Patents by Inventor Wendy A. Petka

Wendy A. Petka 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).

  • Reversible hydrogels
    Patent number: 6090911
    Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery that a block copolymer that includes .alpha.-helical blocks, e.g., terminal blocks, which form intermolecular coiled-coil structures, and one or more random-coil blocks, which link the .alpha.-helical blocks, can form suspensions that can reversibly gel to form monodisperse hydrogels. The transition between the gel and liquid phases depends on pH, temperature, concentration, and chemical structure. The copolymers can be synthesized biologically through genetic engineering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Wendy A. Petka, David A. Tirrell, Kevin P. McGrath