Patents by Inventor Stephan Timothy Kudlacek

Stephan Timothy Kudlacek 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).

  • Method for improving protein functionality using vortexing fluid shear forces
    Patent number: 10934324
    Abstract: A method of improving protein functionality includes obtaining a protein such as protein contained within exclusion bodies contained within bacteria or yeast used for the recombinant expression of the protein. The exclusion bodies are solubilized using a chaotropic agent such as guanidine or urea. The protein is then subject to denaturation conditions and optionally purified. A liquid containing the denatured protein is loaded into a vessel that is angled relative to horizontal. The vessel is then rotated in the angled configuration at a rate within that is less than 10,000 RPM for period of time. Refolded protein is formed by the high shear conditions formed in the thin film of fluid formed in the inner surface of the rotating vessel. Refolding can be performed in a batch mode or a continuous mode. The process may be scaled up for industrial applications by using multiple vessels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Gregory A. Weiss, Colin L. Raston, Tom Z. Yuan, Callum Ormonde, Stephan Timothy Kudlacek
  • METHOD FOR IMPROVING PROTEIN FUNCTIONALITY USING VORTEXING FLUID SHEAR FOCES
    Publication number: 20160355545
    Abstract: A method of improving protein functionality includes obtaining a protein such as protein contained within exclusion bodies contained within bacteria or yeast used for the recombinant expression of the protein. The exclusion bodies are solubilized using a chaotropic agent such as guanidine or urea. The protein is then subject to denaturation conditions and optionally purified. A liquid containing the denatured protein is loaded into a vessel that is angled relative to horizontal. The vessel is then rotated in the angled configuration at a rate within that is less than 10,000 RPM for period of time. Refolded protein is formed by the high shear conditions formed in the thin film of fluid formed in the inner surface of the rotating vessel. Refolding can be performed in a batch mode or a continuous mode. The process may be scaled up for industrial applications by using multiple vessels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicants: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, FLINDERS UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Gregory A. Weiss, Colin L. Raston, Tom Z. Yuan, Callum Ormonde, Stephan Timothy Kudlacek