Patents by Inventor Nikhil MALVANKAR

Nikhil MALVANKAR 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: 20250230198
    Abstract: Engineered, electrically conductive fimbrial polypeptides, pilus, and bundled pili are provided. The polypeptides typically include one or more mutations (e.g., substitution or addition) with an aromatic amino acid relative to the corresponding wildtype fimbrial protein. In some embodiments, the amino acid is a substrate for a “click” chemistry reaction such as Copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), which can be used to conjugate a functional moiety to the non-standard aromatic amino acid residues. Preferred functional moieties include conductive materials such as metal (e.g., gold) particles, optionally nanoparticles, and heme groups. Also provided are pilus formed of a plurality of the engineered fimbrial polypeptides, and bundles of pili formed of a plurality of the pili. Electrical circuits, devices, and systems including the engineered materials, wherein the engineered material serves as the conductive element, and method of use thereof are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Publication date: July 17, 2025
    Inventors: Farren Isaacs, Nikhil Malvankar, Daniel Mark Shapiro, Sibel Ebru Yalcin, Gunasheil Mandava
  • Patent number: 11066449
    Abstract: Improved electrically conductive pili were generated from a natural pilus protein from the microorganism Geobacter sulfurreducens. Substituting a tryptophan for the phenylalanine at position F51 and a tryptophan for the tyrosine at position Y57 of the pilus monomer substantially increased the conductivity of the pili and reduced their diameter to 1.5 nm. Substantial improvements in conductivity were also achieved by substituting an additional tyrosine, histidine, and phenylalanine in the pilus monomer to mimic the monomer of Geobacter metallireducens, but the pili retained the typical Geobacter sulfurreducens wild-type diameter of 3 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Derek R. Lovley, Nikhil Malvankar, Ramesh Adhikari, Yang Tan, Joy Ward, Kelly Nevin
  • Publication number: 20210002332
    Abstract: A nanowire may be isolated from a bacterium, wherein the nanowire includes c-type heme subunits or pili proteins and is capable of establishing an electrical connection with an insoluble electron acceptor. The c-type heme subunits may comprise OmcS or OmcZ cytochrome subunits or any combination thereof. The pili proteins may have an amino acid sequence with at least one residue modified, from a wild-type strain of the microorganism, to include an aromatic amino acid. The nanowire may have metallic or semiconducting conductive properties, and may be integrated into an electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Applicant: Yale University
    Inventors: Nikhil Malvankar, Sibel Ebru Yalcin
  • Publication number: 20180371029
    Abstract: Improved electrically conductive pili were generated from a natural pilus protein from the microorganism Geobacter sulfurreducens. Substituting a tryptophan for the phenylalanine at position F51 and a tryptophan for the tyrosine at position Y57 of the pilus monomer substantially increased the conductivity of the pili and reduced their diameter to 1.5 nm. Substantial improvements in conductivity were also achieved by substituting an additional tyrosine, histidine, and phenylalanine in the pilus monomer to mimic the monomer of Geobacter metallireducens, but the pili retained the typical Geobacter sulfurreducens wild-type diameter of 3 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicant: University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Derek R. LOVLEY, Nikhil MALVANKAR, Ramesh ADHIKARI, Yang TAN, Joy WARD, Kelly NEVIN