Patents by Inventor Alex Prokop

Alex Prokop has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Capillary perfused bioreactors with multiple chambers
    Patent number: 7534601
    Abstract: A bioreactor for cultivating living cells in a liquid medium. In one embodiment of the present invention, the bioreactor includes a first substrate having a first surface, an opposite second surface and edges. The bioreactor further includes a second substrate having a first surface and an opposite second surface, defining a cavity with a bottom surface, where the bottom surface is located therebetween the first surface and the second surface. The first surface of the first substrate is received by the second surface of the second substrate to cover the cavity so as to form a channel for receiving cells and a liquid medium. In forming the bioreactor, the channel is sized to allow the growth of a layer of cells on a biocompatible coating layer and a flow of liquid in the channel. The flow of liquid is controlled so as to provide a known shear force to the layer of cells. The flow of liquid can be further controlled so as to provide an environment that simulates a vascular space in the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Vanderbilt University
    Inventors: John P. Wikswo, Franz J. Baudenbacher, Alex Prokop, Eugene J. Leboeuf, Chang Y. Chung, David Cliffel, Frederick R. Haselton, William H. Hofmeister, Charles P. Lin, Lisa J. McCawley, Randall S. Reiserer, Mark A. Stremler
  • Bioreactors with multiple chambers
    Publication number: 20060166354
    Abstract: A bioreactor for cultivating living cells in a liquid medium. In one embodiment of the present invention, the bioreactor has a first substrate having a first surface and an opposite second surface, defining a chamber therebetween for receiving the cells and the liquid medium. The bioreactor further has a barrier dividing the chamber into a first subchamber and a second subchamber, wherein the barrier has a porosity to allow the first subchamber and the second subchamber in fluid communication and allow at least one predetermined type of cells to permeate between the first subchamber and the second subchamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: John Wikswo, Franz Baudenbacher, David Cliffel, Frederick Haselton, Eugene Leboeuf, Alex Prokop, Randall Reiserer, Mark Stremler
  • Capillary perfused bioreactors with multiple chambers
    Publication number: 20060141607
    Abstract: A bioreactor for cultivating living cells in a liquid medium. In one embodiment of the present invention, the bioreactor includes a first substrate having a first surface, an opposite second surface and edges. The bioreactor further includes a second substrate having a first surface and an opposite second surface, defining a cavity with a bottom surface, where the bottom surface is located therebetween the first surface and the second surface. The first surface of the first substrate is received by the second surface of the second substrate to cover the cavity so as to form a channel for receiving cells and a liquid medium. In forming the bioreactor, the channel is sized to allow the growth of a layer of cells on a biocompatible coating layer and a flow of liquid in the channel. The flow of liquid is controlled so as to provide a known shear force to the layer of cells. The flow of liquid can be further controlled so as to provide an environment that simulates a vascular space in the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: John Wikswo, Franz Baudenbacher, Alex Prokop, Eugene Leboeuf, Chang Chung, David Cliffel, Frederick Haselton, William Hofmeister, Charles Lin, Lisa McCawley, Randall Reiserer, Mark Stremler