Patents by Inventor Charles F. McTiernan

Charles F. McTiernan 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).

  • Patent number: 11737971
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a lipid-based microbubble stably binding a plurality of nucleic acids, and a method of delivering the microbubble and nucleic acids to a specific target site using ultrasound. The delivered nucleic acids create transgenic cells (i.e., for example, a transgenic tumor cell), wherein the transgenic cell expresses the proteins encoded by the delivered nucleic acids. This technology provides a significant improvement for microbubble-drug delivery platforms as known microbubble do not efficiently bind nucleic acids. The improvements described herein include but are not limited to identifying proper lipid proportionality ratios and/or cationic surfactant layers that provide an optimum mechanical index compatible with ultrasonics. Microbubble perfusion and/or nucleic acid delivery may be performed by a combination of imaging and ultrasound/microbubble targeted delivery to simultaneously perform low power two-dimensional imaging and high power microbubble destruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: University Of Pittsburgh—Of The Commonwealth System Of Higher Education
    Inventors: Flordeliza Villanueva, Andrew Carson, Charles F McTiernan, Jianjun Wang
  • Publication number: 20220289809
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of using relaxin polypeptides and analogs, or nucleic acid molecules encoding such polypeptides to treat or inhibit atrial fibrillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: David S. Schwartzman, Sanjeev G. Shroff, Guy Salama, Charles F. McTiernan
  • Publication number: 20200214973
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a lipid-based microbubble stably binding a plurality of nucleic acids, and a method of delivering the microbubble and nucleic acids to a specific target site using ultrasound. The delivered nucleic acids create transgenic cells (i.e., for example, a transgenic tumor cell), wherein the transgenic cell expresses the proteins encoded by the delivered nucleic acids. This technology provides a significant improvement for microbubble-drug delivery platforms as known microbubble do not efficiently bind nucleic acids. The improvements described herein include but are not limited to identifying proper lipid proportionality ratios and/or cationic surfactant layers that provide an optimum mechanical index compatible with ultrasonics. Microbubble perfusion and/or nucleic acid delivery may be performed by a combination of imaging and ultrasound/microbubble targeted delivery to simultaneously perform low power two-dimensional imaging and high power microbubble destruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Flordeliza Villanueva, Andrew Carson, Charles F. McTiernan, Jianjun Wang
  • Publication number: 20200087371
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of using relaxin polypeptides and analogs, or nucleic acid molecules encoding such polypeptides to treat or inhibit atrial fibrillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: David S. Schwartzman, Sanjeev G. Shroff, Guy Salama, Charles F. McTiernan
  • Patent number: 10588853
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a lipid-based microbubble stably binding a plurality of nucleic acids, and a method of delivering the microbubble and nucleic acids to a specific target site using ultrasound. The delivered nucleic acids create transgenic cells (i.e., for example, a transgenic tumor cell), wherein the transgenic cell expresses the proteins encoded by the delivered nucleic acids. This technology provides a significant improvement for microbubble-drug delivery platforms as known microbubble do not efficiently bind nucleic acids. The improvements described herein include but are not limited to identifying proper lipid proportionality ratios and/or cationic surfactant layers that provide an optimum mechanical index compatible with ultrasonics. Microbubble perfusion and/or nucleic acid delivery may be performed by a combination of imaging and ultrasound/microbubble targeted delivery to simultaneously perform low power two-dimensional imaging and high power microbubble destruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: University Of Pittsburgh—Of The Commonwealth System Of Higher Education
    Inventors: Flordeliza Villanueva, Andrew Carson, Charles F McTiernan, Jianjun Wang
  • Publication number: 20180140542
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a lipid-based microbubble stably binding a plurality of nucleic acids, and a method of delivering the microbubble and nucleic acids to a specific target site using ultrasound. The delivered nucleic acids create transgenic cells (i.e., for example, a transgenic tumor cell), wherein the transgenic cell expresses the proteins encoded by the delivered nucleic acids. This technology provides a significant improvement for microbubble-drug delivery platforms as known microbubble do not efficiently bind nucleic acids. The improvements described herein include but are not limited to identifying proper lipid proportionality ratios and/or cationic surfactant layers that provide an optimum mechanical index compatible with ultrasonics. Microbubble perfusion and/or nucleic acid delivery may be performed by a combination of imaging and ultrasound/microbubble targeted delivery to simultaneously perform low power two-dimensional imaging and high power microbubble destruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Flordeliza Villanueva, Andrew Carson, Charles F. McTiernan, Jianjun Wang
  • Publication number: 20170368204
    Abstract: The present invention discloses compositions and methods for clinical imaging. In particular, these compositions and methods provide improvements to cardiovascular imaging. Such improvements are drawn to the creation and use of polymer-based microbubbles comprising metal nanoparticle additives that provide contrast images of highly improve resolution when compared to conventional lipid based microbubbles. For example, the compositions and methods may be used for dark field X-ray scattering contrast images for angiography.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Flordeliza S. Villanueva, Bin Qin, Bruce Raymond Whiting, William R. Wagner, Charles F. McTiernan
  • Patent number: 9844504
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a lipid-based microbubble stably binding a plurality of nucleic acids, and a method of delivering the microbubble and nucleic acids to a specific target site using ultrasound. The delivered nucleic acids create transgenic cells (i.e., for example, a transgenic tumor cell), wherein the transgenic cell expresses the proteins encoded by the delivered nucleic acids. This technology provides a significant improvement for microbubble-drug delivery platforms as known microbubble do not efficiently bind nucleic acids. The improvements described herein include but are not limited to identifying proper lipid proportionality ratios and/or cationic surfactant layers that provide an optimum mechanical index compatible with ultrasonics. Microbubble perfusion and/or nucleic acid delivery may be performed by a combination of imaging and ultrasound/microbubble targeted delivery to simultaneously perform low power two-dimensional imaging and high power microbubble destruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Flordeliza Villanueva, Andrew Carson, Charles F. McTiernan, Jianjun Wang
  • Publication number: 20170342120
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of using relaxin polypeptides and analogs, or nucleic acid molecules encoding such polypeptides to treat or inhibit atrial fibrillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: David S. Schwartzman, Sanjeev G. Shroff, Guy Salama, Charles F. McTiernan
  • Publication number: 20150232526
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of using relaxin polypeptides and analogs, or nucleic acid molecules encoding such polypeptides to treat or inhibit atrial fibrillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh-Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: David S. SCHWARTZMAN, Sanjeev G. SHROFF, Guy SALAMA, Charles F. MCTIERNAN
  • Publication number: 20130204166
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a lipid-based microbubble stably binding a plurality of nucleic acids, and a method of delivering the microbubble and nucleic acids to a specific target site using ultrasound. The delivered nucleic acids create transgenic cells (i.e., for example, a transgenic tumor cell), wherein the transgenic cell expresses the proteins encoded by the delivered nucleic acids. This technology provides a significant improvement for microbubble-drug delivery platforms as known microbubble do not efficiently bind nucleic acids. The improvements described herein include but are not limited to identifying proper lipid proportionality ratios and/or cationic surfactant layers that provide an optimum mechanical index compatible with ultrasonics. Microbubble perfusion and/or nucleic acid delivery may be performed by a combination of imaging and ultrasound/microbubble targeted delivery to simultaneously perform low power two-dimensional imaging and high power microbubble destruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Florideliza Villanueva, Andrew Carson, Charles F. McTiernan, Jianjun Wang
  • Patent number: 5917123
    Abstract: The present invention provides transgenic nonhuman mammals that exhibit elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha in myocardium relative to nontransgenic control mammals, and methods for making transgenic non-human mammals. The invention further provides a method for identifying agents useful in the treatment and prevention of cardiac dysfunction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh
    Inventors: Charles F. McTiernan, Arthur M. Feldman, Toru Kubota, Carole Frye