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Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax and is surrounded by a polypeptide capsule of poly-gamma-D-glutamic acid (gammaDPGA). gammaDPGA is poorly immunogenic and has antiphagocytic properties. The bacterial capsule is essential for virulence. Antibodies to the capsule have been shown to enhance phagocytosis and killing of encapsulated bacilli. These antibodies in combination with antibodies that neutralize the toxins of B. anthracis could provide enhanced protection by their dual antibacterial and antitoxic activities.

Offered for licensing is a recombinant attenuated vaccinia virus, MVA, that expresses SIV 239gagpol. The materials can be used for research purposes and in particular in the area of HIV/AIDS vaccines.

The invention offered for licensing is in the field of use of vaccines for malaria. The invention provides gene sequences encoding an erythrocyte binding protein of a malaria pathogen for the expression of the erythrocyte binding protein. The codon composition of the synthetic gene sequences approximates the mammalian codon composition. The synthetic gene sequences are useful for incorporation into DNA vaccine vectors, for the incorporation into various expression vectors for production of malaria proteins, or both.

This is a mouse model available to study T-cell differentiation. Growth factor independent 1 (GFi-1) is a transcriptional repressor that is transiently induced during T-cell activation. This knockout mouse line is a GFi-1[flox/flox] introduced into a mouse Cre controlled by a CD4 promoter, which allows selective removal of GFi-1 exclusively in T-cells. It has thus-far been used to demonstrate that GFi-1 plays a critical role in enhancing Th2 cell expansion and repressing induction of Th17 and CD103+ iTreg cells.

The technology offered for licensing is in the field of vaccinia-based recombinant vaccines. In particular the invention relates to methods of stabilizing the recombinant virus, thus resulting in efficient production of the vaccine and efficient expression of the inserted gene. Stabilization of the recombinant virus is achieved by the insertion of the exogenous gene into an intergenic region (IGR) of the viral genome (i.e. Modified Vaccinia Ankara, MVA), where the IGR is flanked by open reading frames of conserved poxvirus genes.

This technology is for compositions and methods for diagnosis of Lyme disease. Currently, Lyme disease is diagnosed by clinical exam and a history of exposure to endemic regions. Although, laboratory tests may aid diagnosis, the best tests currently available are slow and labor intensive and require understanding of the test, and infection stage. A two-step antibody based test process is currently the recommended laboratory test. The first step is either an enzyme immunoassay (EIA), or an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA).

Available for licensing and commercial implementation in commercial facilities design and construction are intellectual property rights covering a sound attenuation canopy for reducing noise transmitted through suspended ceiling systems commonly used in most office buildings. The canopy is designed to absorb sound energy and effectively reduce the direct path of sound travelling within open plenum suspended ceilings like those used in most office building environments.

This invention describes a new vaccine against Strongyoides stercoralis, which establishes a parasitic infection that affects an estimated 100-200 million people worldwide. The potential for fatal disease associated with S. stercoralis infection and the difficulty in treating hyperinfection underscores the need for prophylactic vaccines against the disease. This vaccine uses S. stercoralis immunoreactive antigen (SsIR); a novel antigen capable of providing 70-90 % protection for mice immunized with the antigen.

One of the major limitations of using cultured keratinocytes for research studies is that primary keratinocytes senesce after a few passages. Keratinocytes from specific anatomical sites are also difficult to culture. Scientists at the NIH have demonstrated that primary keratinocytes, from several anatomical sites, when treated with a small-molecule inhibitor of the ROCK protein maintain a proliferative state and become immortal without genetic modification to the cells.

The tick-borne encephalitis virus complex of flavivirus family includes tick-borne encephalitis (TBEV), Kyasanur forest disease, Langat, Louping ill, Negishi, Omsk hemorrhagic fever and Povassan viruses. These viruses are endemic throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere and except for Langat, cause human disease of varying severity that can have mortality as high as 20 to 30%.