering system for editing genomes of E. coli with high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignees: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERISTY, CHANG CHUN PLASTICS CO., LTD, CHANG CHUN PETROCHEMICAL CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yu Chen Hu, Mu-En Chung, I-Hsin Yeh, Hung Li, Li-Yu Sung
  • Patent number: 9951108
    Abstract: A general method and strains of bacteria are described by means where the endogenous DNAK protein or homolog of the DNAK protein is tagged with a recognizable amino acid sequence and that through this tag, DNAK may be efficiently removed, and as such, recombinant protein purification may be greatly improved both in yield and purity with simplified purification steps that remove the DNAK and reduced cost, waste accumulation and labor, and the isolated recombinant protein will significantly benefit research and therapeutics in its application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: IDEA TREE, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Longo
  • Patent number: 9944998
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods, compositions, systems, and kits for recombination assays, many of which involve amplification reactions such as PCR or droplet digital PCR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: George Karlin-Neumann, Svilen Tzonev
  • Patent number: 9938553
    Abstract: Disclosed are devices and methods to synthesize polynucleotides and libraries of polynucleotides such as libraries of oligonucleotides. In exemplary embodiments, the device includes a support having a plurality of features. Each feature contains a plurality of oligonucleotides. Within each feature, each of the plurality of oligonucleotides includes an identical predetermined subunit sequence of X nucleosides and a degenerate sequence of Y nucleosides. A predetermined combination of a subset of the features can be used to produce a polynucleotide having a predetermined sequence of Z nucleosides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Gen9, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Jacobson
  • Patent number: 9932599
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to novel polynucleotide molecules for use in regulating gene expression in recombinant cells, such as labyrinthulomycetes cells. The disclosure further relates to nucleic acid constructs, such as vectors and expression cassettes, containing a regulatory element operably linked to a heterologous nucleotide sequence. The disclosure further relates to methods for stably transforming a host cell, such as a labyrinthulomycetes cell with transgenes. Stably transformed recombinant cells, progeny, biomaterials derived therefrom, and methods for preparing and using the same are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Synthetic Genomics, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicky C. Caiazza, Maung Nyan Win, Jun Urano
  • Patent number: 9868937
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for improving cardiac function, myocardial contractility and relaxation in a mammal are provided. Cardiomyocytes transfected with one or more expression vectors comprising a ribonucleotide reductase subunit R1-encoding nucleic acid sequence and a ribonucleotide reductase subunit R2-encoding nucleic acid sequence operably linked to a promoter are grafted to a mammalian myocardium. Also provided are compositions and methods for delivering dATP to a myocardium through grafting of donor cells overexpressing R1 and R2. dATP is thereby produced in situ and delivered through gap junctions established between donor cells and host cardiomyocytes. Alternatively, viral vector(s) having the R1 and R2-encoding construct(s) are administered to the mammal directly. Improvement of cardiac function can also be effected by administration of vectors comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a L48Q, 61 Q, or L57Q cTnC variant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Michael Regnier, Michael Laflamme, Charles Murry, F. Steven Korte, Scott Lundy, Stephen Denison Hauschka, Jeffrey S. Chamberlain, Guy Odom
  • Patent number: 9862954
    Abstract: A vector production system is provided. The system comprises recombinant cells designed to encode at least a first recombinase under the control of an inducible promoter and the cells include an expression vector encoding a nucleic acid of interest within the regulatory elements of the expression vector which are flanked on either side by a target sequence for at least the first recombinase. The vector production system provides an efficient one-step process for producing linear or circular covalently closed vectors that incorporate a nucleic acid sequence of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Mediphage Bioceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: Roderick Slavcev, Nafiseh Nafissi
  • Patent number: 9833476
    Abstract: The invention is directed to T cells and other cells that express chimeric NK-p30 receptors (“chimeric NKp30 T cells”), methods of making and using chimeric NKp30 T cells, and methods of using these chimeric NKp30 T cells, isolated populations thereof, and compositions comprising the same. In another aspect, said chimeric NKp30 T cells are further designed to express a functional non-TCR receptor. The disclosure also pertains to methods of making said chimeric NKp30 T cells, and methods of reducing or ameliorating, or preventing or treating, diseases and disorders using said chimeric NKp30 T cells, populations thereof, or compositions comprising the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
    Inventors: Tong Zhang, Charles L. Sentman
  • Patent number: 9821354
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of remediating contaminated soil with heavy metal using a microorganism of Sporosarcina sp. Contaminated soil is inoculated with the Sporosarcina sp. KM-01 (Sporosarcina pasteurii KM-01) strain includes a base sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1, the Sporosarcina sp. KM-07 (Sporosarcina pasteurii KM-07) strain includes a base sequence of SEQ ID NO. 2, and the Sporosarcina sp. KM-12 (Sporosarcina pasteurii KM-12) strain includes a base sequence of SEQ ID NO. 3. The strains are capable of producing urease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF GEOSCIENCE AND MINERAL RESOURCES (KIGAM)
    Inventors: In Hyun Nam, Jae Gon Kim, Chul-Min Chon, Min-Jeong Park
  • Patent number: 9822357
    Abstract: The invention refers to a library of bidirectional expression cassettes or expression vectors comprising a repertoire of bidirectional promoter sequences, each expression cassette comprising a promoter sequence operably linked to a first gene in one direction, and operably linked to an oppositely oriented second gene in the other direction which is different from the first gene, and bidirectional Pichia pastoris or CHO cells promoter sequences. The invention further refers to a method of screening or selecting a bidirectional promoter suitable for expressing at least two GOI in a host cell and a kit comprising a) an expression cassette consisting of the first and second genes and a stuffer sequence separating them, which stuffer sequence comprises a recognition site for a type IIS restriction enzyme at both ends; b) the type IIS restriction enzyme; c) and a repertoire of promoter, preferably a promoter library including bidirectional promoters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT GRAZ
    Inventors: Thomas Vogl, Thomas Kickenweiz, Lukas Sturmberger, Anton Glieder
  • Patent number: 9803208
    Abstract: The present invention now provides a conditional vector comprising DNA encoding for: (i) an inducible expression cassette comprising an inducible promoter operably linked to a plasmid replication region; and (ii) a selectable marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
    Inventors: Nigel Peter Minton, Ying Zhang
  • Patent number: 9783810
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a first gene encodes a reporter protein. The first gene is disposed at the downstream of the gene promoter. A second gene is disposed at the downstream of the gene promoter and encodes a replication origin-binding protein. An internal ribosome entry site is disposed between the first gene and the second gene. The transcription termination signal sequence encodes a signal for terminating the transcription of the first gene and the second gene. A replication origin sequence is recognized by the replication origin-binding protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichi Akahoshi, Mitsuko Ishihara
  • Patent number: 9777064
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of RNA Control Devices and/or destabilizing elements (DE) combined with Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs) in eukaryotic cells. The present invention also relates to split CARs (Side-CARs) in eukaryotic cells. More specifically, the present invention relates to DEs, RNA Control Devices, and/or side-CARs combined with Chimeric Antigen Receptors to make small molecule actuatable CAR polypeptides. The present invention also relates to DE-CARs, Smart CARs (Smart=small molecule actuatable RNA trigger), Smart-DE-CARs, and/or Side-CARs for use in the treatment of disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Chimera Bioengineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Wang, Gusti Zeiner
  • Patent number: 9777334
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for diagnosing an increased risk for the development of aggressive, invasive breast cancer are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for State University of New York
    Inventors: Henri Tiedge, Anna Iacoangeli, Gerald A. Soff
  • Patent number: 9771622
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for packaging reporter nucleic acid molecules into non-replicative transduction particles for use as reporter molecules. The non-replicative transduction particles can be constructed from viruses and use viral transduction and replication systems. The reporter nucleic acid molecules include a reporter gene, such as a reporter molecule or selectable marker, for detecting target genes or cells. Methods and systems are provided for detection of cells and target nucleic acid molecules using the non-replicative transduction particles as reporter molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Geneweave Biosciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Diego Ariel Rey, Nikol de Forest, Heather Cox, Soni Shukla
  • Patent number: 9758832
    Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for research, diagnostic, drug screening, and therapeutic applications related to paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis and related conditions. In particular, the present invention provides mutations in the myofibrillogenesis regulator 1 (MR-1) gene associated with such conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: John K. Fink, Shirley Rainier