Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery that certain membranes, which include side chains or molecular “brushes” having, for example, tertiary amino functional groups, can be used as highly effective filters to capture viruses/virus particles from liquids without removal of proteins. New methods based on this discovery include removing viruses from liquids such as blood or plasma, removing viruses from pharmaceuticals, concentrating and/or purifying viruses, e.g., for use in gene therapy, and producing recombinant viruses in new bioreactors. The invention also includes new methods of therapy or adjunct therapy for viral infections, in which a patient's blood or plasma is filtered through the membranes to remove viruses to reduce the viral load. The invention also includes new bioreactors and viral filters containing the membranes.

Abstract: The invention provides new methods for purifying and concentrating viruses. The inventors have discovered that high molecular weight proteoglycans present in retroviral stocks are co-concentrated with the retroviruses, and can inhibit retroviral transduction. The new purification and concentration methods feature treatment of virus stock with an anionic polyelectrolyte and a cationic polyelectrolyte, followed by centrifugation. The new methods minimize the amount of proteoglycan co-precipitated with the infectious virus.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery that certain membranes, which include side chains or molecular “brushes” having, for example, tertiary amino functional groups, can be used as highly effective filters to capture viruses/virus particles from liquids without removal of proteins. New methods based on this discovery include removing viruses from liquids such as blood or plasma, removing viruses from pharmaceuticals, concentrating and/or purifying viruses, e.g., for use in gene therapy, and producing recombinant viruses in new bioreactors. The invention also includes new methods of therapy or adjunct therapy for viral infections, in which a patient's blood or plasma is filtered through the membranes to remove viruses to reduce the viral load. The invention also includes new bioreactors and viral filters containing the membranes.

Abstract: The invention relates to microfabricated membranes and matrices that have a highly controlled and complex three-dimensional topography. The new microfabricated membranes and matrices can be prepared of man-made as well as natural materials, such as materials found in naturally occurring membranes, and thus can be made in the form of tissue substitutes or analogs, such as basal lamina, dermal, or skin analogs.

Abstract: The invention relates to microfabricated membranes and matrices that have a highly controlled and complex three-dimensional topography. The new micro fabricated membranes and matrices can be prepared of man-made as well as natural materials, such as materials found in naturally occurring membranes, and thus can be made in the form of tissue substitutes or analogs, such as basal lamina, dermal, or skin analogs.

Abstract: The invention provides new methods for purifying and concentrating viruses. The inventors have discovered that high molecular weight proteoglycans present in retroviral stocks are co-concentrated with the retroviruses, and can inhibit retroviral transduction. The new purification and concentration methods feature treatment of virus stock with an anionic polyelectrolyte and a cationic polyelectrolyte, followed by centrifugation. The new methods minimize the amount of proteoglycan co-precipitated with the infectious virus.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery that certain membranes, which include side chains or molecular “brushes” having, for example, tertiary amino functional groups, can be used as highly effective filters to capture viruses/virus particles from liquids without removal of proteins. New methods based on this discovery include removing viruses from liquids such as blood or plasma, removing viruses from pharmaceuticals, concentrating and/or purifying viruses, e.g., for use in gene therapy, and producing recombinant viruses in new bioreactors. The invention also includes new methods of therapy or adjunct therapy for viral infections, in which a patient's blood or plasma is filtered through the membranes to remove viruses to reduce the viral load. The invention also includes new bioreactors and viral filters containing the membranes.

Abstract: Epithelial cells expressing foreign genetic material are described. The foreign genetic material can be DNA or RNA which does not occur in epithelial cells; DNA or RNA which occurs in epithelial cells but is not expressed in them at levels which are biologically significant; DNA or RNA which occurs in epithelial and has been modified so that it is expressed in epithelial cells; and any DNA or RNA which can be modified to be expressed in epithelial cells, alone or in any combination thereof. In addition, epithelial cells of the present invention can express genetic material encoding a selectable marker by which cells expressing the foreign genetic material can be expressed.

Abstract: Epithelial cells expressing foreign genetic material are described. The foreign genetic material can be DNA or RNA which does not occur in epithelial cells; DNA or RNA which occurs in epithelial cells but is not expressed in them at levels which are biologically significant; DNA or RNA which occurs in epithelial and has been modified so that it is expressed in epithelial cells; and any DNA or RNA which can be modified to be expressed in epithelial cells, alone or in any combination thereof. In addition, epithelial cells of the present invention can express genetic material encoding a selectable marker by which cells expressing the foreign genetic material can be expressed.

Abstract: Epithelial cells expressing foreign genetic material are described. The foreign genetic material can be DNA or RNA which does not occur in epithelial cells; DNA or RNA which occurs in epithelial cells but is not expressed in them at levels which are biologically significant; DNA or RNA which occurs in epithelial and has been modified so that it is expressed in epithelial cells; and any DNA or RNA which can be modified to be expressed in epithelial cells, alone or in any combination thereof. In addition, epithelial cells of the present invention can express genetic material encoding a selectable marker by which cells expressing the foreign genetic material can be expressed.