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Genomics/Proteomics

Latest Innovations
Production of Transgenic Pigs Containing the Gene Encoding Human Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) Under Control of the Bovine a-Lactalbumin Promoter and Regulatory Regions The present invention relates to animals that express exogenous growth factors in their milk, and in particular to pigs that express exogenous IGF-I in their milk... Read More The present invention relates to animals that express exogenous growth factors in their milk, and in particular to pigs that express exogenous IGF-I in their milk. The present invention also relates to methods for increasing piglet weight gain and intestinal lactase activity. The present invention thus provides a method of facilitating piglet development and decreasing piglet mortality.
Preparation of Degradable Silica-Drug Conjugated Nanoparticle with Monodisperse Particle Sizes The invention provides a silica nanoparticle comprising a non-porous matrix of silicon-oxygen bonds, wherein the matrix comprises organic agents conjugated to... Read More The invention provides a silica nanoparticle comprising a non-porous matrix of silicon-oxygen bonds, wherein the matrix comprises organic agents conjugated to silicon or oxygen atoms in the matrix, the organic agents are conjugated to the matrix through linker L groups, wherein the linker L comprises, for example, an ester, urea, thiourea, or thio ether group, and wherein the diameter of the nanoparticle is about 15 nm to about 200 nm. The invention also provides novel methods of making and using the silica nanoparticles.
Nano-Antennas light up to Sequence DNA Dr. Aksimentiev from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and researchers at TU Delft in The Netherlands have developed a plasmonic nanopore technology for DNA... Read More Dr. Aksimentiev from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and researchers at TU Delft in The Netherlands have developed a plasmonic nanopore technology for DNA sequencing. One of the hurdles facing current nanopore-based DNA sequencing technologies is the inability to control DNA speeds passing through the pore. The group has developed nano-antennas that can focus high intensity light on the nanopore to create a "hot-spot" to trap and slow down DNA movement, which can help read long lengths of DNA more efficiently.
siRNA Delivery System for Inflammatory Diseases Dr. Jianjun Cheng and his research group have developed a system for delivering small interfering RNA (siRNA). siRNA can be used as a specific form of interference... Read More Dr. Jianjun Cheng and his research group have developed a system for delivering small interfering RNA (siRNA). siRNA can be used as a specific form of interference in the inflammation cascade that could be used to treat inflammatory diseases. The invention greatly enhances the delivery efficiency of the siRNA to the intended tissue. Related publication: Yin, L., Song, Z., Qu, Q., Kim, K. H., Zheng, N., Yao, C., Chaudhury, I., Tang, H., Gabrielson, N. P., Uckun, F. M. and Cheng, J. (2013), Supramolecular Self-Assembled Nanoparticles Mediate Oral Delivery of Therapeutic TNF-α siRNA against Systemic Inflammation. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 52: 5757–5761. doi:10.1002/anie.201209991
FRET Based High-Throughput Screening Advanced molecular imaging tools combined with investigative tools like biochemical and cell based assays have thepotential to unravel complex molecular processes... Read More Advanced molecular imaging tools combined with investigative tools like biochemical and cell based assays have thepotential to unravel complex molecular processes. These tools combined with high throughput screening can significantly impact diagnostics for cancer screening and accelerate drug discovery. These inventions are two new Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) biosensor pairs, one composed of two new colors, mOrange2 and mCherry and the other composed of a modified high-sensitive ECFP/YPet pair that can significantly enhance the dynamic range of a variety of biosensors. The ECFP/YPet can detect signaling events with high spatio-temporal resolutions which makes it an ideal readout indicator for high throughput screening. FRET technology and genetically encoded FRET biosensors are very useful in detecting active molecular events inlive cells with high temporal and spatial resolutions. FRET occurs when two flurophores are in proximity with the emission spectrum of the donoroverlapping with the excitation spectrum of the acceptor. To date, the most popular FRET pair is cyan and yellow fluorescent proteins (CFP and YFP). The new FRET biosensor pairs mOrange2/mCherry are proteins with different colors and spectrally distinctive from the CFP/YFP pair. This invention opens up the possibility of lighting two diagnostic biomarkers in the same cell e.g., cancer cells, thus providing a double criterion high-fidelity assay to differentiate cancer vs. normal cells. To provide proof-of-concept that mOrange2 and mCherry are suitable as novel FRET biosensors, they were operably linked to the protein recognition sequence of MMP-MT1. MMP-MT1 is an enzyme belonging to the matrix metalloproteinase family that has known roles in cancer metastasis. The basis of this assay is that when MT1-MMP is inactive, the mCherry and mOrange2 and positioned in proximity and favor a strong FRET between the two moieties. Indeed, in-vitro assays established that the mOrange/mCherry pair can serve as a reliable and sensitive indicator of the status of MT1-MMP activation and can potentially be applied to other biomarker assays. The ECFP/YPet pair provides a high-sensitive biosensor for the visualization of molecular hierarchy at different subcellular locations inlive cells. In-vitro assays revealedthat the ECFP/YPet pair exhibits significantly enhanced dynamic range of the MT1-MMP biosensor compared to currently available CFP/YFP FRET pairs. When quantified, the ECFP/YPet pair showed a 570% change (% change in basal level upon stimulation of MT1-MMP) when compared to only 90-100% in existing FRET pairs. The ECFP/YPet pair has also been successfully applied to other classes of proteins, like kinases, that are important therapeutic targets in human cancer. These and other genetically engineered biosensors can serve as a research tool to monitor different signaling cascades in live mammalian cells with high sensitivity. The developed MT1-MMP biosensor and potentially other protein biosensors can provide a powerful tool for the spatiotemporal imaging of protein functions in cancer development e.g. detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Furthermore, these biosensors can serve as an excellent high-throughput reporting system forthe detection of cancer and the development of inhibitors for cancer therapeutics. Benefits The novel mOrange2/mCherry pair presents a method to simultaneously visualize two active signaling events in the same cell when combined with existing FRET pairsThe ECFP/YPet pair can serve as a high-sensitive biosensor with significantly enhanced dynamic ranges compared to existing CFP/YFP FRET pairs. The ECFP/Ypet pair can be operably linked to any protein recognition sequence to detect activity of that protein in live cells. The pair also includes a positively charged tag which allows 100% efficiency ofdetection. This invention demonstrates an ECFP/Ypet pair operably linked to MT1-MMP, a tumor metastasis biomarker, to accurately detect circulating tumor cells in blood samples.
Cell Encapsulation in Uniform Microcapsules with Built-In Cell Centering Mechanism A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having an outer nozzle operable to discharge an outer stream... Read More A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having an outer nozzle operable to discharge an outer stream of a shell solution, and an inner nozzle operable to discharge an inner stream of a core solution intermixed with a plurality of materials. The outer stream can substantially surrounds the inner stream, thereby forming a combined stream. A plurality of capsules can be formed responsive to a force applied to the combined stream. At least a portion of the plurality of capsules are desirable capsules, each having a core encapsulated by a portion of the shell solution. The core can have at least one of the plurality of materials encapsulated by a portion of the core solution without protruding an outer surface of the portion of the shell solution.
Bio-Engineered Hyper-Functional Super Helicases Dr. Taekjip Ha has developed a bio-engineered, hyper-functional "super" helicase that is capable of unwinding 5000+ base pairs without stopping. The super... Read More Dr. Taekjip Ha has developed a bio-engineered, hyper-functional "super" helicase that is capable of unwinding 5000+ base pairs without stopping. The super helicase is designed such that the helicase cannot dissociate until the end of the DNA is encountered, making the processivity of the super helicase theoretically infinite in ideal conditions. Furthermore, it can exert forces in the range of 50-80pN which are currently the strongest helicase forces reported. This super helicase could provide a better alternative to helicases currently used in nanopore sequencing and isothermal PCR. Technology Benefits: Benefits over existing helicases: Natural Rep protein is a very poor helicase which can unwind DNA sequences as short as 18 base pairs (bp), and at very high concentrations, only up to 30-50 bp • Rep-X exhibits extremely enhanced DNA unwinding activity: it can unwind 5000+ bp without stopping • Rep-X is designed in a way that the helicase cannot physically dissociate until the end of the DNA is encountered. • Rep-X is an extremely strong protein, which cannot be stopped by forces up to 80 pN which is above the shearing force of double stranded DNA. By carefully controlling crosslinker length, and specific mutations sites that the crosslinkers target, other helicases can be stabilized in the specific conformation that gives rise to the super-active form (i.e. "Helicase-X").
Multiplexed Targeted Genome Engineering and Gene Activation Dr. Pablo Perez-Pinera from the University of Illinois has developed a multiplexable and universal nuclease-assisted... Read More Dr. Pablo Perez-Pinera from the University of Illinois has developed a multiplexable and universal nuclease-assisted vector integration system for rapid generation of gene knock outs using selection that does not require customized targeting vectors, thereby minimizing the cost and time frame needed for gene editing. Importantly, this system is capable of remodeling native mammalian genomes through integration of DNA, up to 50 kb, enabling rapid generation and screening of multigene knockouts from a single transfection. Furthermore, this method facilitates activation of genes by introduction of specific promoters that allows for genomic scale activation screens. Benefits • Minimizes cost and time for gene editing • Multigene knockouts can be rapidly generated • Facile integration of large constructs up to 50 kb • Introduces speci c promoters for genomic scale activation screens
A Sustained Inhibition of Cancer Stem Cells via STAT-3 Modulation Dr. Dipanjan Pan from the University of Illinois has... Read More Dr. Dipanjan Pan from the University of Illinois has developed a technology to enhance the bioavailability of poorly water soluble drugs. The technology involves coating such poorly water soluble drugs onto a carbon nanoparticle, cucurbituril (CB6) for controlled drug delivery and for improved antitumor activity in vivo. Benefits • Increases bioavailability of known low solubility drugs • Green carbon nanoparticles that reduces toxicity • Theranostic applications
Microparticles that Create Biological Gels with Tunable Properties Dr. Kong from the University of IL has developed microparticles that create fibrin gels with desirable properties for wound healing products, drug delivery, and... Read More Dr. Kong from the University of IL has developed microparticles that create fibrin gels with desirable properties for wound healing products, drug delivery, and diagnostic tools. When blood clots it forms fibrin gel networks to close wounds temporarily for more permanent healing to take place. A significant problem with artificially-made fibrin gel networks is that they can be difficult to tune to attain desirable gelation rate and rigidity. The microparticles developed by Dr. Kong solve this problem by releasing thrombin in response to H2O2 to make gels with tunable, desirable properties. Benefits Encapsulating thrombin and MnO2 nanosheets allows for decoupling of gelation rate and gel rigidity. Applications This technology may be used for nano- or microparticles for drug delivery, biological gels for biomedical applications, or bleeding control/wound management.

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