Astrocyte Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells with StemPro Embryonic Stem Cell Serum Free Medium for Research and Potential Therapeutic Use

This technology includes an innovative method for differentiating astrocytes from neural stem cells (NSCs). The process involves using Life Technologies StemPro embryonic stem cell serum-free medium to initially guide NSCs towards a neuronal lineage. Over a period of 28-35 days, as the cells are continually passaged, neurons gradually die off, leading to the proliferation of astrocytes. By the end of this differentiation protocol, approximately 70% of the cells exhibit markers characteristic of mature astrocytes, specifically GFAP.

A3 Adenosine Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulators

Selective A3AR agonists are sought as potential agents for treating inflammatory diseases,
chronic pain, cancer and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NIDDK investigators have invented 
new chemical composition as positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of the A3AR. These chemical 
compounds contain sterically constrained, bridged modifications and cycloalkyl rings of various 
sizes, as well as modifications of the 4-arylamino group. The compounds have added 

Enhancing Activity of Bispecific Antibodies in Combination with Ibrutinib for the Treatment of Cancer

This technology includes the combination of a kinase inhibitor (specifically ibrutinib) with a bispecific antibody (specifically a CD19/CD3 bispecific antibody) to be used to treat cancer. CD19/CD3 bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) can be used to recruit endogenous T cells against CD19+ tumor cells via the formation of cytolytic synapses. lbrutinib, a BTK inhibitor, has been shown to normalize T cell dysfunction characteristic of CLL.

Antibody Targeting of Cell Surface Deposited Complement Protein C3d as a Treatment for Cancer

This technology includes monoclonal antibodies (mAb) that specifically and with high affinity bind the final complement components C3dg and C3d (subsequently referred to as C3d), which can be used to kill tumor cells that carry C3d on their cell surface. We show that tumor cells of patients treated with the therapeutic anti-CD20 mAb ofatumumab carry C3d on the cell surface and can bind and be killed by addition of anti-C3 mAbs. In contrast, further addition of more ofatumumab has only minimal effects.

3D Bioprinting of Cardiac Patch with Anisotropic and Perfusable Architecture for the Repair of Damaged Cardiac Muscle

This technology includes a novel cardiac patch which was 3D printed to repair damaged cardiac tissue. Based on biological and anatomical understanding of myocardial tissue, a novel 3D bioprinting technique was developed to directly fabricate the cellularized and vascularized cardiac patch with anisotropic fiber and perfusable vessel architecture. The design will integrate biomimetic aligned myocardial fibers and perfusable blood vessels to create a thick, functional cardiac patch, suitable for the human heart implantation.

Generation of AAVS1 and C13 “Safe Harbor” Transcription Activator-life Effector Nucleases (TALENs) for Drug Screening or Gene Therapy Development

This technology includes AAVS1 and C13 “safe harbor” transcription activator-life effector nucleases (TALENs) for drug screening or gene therapy applications. TALENs are engineered sequence-specific DNA endonucleases that can significantly enhance genome-editing efficiency by >100-1000 folds. “Safe harbor” such as AAVS1 safe harbor and C13 safe harbor is genome locus that allows robust and persistent transgene expression with no or minimal interference of endogenous gene expression and cell properties.

Novel Methods for Reducing Inflammation and Treating Diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Disease

Microglia activation leads to inflammation mediated dopaminergic degeneration in the brain of patients with Parkinson and Alzheimer's Disease. Thus Identification of drugs that reduce microglia activation could prevent or reverse neuronal degeneration in these diseases and other degenerative CNS disorders.

Agonist Epitopes for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Approximately 30,000 patients are diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) each year in the United States, and an estimated 12,000 patients die of this disease. Most patients are diagnosed with advanced local disease or metastatic disease. Metastatic RCC carries a poor prognosis with median survivals in the range of 10-12 months. Drugs that inhibit VEGF receptor tyrosine kinases such as Sorafenib and Sunitinib have recently been approved by the FDA to treat metastatic RCC.

High Level Expression and Purification of Untagged and Histidine-tagged Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1 Reverse Transcriptase

Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT) gene encodes 560 amino acids. In the virus, however, HIV-1 RT occurs as a dimer of two related polypeptides, p66 and p51 subunits at a molar ratio of 1:1. The p51 subunit is derived from a C-terminal proteolytic cleavage of the p66 subunit. This invention describes a simplified protocol to purify large quantities of histidine-tagged and untagged heterodimeric forms of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT) from Escherichia coli.