Patents by Inventor Erik Jacob Vrij

Erik Jacob Vrij 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: 9822336
    Abstract: A method for making an at least double layered cell aggregate and/or an artificial blastocyst, and/or a further-developed blastoid termed blastoid, by forming a double layered cell aggregate from at least one trophoblast cell and at least one pluripotent and/or totipotent cell, and culturing the aggregate to obtain an artificial blastocyst having a trophectoderm-like tissue that surrounds a blastocoel and an inner cell mass-like tissue. The cell aggregate can be formed from toti- or pluripotent stem cell types, or induced pluripotent stem cell types, in combination with trophoblast stem cells. Formation of a blastoid can be achieved by culturing the cell aggregate in a medium preferably comprising one or more of a Rho/ROCK inhibitor, a Wnt pathway modulator, a PKA pathway modulator, a PKC pathway modulator, a MAPK pathway modulator, a STAT pathway modulator, an Akt pathway modulator, a Tgf pathway modulator and a Hippo pathway modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: UNIVERSITEIT MAASTRICHT, KONINKLIJKE NEDERLANDSE AKADEMIE VAN WETENSCHAPPEN
    Inventors: Nicolas Clément Rivron, Clemens Antoni Van Blitterswijk, Niels Geijsen, Erik Jacob Vrij
  • Publication number: 20160257926
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a new approach to constructing cellular aggregates in vitro and their use in methods for producing 3D-tissue constructs in a modular way. In particular, the disclosure is directed to a method for in vitro producing a tissue construct comprising: a) combining living cells to form supracellular aggregates using spatial confinement; b) combining two or more of the supracellular aggregates in a mold or on a biomaterial; c) applying conditions that induce self-assembly within the combined supracellular aggregates to obtain the tissue construct; and d) applying conditions that induce tissue morphogenesis in the tissue construct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Nicolas Clément Rivron, Jeroen Rouwkema, Roman Truckenmuller, Séverine Le Gac, Clemens Antoni Van Blitterswijk, Erik Jacob Vrij
  • Patent number: 9303245
    Abstract: The invention relates to a new approach to constructing cellular aggregates in vitro and their use in methods for producing 3D-tissue constructs in a modular way. In particular, the invention is directed to a method for in vitro producing a tissue construct comprising: a) combining living cells to form supracellular aggregates using spatial confinement; b) combining two or more of the supracellular aggregates in a mold or on a biomaterial; c) applying conditions that induce self-assembly within the combined supracellular aggregates to obtain the tissue construct; and d) applying conditions that induce tissue morphogenesis in the tissue construct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Universiteit Maastricht
    Inventors: Nicolas Clément Rivron, Jeroen Rouwkema, Roman Truckenmuller, Séverine Le Gac, Clemens Antoni Van Blitterswijk, Erik Jacob Vrij
  • Publication number: 20160060593
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making an at least double layered cell aggregate and/or an artificial blastocyst, and/or a further-developed blastoid termed blastoid, by forming a double layered cell aggregate from at least one trophoblast cell and at least one pluripotent and/or totipotent cell, and culturing said aggregate to obtain an artificial blastocyst. This artificial blastocyst has a trophectoderm-like tissue that surrounds a blastocoel and an inner cell mass-like tissue. The cell aggregate can be formed from toti- or pluripotent stem cell types, or induced pluripotent stem cell types, in combination with trophoblast stem cells. Formation of a blastoid can be achieved by culturing the cell aggregate in a medium preferably comprising one or more of a Rho/ROCK inhibitor, a Wnt pathway modulator, a PKA pathway modulator, a PKC pathway modulator, a MAPK pathway modulator, a STAT pathway modulator, an Akt pathway modulator, a Tgf pathway modulator and a Hippo pathway modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Nicolas Clément Rivron, Clemens Antoni Van Blitterswijk, Niels Geijsen, Erik Jacob Vrij
  • Publication number: 20110171712
    Abstract: The invention relates to a new approach to constructing cellular aggregates in vitro and their use in methods for producing 3D-tissue constructs in a modular way. In particular, the invention is directed to a method for in vitro producing a tissue construct comprising: a) combining living cells to form supracellular aggregates using spatial confinement; b) combining two or more of the supracellular aggregates in a mold or on a biomaterial; c) applying conditions that induce self-assembly within the combined supracellular aggregates to obtain the tissue construct; and d) applying conditions that induce tissue morphogenesis in the tissue construct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: UNIVERSITEIT TWENTE
    Inventors: Nicolas Clément Rivron, Jeroen Rouwkema, Roman Truckenmuller, Séverine Le Gac, Clemens Antoni Blitterswijk, Erik Jacob Vrij