Patents by Inventor David A. Tirrell

David A. Tirrell 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).

  • Publication number: 20120077228
    Abstract: Methods for producing modified polypeptides containing amino acid analogues are disclosed. The invention further provides purified dihydrofolate reductase polypeptides, produced by the methods of the invention, in which the methionine residues have been replaced with homoallylglycine, homoproparglycine, norvaline, norleucine, cis-crotylglycine, trans-crotylglycine, 2-aminoheptanoic acid, 2-butynylglycine and allylglycine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: David A. Tirrell, Kristi Lynn Kiick
  • Publication number: 20120064563
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes cell-based sensors. Cell-based sensors can comprise cells coupled with a sensor for sensing change of configuration and/or movement of the cells. Such changes of configuration and/or movement of the cells can be sensed through changes to one or more parameters such as electrical, mechanical and/or optical parameters. By way of example, the sensors can be magnetic based sensors or electrochemical sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventors: Alborz MAHDAVI, Hua WANG, David A. Tirrell, Seyed Ali HAJIMIRI
  • Publication number: 20110288238
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for transport or release of therapeutic and diagnostic agents or metabolites or other analytes from cells, compartments within cells, or through cell layers or barriers are described. The compositions include a membrane barrier transport enhancing agent and are usually administered in combination with an enhancer and/or exposure to stimuli to effect disruption or altered permeability, transport or release. In a preferred embodiment, the compositions include compounds which disrupt endosomal membranes in response to the low pH in the endosomes but which are relatively inactive toward cell membranes, coupled directly or indirectly to a therapeutic or diagnostic agent. Other disruptive agents can also be used, responsive to stimuli and/or enhancers other than pH, such as light, electrical stimuli, electromagnetic stimuli, ultrasound, temperature, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
    Inventors: Allan S. Hoffman, Patrick Stayton, Oliver W. Press, Niren Murthy, Chantal Lackey Reed, Lawrence A. Crum, Pierre D. Mourad, Tyrone M. Porter, David Tirrell
  • Patent number: 8003129
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for transport or release of therapeutic and diagnostic agents or metabolites or other analytes from cells, compartments within cells, or through cell layers or barriers are described. The compositions include a membrane barrier transport enhancing agent and are usually administered in combination with an enhancer and/or exposure to stimuli to effect disruption or altered permeability, transport or release. In a preferred embodiment, the compositions include compounds which disrupt endosomal membranes in response to the low pH in the endosomes but which are relatively inactive toward cell membranes, coupled directly or indirectly to a therapeutic or diagnostic agent. Other disruptive agents can also be used, responsive to stimuli and/or enhancers other than pH, such as light, electrical stimuli, electromagnetic stimuli, ultrasound, temperature, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignees: University of Washington, Univeristy of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Allan S. Hoffman, Patrick Stayton, Oliver W. Press, Niren Murthy, Chantal Lackey Reed, Lawrence A. Crum, Pierre D. Mourad, Tyrone M. Porter, David Tirrell
  • Publication number: 20110008828
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of incorporating nonstandard amino acids into a protein by utilizing a modified aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase to charge the nonstandard amino acid to a modified tRNA, which forms strict Watson-Crick base-pairing with a codon that normally forms wobble base-pairing with natural tRNAs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Inchan Kwon, David Tirrell
  • Publication number: 20100261652
    Abstract: There is provided in one embodiment of the disclosure a tissue adhesive composition comprising an engineered protein having repeated blocks of an elastin domain and at least one cell-binding domain and further comprising a polymer crosslinker. When the engineered protein and the polymer crosslinker are introduced onto a tissue, the engineered protein and the polymer crosslinker initiate an in situ crosslinking reaction to form an adhesive bond that is mechanically strong, transparent, biocompatible, and stimulates regrowth of one or more tissue layers over the adhesive bond. In another embodiment of the disclosure there is provided a molded corneal onlay and method of making the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Muzhou Wang, Matthew S. Mattson, David A. Tirrell, Julia A. Kornfield
  • Publication number: 20100247433
    Abstract: The invention provides methods, reagents and systems to preferentially mark fast-proliferating cells/tissues (such as cancer), by incorporating non-natural amino acids into proteins, preferably in vivo, using the endogenous protein synthesis machinery of an organism. The incorporated non-natural amino acids contain reactive groups for further chemical reagents, which may serve as a “handle” to for a number of uses, such as imaging of cancer cells, targeting drugs to preferentially kill cancer cells, and proteomic analysis in the context of large scale or high throughput screening for candidate drug leads that affects the proliferation of a target cell, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: David Tirrell, Daniela C. Dieterich, Aaron J. Link, Erin Schuman
  • Publication number: 20100233242
    Abstract: The present invention provides engineered proteins and biomedical products made from the engineered proteins. The biomedical products include lenses useful for ophthalmic purposes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicants: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: DAVID A. TIRRELL, Daniel M. Schwartz, Paul J. Nowatzki, Robert H. Grubbs
  • Publication number: 20100184193
    Abstract: Methods for producing modified polypeptides containing amino acid analogues are disclosed. The invention further provides purified dihydrofolate reductase polypeptides, produced by the methods of the invention, in which the methionine residues have been replaced with homoallylglycine, homoproparglycine, norvaline, norleucine, cis-crotylglycine, trans-crotylglycine, 2-aminoheptanoic acid, 2-butynylglycine and allylglycine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: David A. Tirrell, Kristi Lynn Kiick
  • Patent number: 7723070
    Abstract: Methods for producing modified polypeptides containing amino acid analogues are disclosed. The invention further provides purified dihydrofolate reductase polypeptides, produced by the methods of the invention, in which the methionine residues have been replaced with homoallylglycine, homoproparglycine, norvaline, norleucine, cis-crotylglycine, trans-crotylglycine, 2-aminoheptanoic acid, 2-butynylglycine and allylglycine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: David A. Tirrell, Kristi Lynn Kiick
  • Publication number: 20090221448
    Abstract: The present invention provides a microarray having one or more fusion proteins non-covalently attached to a solid support. Non-covalent attachment is achieved by designing a fusion protein having a polyanionic domain attached to a subject protein, and attaching the fusion protein to a solid support having a polycationic coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: David A. Tirrell
  • Publication number: 20090221790
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing modified stable polypeptides introducing at least one non-natural amino acid into the hydrophobic region of the polypeptide. The thermal and chemical stability of such polypeptides is improved compared to those properties of its corresponding wild type proteins. The invention further provides purified leucine zipper and coiled-coil proteins in which the leucine residues have been replaced with 5,5,5-trifluoroleucines, and the modified proteins so produced demonstrate increased thermal and chemical stability compared to their corresponding wild-type natural proteins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: David A. Tirrell, Yi Tang
  • Publication number: 20090035836
    Abstract: The invention provides methods, systems and reagents for regulating pH-sensitive protein interaction by incorporating non-natural amino acids into the protein (e.g. an antibody, or its functional fragment, derivative, etc.). The invention also relates to specific uses in regulating pH-sensitive binding of antibodies to tumor site, by conferring enhanced tumor-specificity/selectivity. In that embodiment, the non-natural amino acids preferably have desirable side-chain pKa's, such that at below physiological pH (e.g. about pH 6.3-6.5) the non-natural amino acid confer enhanced binding to tumor antigens in acidic environments. Such non-natural amino acids can be incorporated by any suitable means, such as by utilizing a modified aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase to charge the nonstandard amino acid to a modified tRNA, which forms strict Watson-Crick base-pairing with a codon that normally forms wobble base-pairing with natural tRNAs (e.g. the degenerate codon orthogonal system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Deepshikha Datta, William A. Goddard, David Tirrell, Joyce Yaochun Peng
  • Patent number: 7462463
    Abstract: The present invention provides a microarray having one or more fusion proteins non-covalently attached to a solid support. Non-covalent attachment is achieved by designing a fusion protein having a polyanionic domain attached to a subject protein, and attaching the fusion protein to a solid support having a polycationic coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventor: David A. Tirrell
  • Patent number: 7449443
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing modified stable polypeptides introducing at least one non-natural amino acid into the hydrophobic region of the polypeptide. The thermal and chemical stability of such polypeptides is improved compared to those properties of its corresponding wild type proteins. The invention further provides purified leucine zipper and coiled-coil proteins in which the leucine residues have been replaced with 5,5,5-trifluoroleucines, and the modified proteins so produced demonstrate increased thermal and chemical stability compared to their corresponding wild-type natural proteins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: David A. Tirrell, Yi Tang
  • Publication number: 20080199957
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for transport or release of therapeutic and diagnostic agents or metabolites or other analytes from cells, compartments within cells, or through cell layers or barriers are described. The compositions include a membrane barrier transport enhancing agent and are usually administered in combination with an enhancer and/or exposure to stimuli to effect disruption or altered permeability, transport or release. In a preferred embodiment, the compositions include compounds which disrupt endosomal membranes in response to the low pH in the endosomes but which are relatively inactive toward cell membranes, coupled directly or indirectly to a therapeutic or diagnostic agent. Other disruptive agents can also be used, responsive to stimuli and/or enhancers other than pH, such as light, electrical stimuli, electromagnetic stimuli, ultrasound, temperature, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: WASHINGTON, UNIVERSITY OF
    Inventors: Allan S. Hoffman, Patrick Stayton, Oliver W. Press, Niren Murthy, Chantal Lackey Reed, Lawrence A. Crum, Pierre D. Mourad, Tyrone M. Porter, David Tirrell
  • Publication number: 20080160609
    Abstract: Methods for producing modified polypeptides containing amino acid analogues are disclosed. The invention further provides purified dihydrofolate reductase polypeptides, produced by the methods of the invention, in which the methionine residues have been replaced with homoallylglycine, homoproparglycine, norvaline, norleucine, cis-crotylglycine, trans-crotylglycine, 2-aminoheptanoic acid, 2-butynylglycine and allylglycine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: David A. Tirrell, Kristi Lynn Kiick
  • Patent number: 7374778
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for transport or release of therapeutic and diagnostic agents or metabolites or other analytes from cells, compartments within cells, or through cell layers or barriers are described. The compositions include a membrane barrier transport enhancing agent and are usually administered in combination with an enhancer and/or exposure to stimuli to effect disruption or altered permeability, transport or release. In a preferred embodiment, the compositions include compounds which disrupt endosomal membranes in response to the low pH in the endosomes but which are relatively inactive toward cell membranes, coupled directly or indirectly to a therapeutic or diagnostic agent. Other disruptive agents can also be used, responsive to stimuli and/or enhancers other than pH, such as light, electrical stimuli, electromagnetic stimuli, ultrasound, temperature, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignees: University of Washington, University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Allan S. Hoffman, Patrick Stayton, Oliver W. Press, Niren Murthy, Chantal Lackey Reed, Lawrence A. Crum, Pierre D. Mourad, Tyrone M. Porter, David Tirrell
  • Publication number: 20080044854
    Abstract: The invention provides certain embodiments relating to methods and compositions for incorporating non-natural amino acids into a polypeptide or protein by utilizing a mutant or modified aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase to charge the non-natural amino acid to a the corresponding tRNA. In certain embodiments, the tRNA is also modified such that the complex forms strict Watson-Crick base-pairing with a codon that normally forms wobble base-pairing with unmodified tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase pairs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Pin Wang, Inchan Kwon, Soojin Son, Yi Tang, David Tirrell
  • Publication number: 20080026422
    Abstract: Methods for producing modified polypeptides containing amino acid analogues are disclosed. The invention further provides purified dihydrofolate reductase polypeptides, produced by the methods of the invention, in which the methionine residues have been replaced with homoallylglycine, homoproparglycine, norvaline, norleucine, cis-crotylglycine, trans-crotylglycine, 2-aminoheptanoic acid, 2-butynylglycine and allylglycine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: David Tirrell, Kristi Kiick