Patents by Inventor Christopher Ahern

Christopher Ahern 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).

  • Methods of Rescuing Stop Codons via Genetic Reassignment with ACE-tRNA
    Publication number: 20260209763
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a modified transfer RNA (tRNA) comprising a T-arm, a D-arm, an anticodon-arm and an acceptor arm, wherein the T-arm comprises nucleotides that interact with the elongation factor 1 alpha protein, and methods of use thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2026
    Publication date: July 23, 2026
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Christopher Ahern, John D. Lueck
  • Methods of rescuing stop codons via genetic reassignment with ACE-tRNA
    Patent number: 12565649
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a modified transfer RNA (tRNA) comprising a T-arm, a D-arm, an anticodon-arm and an acceptor arm, wherein the T-arm comprises nucleotides that interact with the elongation factor 1 alpha protein, and methods of use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2026
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Christopher Ahern, John D. Lueck
  • Methods of rescuing stop codons via genetic reassignment with ACE-tRNA
    Patent number: 12559749
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a modified transfer RNA (tRNA) comprising a T-arm, a D-arm, an anticodon-arm and an acceptor arm, wherein the T-arm comprises nucleotides that interact with the elongation factor 1 alpha protein, and methods of use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2026
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Christopher Ahern, John D. Lueck
  • METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS RELATED TO TRNA THERAPEUTICS FOR TREATING VISION LOSS
    Publication number: 20250257354
    Abstract: Provided herein are compositions and methods related to tRNA therapeutics for treating vision loss and blindness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 14, 2025
    Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Christopher Ahern, Bikash Pattnaik, Shaoqin Gong, Yuyuan Wang
  • SITE-SPECIFIC ENCODING OF FLUORINATED PHENYLALANINE RESIDUES IN BACTERIAL AND MAMMALIAN CELLS
    Publication number: 20250179465
    Abstract: The present invention provides in certain embodiments comprising a pyrrolysine-based aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase and a tRNA to form a pyrrolysine-based aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA pair. The present invention also provides novel pyrrolysine-based aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, cells and compositions comprising pyrrolysine-based aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. The present invention also provides methods of using these pyrrolysine-based aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2023
    Publication date: June 5, 2025
    Applicants: University of Iowa Research Foundation, Oregon State University
    Inventors: Christopher Ahern, Daniel Infield, Richard Cooley, Ryan Mehl
  • METHOD TO INVESTIGATE FUNCTION OF VOLTAGE-GATED SODIUM CHANNELS IN CELLS
    Publication number: 20250020634
    Abstract: In a first aspect, provided herein is a beta/MPZ family-subunit-eliminated (beta/MPZ?) engineered-cell comprising a cell with functionally inactivated SCN1B, SCN2B, SCN3B, SCN4B, MPZL1, MPZL2, MPZL3, MPZ and JAML genes. In certain aspects, the beta/MPZ? cell further comprising a defined engineered voltage-gated sodium channel, wherein the engineered voltage-gated sodium channel comprises a sodium channel alpha subunit, at least one sodium channel beta subunit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Christopher AHERN, Robert PIPER, Annabel MINARD, Colin CLARK
  • SENSE,SUPPRESSOR TRANSFER RNA COMPOSITIONS AND RELATED USES AND FUNCTIONS
    Publication number: 20240318173
    Abstract: The present invention is related at least in part to sense, suppressor transfer RNAs (sstRNAs) comprising an acceptor stem and anticodon arm that comprises a noncognate triplet codon, as well as methods of use thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventor: Christopher AHERN
  • Methods of Rescuing Stop Codons via Genetic Reassignment with ACE-tRNA
    Publication number: 20240182891
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a modified transfer RNA (tRNA) comprising a T-arm, a D-arm, an anticodon-arm and an acceptor arm, wherein the T-arm comprises nucleotides that interact with the elongation factor 1 alpha protein, and methods of use thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Christopher AHERN, John D. LUECK
  • Methods of Rescuing Stop Codons via Genetic Reassignment with ACE-tRNA
    Publication number: 20230407300
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a modified transfer RNA (tRNA) comprising a T-arm, a D-arm, an anticodon-arm and an acceptor arm, wherein the T-arm comprises nucleotides that interact with the elongation factor 1 alpha protein, and methods of use thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Christopher AHERN, John D. LUECK
  • Methods of rescuing stop codons via genetic reassignment with ACE-tRNA
    Patent number: 11661600
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a modified transfer RNA (tRNA) comprising a T-arm, a D-arm, and anticodon-arm and an acceptor arm, wherein the T-arm comprises nucleotides that interact with the elongation factor 1 alpha protein, and methods of use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Christopher Ahern, John D. Lueck
  • METHODS OF RESCUING STOP CODONS VIA GENETIC REASSIGNMENT WITH ACE-TRNA
    Publication number: 20200291401
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a modified transfer RNA (tRNA) comprising a T-arm, a D-arm, and anticodon-arm and an acceptor arm, wherein the T-arm comprises nucleotides that interact with the elongation factor 1 alpha protein, and methods of use thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Christopher Ahern, John D. Lueck