Patents by Inventor Thomas Mercolino

Thomas Mercolino 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 DIAGNOSIS AND MONITORING OF DISEASE ACTIVITY AND RESPONSE TO TREATMENT IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE) AND OTHER AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES
    Publication number: 20100233752
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods of diagnosing and monitoring systemic lupus erythematosus and drug-induced lupus erythematosus by measuring cell-based complement activation products in a subject's blood. In particular, the invention describes a diagnostic method employing the measurement of multiple complement activation products, such as C3d and C4d, on the surfaces of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Kits and automated systems for performing the methods of the invention are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicants: CYPRESS BIOSCIENCE, INC., UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ahearn, Edward L. Erickson, Douglas M. Hawkins, Susan M. Manzi, Thomas Mercolino
  • METHODS FOR QUALITY CONTROL
    Publication number: 20070160814
    Abstract: The present invention relates to method for quality control of surface coated objects used independently or in conjunction with product authentication; methods for assuring proper product handling; methods for assuring that product contents' match product's label, comprising the use of microparticulate taggants having different detectable physical properties, wherein each combination of properties is used as an encoding bit to create codes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventor: Thomas Mercolino
  • Systems and methods for product authentication
    Publication number: 20070012783
    Abstract: The present invention relates to both systems and methods for product authentication. A system used herein, for example, comprises a population of entities which comprises at least two distinct clusters of entities having detectable counts or relative counts of entities per cluster; a measurement system capable of measuring a signature array of said population of entities; and a means for analyzing said signature array. The methods involve the systems of the invention for authenticating a given product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventor: Thomas Mercolino
  • Product authentication
    Publication number: 20070012784
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods, reagents, and apparatus for authenticating products. Methods of the invention are easy to implement but difficult to replicate, simulate, alter, transpose, or tamper with. In particular, the present invention relates to a product authentication code defined by a signature array of a population of entities, and its use thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventor: Thomas Mercolino
  • Cell based assay
    Publication number: 20050244859
    Abstract: The present invention provides a whole-cell biological assay that measures changes of endogenous genes under control of an exogenously introduced transcription factor. The exogenous transcription factors of the present invention may be designed such that each is activated by specific extracellular ligands. Therefore cells containing exogenous transcription factors of the present invention provide a generic means to which many extracellular ligands may be tested without undue adaptation to the assay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventors: Zhong Zhong, Glen Kelley, Thomas Mercolino, Robert Zivin, John Siekierka