This technology includes a newly designed, truncated Evans Blue (EB) form which allows labeling with metal isotopes for nuclear imaging and radiotherapy. Unlike previous designs, this new form of truncated EB confers site specific mono-labeling of desired molecules. The newly designed truncated EB form can be conjugated to various molecules including small molecules, peptides, proteins and aptamers to improve blood half-life and tumor uptake, and confer better imaging, therapy and radiotherapy.

This technology includes the use of atorvastatin, a medication to manage hypercholesterolemia, as a method to protect patients receiving cisplatin from hearing loss. Cisplatin chemotherapy is indicated in various cancer types in adults and children and is known to cause hearing loss. A patient on atorvastatin during chemotherapy is 46% less likely to acquire a significant cisplatin-induced hearing loss relative to a non-statin user. Atorvastatin is an FDA-approved medication routinely prescribed and well-tolerated clinically.

This technology includes a method to identify potentially therapeutic microRNAs in cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC). This approach first utilizes a large and publicly available expression dataset, which is then validated by a smaller independent dataset to determine deregulated microRNAs expression. These results are then intersected with in vitro functional anti-proliferative screening data to select for microRNAs that play a functional tumor suppressive role and likely serve as therapeutic targets.

This technology includes ELISA based binding assays of p53, p63 or p73 provide possibilities to validate genome sequencing results, and allow the performance of more in-depth investigation to address scientific mechanisms, as well as to develop applications for high-throughput clinical and diagnosis usages. While quantitative p53 binding assays have been commercially developed, there is a lack of high-throughput method to detect binding activity of all three p53/p63/p73 family members, which are an important step for these transcription factors to perform their function.

This technology includes a blood flow imaging method that allows for a higher density of smaller particles to be detected. Current imaging methods that are based on Doppler measurements are limited by the discontinuity in the capillary flow in the space between red blood cells. The core technology is to use a scattering agent to enhance capillary flow or microcirculation. This technology has been tested for optical coherence Doppler tomography, but can be expended to any Doppler based flow imaging techniques such as laser speckle imaging.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Section on Molecular Neurobiology is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further evaluate or commercialize specific rabbit monoclonal antibodies generated against the ErbB4 receptor (also known as HER4) that have been validated for specificity using tissue sections and extracts from ErbB4 knockout mice.

Nuclear medicine is the second largest source of medical radiation exposure to the general population after computed tomography imaging. Imaging modalities utilizing nuclear medicine produce a more detailed view of internal structure and function and are most commonly used to diagnose diseases such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s and brain disorders. They are used to visualize tumors, abscesses due to infection or abnormalities in abdominal organs.

The Zbtb7b gene encodes the zinc finger transcription factor ThPOK (also known as cKrox) that promotes CD4 lineage differentiation in immature T cells. CD4+ T cells, also known as “helper” T cells, are critical for long-term immunity against pathogens as well as for promoting CD8+ “effector” T cell and effective B cell responses. ThPOK is needed for the development and functional fitness of CD4+ T cells as well as multiple aspects of the immune response to infection. As such, ThPOK offers a potential target for immune regulation.

Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is a breakthrough form of cancer immunotherapy that utilizes tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) or genetically engineered T cells to attack tumor cells through recognition of tumor-specific antigens. A major hurdle in the development of ACT is the identification and isolation of T cells that recognize antigens that are expressed by tumor cells but not by healthy tissues. Current methods to identify such T cells involve extracting autologous antigen presenting cells (APCs) from patients in an expensive, laborious, and time-consuming process.

About half of the per capita dose of radiation due to medical exposures is provided by computed tomography (CT) examinations. Approximately 80 million CTs are performed annually in the United States. CT scans most commonly look for internal bleeding or clots, abscesses due to infection, tumors and internal structures. Although CT provides great patient benefit, concerns exist about potential associated risks from radiation doses – especially in pediatric patients more sensitive to radiation.