Patents by Inventor Ronald A. Li

Ronald A. Li 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: 20150353894
    Abstract: Provided are devices and methods of preparing a population of cardiomyocytes by aligning undifferentiated pluripotent cells on a nanosacale textured surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Ronald LI, Michelle KHINE
  • Publication number: 20150232695
    Abstract: A coated substrate including a 1 to 3 mils thick coating layer has a Bayer abrasion resistance value of less than 1% Haze after 600 cycles. The coating layer includes a reaction product of a coating composition including a polyester diol, a di-isocyanate, and a fluorocarbon-based additive. A method of forming the coating layer on the substrate includes mixing reactants including a polyester diol, a di-isocyanate and a flurocarbon-based additive to form a polyurethane coating composition; depositing the polyurethane coating composition on the substrate; and curing the polyurethane coating composition to form an abrasion resistant coating on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: PPG INDUSTRIES OHIO, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald Li, Alexander Bimanand
  • Publication number: 20150218549
    Abstract: Methods to prepare electrophysiology mature cells from immature cells are provided, without the need for genetic manipulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Ronald A. Li, Deborah K. Lieu
  • Patent number: 9045731
    Abstract: This invention provides an isolated stem cell that has been modified to provide, enhance or contain the functional characteristics of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). The isolated stem cells are modified in one or more of the following manners: by expressing a calcium channel protein; by expressing a calcium pump protein such as the sarcro/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) protein; by inhibiting or downregulating expression of the Na+/Ca+ exchanger (NCX) protein; by expressing a calcium handling protein; by expressing a transverse (t-tubule; and/or by expressing a transverse (t-tubule biogenic protein. After the cell has been modified, it may be expanded to a substantially homogenous population of these cells or alternatively, differentiated to a more mature cell type. Compositions containing these cells and population of cells are also provided by this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Ronald Li, Chung-wah Siu, Deborah K. Lieu, Jing Liu
  • Publication number: 20140356957
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for modulating electrical behavior of cardiac cells. Preferred methods include administering a polynucleotide or cell-based composition that can modulate cardiac contraction to desired levels, i.e., the administered composition functions as a biological pacemaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Eduardo MARBAN, Ronald LI
  • Publication number: 20140199280
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel compositions and methods to induce, and/of modulate bio-electrical rhythms (e.g. in cardiac, neuronal and pancreatic cells) by fine-tuning the activity of HCN-encoded pacemaker channels via a novel protein- and genetic-engineering approach to augment or attenuate the associated physiological responses (e.g. heart beat, neuronal firing, insulin secretion, etc) for achieving various therapeutic purposes (e.g. sick sinus syndrome, epilepsy, neuropathic pain, diabetes, etc).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Eduardo Marban, Ronald A. Li, Suk-Ying Tsang, Heecheol Cho, Tian Xue
  • Patent number: 8658609
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel compositions and methods to induce, and/or modulate bio-electrical rhythms (e.g. in cardiac, neuronal and pancreatic cells) by fine-tuning the activity of HCN-encoded pacemaker channels via a novel protein- and genetic-engineering approach to augment or attenuate the associated physiological responses (e.g. heart beat, neuronal firing, insulin secretion, etc) for achieving various therapeutic purposes (e.g. sick sinus syndrome, epilepsy, neuropathic pain, diabetes, etc).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Eduardo Marban, Ronald A. Li, Hee Cheol Cho, Suk-Ying Tsang, Tian Xue
  • Publication number: 20130040335
    Abstract: Provided are methods of preparing a biocompatible textured surface on a thermoplastic material comprising treating the material with a plasma and subsequently shrinking the substrate to induce formation of textures. The textured surfaces are useful in one aspect, to align cells such as stem cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventors: Michelle Khine, Ronald A. Li, Cheng-Wei Chen
  • Publication number: 20120328584
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for modulating electrical behavior of cardiac cells. Preferred methods include administering a polynucleotide or cell-based composition that can modulate cardiac contraction to desired levels, i.e., the administered composition functions as a biological pacemaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Eduardo Marban, Ronald Li
  • Publication number: 20120014924
    Abstract: This invention provides an isolated stem cell modified to provide, enhance or contain the functional characteristics of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) The isolated stem cells are modified by expressing a calcium channel protein, by expressing a calcium pump protein such as the sarcro/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) protein, by inhibiting or downregulating expression of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) protein, by expressing a calcium handling protein, by expressing a transverse (t)-tubule, and/or by expressing a transverse (t)-tubule biogenic protein The modified cells may be expanded to a substantially homogenous population of these cells or differentiated to a more mature cell type Compositions are also provided The cells and compositions can be administered to a host and used to regenerate cardiac tissue, improve cardiac function, restore action potential of cardiac tissue, and treat or prevent cardiac malfunction Use for diagnostic screening of therapeutic candidates is also provided
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Ronald Li, Chung-wah Siu, Deborah K. Lieu, Jing Liu
  • Publication number: 20110008888
    Abstract: Self-renewable embryonic stem cells (ESCs), derived from the inner cell mass of blastocysts, can propagate indefinitely in culture while maintaining their normal karyotypes and pluripotency to differentiate into all cell types. Therefore, ESCs may provide an unlimited supply of even specialized cells such as brain and heart cells for transplantation and cell-based therapies that are otherwise limited by donor availability. However, this promising application is hampered by concerns that ESCs or their multipotent derivatives also possess the potential to form malignant tumors after transplantation in vivo. The present invention provides for a novel genetic method to arrest undesirable cell division (of ESCs and other unwanted lineages) as a means to inhibit or eliminate their tumorgenic potential after transplantation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: The John Hopkins University
    Inventors: Ronald A. Li, Tian Xue, Chu-Pak Lau, Hung-Fat Tse
  • Publication number: 20100241357
    Abstract: Raman spectra of cells, such as normal human T- and B-cells from peripheral blood or human tonsil and the corresponding transformed cells are obtained by optically trapping the cells and obtaining their Raman spectra. The trapped cells can be subjected to one, two, or more different excitation wavelengths, and each wavelength of the corresponding Raman spectra can be stored in a separate channel. In preferred embodiments, two spectra are subtracted from each other to give a difference spectrum and each channel is analyzed independently to characterize the trapped cell. Alternatively, the Raman spectrum can be subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in order to characterize the trapped cell. The trapped cell thus classified can be sorted, or further manipulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: James W. Chan, Thomas R. Huser, Stephen M. Lane, John C. Rutledge, Douglas S. Taylor, Theodore Zwerdling, Ronald Li
  • Publication number: 20090291068
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel compositions and methods to induce, and/or modulate bio-electrical rhythms (e.g. in cardiac, neuronal and pancreatic cells) by fine-tuning the activity of HCN-encoded pacemaker channels via a novel protein- and genetic-engineering approach to augment or attenuate the associated physiological responses (e.g. heart beat, neuronal firing, insulin secretion, etc) for achieving various therapeutic purposes (e.g. sick sinus syndrome, epilepsy, neuropathic pain, diabetes, etc).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Eduardo Marban, Ronald A. Li, Suk-Ying Tsang, Hee Cheol Cho, Tian Xue
  • Publication number: 20080112938
    Abstract: This invention provides a eukaryotic cell that stably expresses exogenous, ectopic SID-1 to confer enhanced polynucleotide, e.g. siRNA or dsRNA, uptake. Thus, in one aspect, this invention provides a eukaryotic cell which stably expresses exogenous SID-1 polynucleotide and is. The cells stably expressing SID-1 are particularly useful for high throughput screening of gene activity using RNA interference. Methods for producing and using the cells also are provided in this application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventors: Ronald Li, Jennifer C. Moore
  • Publication number: 20080089874
    Abstract: This invention provides an isolated electrophysiologically immature cell or its derivative that has been modified to provide a mature electrophysiological phenotype and populations of these cells. Compositions containing these cells and populations of cells are also provided by this invention. These cells and compositions have therapeutic and diagnostic uses. Non-limiting therapeutic uses include regenerating cardiac tissue, improving cardiac function, restoring action potential of cardiac tissue; and treating or preventing cardiac malfunction. The cells and population of cells also can be used diagnostically to screen drug or other therapeutic candidate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventors: Ronald Li, David CW Siu
  • Publication number: 20040254134
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for modulating electrical behavior of cardiac cells. Preferred methods include administering a polynucleotide or cell-based composition that can modulate cardiac contraction to desired levels, i.e., the administered composition functions as a biological pacemaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Eduardo Marban, Ronald Li
  • Patent number: 6740824
    Abstract: A ground connector assembly (20) having a substrate (22) and a ground member (24). The substrate (22) is used to retain an electrical circuit and has a ground region (34), a ground hole (30), and at least one strain relief slot (32). The ground member (24) is attached within the ground hole (30). The ground region (34) surrounds the ground hole (30) and is at least partially interposed between the ground hole (30) and the strain relief slot (32). The ground connector assembly (20) may further include a conductive ring (42), such as a copper ring, surrounding the ground hole (30) and attached to the ground region (34). There is also a method of making the ground connector assembly (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence R. Poglitsch, Ronald Li, Alan S. Kang, Todd Ringa, Steven G. Sharkey, Rick Cihak
  • Publication number: 20030234117
    Abstract: A ground connector assembly (20) having a substrate (22) and a ground member (24). The substrate (22) is used to retain an electrical circuit and has a ground region (34), a ground hole (30), and at least one strain relief slot (32). The ground member (24) is attached within the ground hole (30). The ground region (34) surrounds the ground hole (30) and is at least partially interposed between the ground hole (30) and the strain relief slot (32). The ground connector assembly (20) may further include a conductive ring (42), such as a copper ring, surrounding the ground hole (30) and attached to the ground region (34). There is also a method of making the ground connector assembly (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventors: Lawrence R. Poglitsch, Ronald Li, Alan S. Kang, Todd Ringa, Steven G. Sharkey, Rick Cihak
  • Patent number: 5998738
    Abstract: An electronic control module (40) includes a base plate (12) bent about first and second major bend axis (27, 28). The base plate includes first and second grooves (29, 30) formed at an upper surface (15a) coextensive with the first and second major bend axis (27, 28). A flexible film (18) is asymmetrically bonded by adhesive films (31, 32) about the first and second major bend axis (27, 28). The asymmetrical bonding of the flexible film (18) about the major bend axis (27, 28) causes non-bonded loop portions (35) of the flexible film (18) to assume a serpentine pattern and deflect away from the major bend axis (27, 28) when the base plate (12) is bent about the major bend axis (27, 28). The bonding arrangement of the flexible film (18) to the base plate (12) permits an electrical connector (36) to be attached to the backside of the electronic control module (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Motorola Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Li, Amy McKernan