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Latest Innovations
Complex and Diverse Compounds from Abietic Acid Dr. Paul Hergenrother from the University of Illinois has created a diverse compound screening library from the synthetic scaffold abietic acid. Abietic acid... Read More Dr. Paul Hergenrother from the University of Illinois has created a diverse compound screening library from the synthetic scaffold abietic acid. Abietic acid is an abundant and widely available compound. Through manipulation of the ring system, the Hergenrother lab has constructed more than 91 novel and diverse compounds to be used in a high throughput drug screen. Dr. Hergenrother has received numerous honors for his achievements in chemistry and cancer research. The Hergenrother laboratory seeks to use small molecules to identify and validate novel targets for the treatment of intractable diseases, including cancer, degenerative disorders, and multi-drug resistant bacteria.
Design of a Protein that Spans the Entire Range of Physiological Redox Potentials Dr. Yi Lu from the University of Illinois has designed a single protein to tune its electron-transfer ability across a 2-V range of physiological redox potentials... Read More Dr. Yi Lu from the University of Illinois has designed a single protein to tune its electron-transfer ability across a 2-V range of physiological redox potentials. The design of azurin covers a range from +970 mV to -954 mV vs. standard hydrogen electrode (SHE), by mutating only five residues and using two metal ions. Given the wide range of potentials attainable from a single protein possessing the same overall fold and surface properties, these azurin variants enable scientists and engineers to take advantage of these water-soluble redox agents for biochemical and biotechnological applications, such as solar energy transfer and other alternative energy conversions. Since tuning the potentials of many inorganic, bioinorganic and organometallic catalysts can result in catalysts with different oxidation states with dramatically different catalytic efficiency for different substrates, this technology allows tuning of redox properties of numerous catalysts for even wider applications, such as small molecule activation and synthesis of important intermediates or products for pharmaceutical applications. Benefits Ability to tune entire range of redox potentials Tuned azurins can be used as water-soluble redox agents
Temperature Independent pH (TIP) Buffers for Use at Low Temperatures Researchers and practitioners in university, industrial and national labs increasingly rely on low temperatures in the development and study of products. For... Read More Researchers and practitioners in university, industrial and national labs increasingly rely on low temperatures in the development and study of products. For example, pharmaceutical companies routinely use low temperatures to study disease targets and markers. The biomolecules are always in buffers. Since the pH of buffers changes dramatically upon lowering temperature, the biolmolecules are not the same pH when they are at the room temperature. The change of pH can dramatically change the structural and functional properties of the biomolecules so that information obtained at low temperature does not reflect its properties at room temperature or physiological temperature. Additionally, since the exact pH buffer at different temperatures is not often predictable, the results obtained using a temperature variable pH buffer cannot easily correlate back to the pH at room temperature. This invention is a new design of pH buffers that show negligible pH change upon cooling to low temperatures, including cryotempatures. This invention solves the problem of significant change in apparent pH of a glycerol solution of common biological buffers upon cooling to cryotemperature. By combining a buffer that increases pH upon cooling with one that decreases pH upon cooling, the apparent pH change upon cooling to cryotemperature is minimized.
Predictive, Selective Oxidation of C-H Bonds in Complex Systems Professor M. Cristina White has developed iron-based small molecule catalysts which, in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide, can selectively oxidize aliphatic C-H... Read More Professor M. Cristina White has developed iron-based small molecule catalysts which, in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide, can selectively oxidize aliphatic C-H bonds in complex natural products. Organic synthetic strategies are typically designed around the use of protecting or activating groups to yield desired products. While the use of these types of groups is well developed and widely used, this approach often generates waste and introduces unwanted complexity into the synthetic sequence. Methods which allow introduction of functionalities without activating or protecting groups can significantly impact synthetic methods. In particular, reactions which can predictively and selectively oxidize isolated, unactivated sp3 C-H bonds in complex substrates are of particular value as they enable introduction of functionalities in the later stages of synthetic sequences. White has developed catalyst systems which achieve this oxidation of C-H bonds based solely on electronic and steric properties of the bond. With the additional use of carboxylate directing groups, diastereoselective lactonizations can be achieved. A compelling example of the selective oxidation of a C-H bond is the conversion of the antimalarial compound artemisinin which contains five potential C-H sites for oxidation and a cleavage-sensitive peroxide functional group[1]. Using White's iron-based catalyst and its designed selectivity, the targeted C-H bond is oxidized preferentially to give the desired product in higher yields, with shorter reaction times, and in higher volume throughputs compared to enzymatic reactions. White's catalyst systems open powerful methods to greatly streamline synthetic methods by offering predictive and selective aliphatic C-H oxidation in complex substrates. Applications Pharmaceuticals Specialty Chemicals Benefits Predictive and selective oxidation of C-H bonds in complex systems Preparatively high yields and rapid reaction rates Elimination of need for activating and protecting groups Utilization of inexpensive and environmentally friendly oxidant, H202 Enabling of late-stage introduction of oxidized functionalities
Continuous Flow Anti-solvent Crystallization Researchers from the University of Illinoi shave developed a composition for crystallizing Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API). This invention allows for a... Read More Researchers from the University of Illinoi shave developed a composition for crystallizing Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API). This invention allows for a smaller distribution of particle size. It could potentially enable particle synthesis suitable for inhalable pharmaceuticals.
Droplet Manipulation through Novel Fluidic Channel Geometries Dr. Bailey from the University of IL has invented a new fluidic device for droplet manipulation for use in droplet-based analysis, such as PCR in DNA sequencing.... Read More Dr. Bailey from the University of IL has invented a new fluidic device for droplet manipulation for use in droplet-based analysis, such as PCR in DNA sequencing. Sample preparation has been longing an high through-put, automated solution due to its intensive labor cost. This chip-scale fluidic device enables multiple droplet manipulations, such as splitting, addition, extraction in one single geometry. With further development it even has possibility to change droplet concentration.
Optimally Tailored Raman Spectroscopic Probes for Ultrasensitive and Highly Multiplexed Assays Embodiments of nanostructured, multilayered metal-dielectric particles suitable for use as Raman spectroscopic probes, as well as methods of designing, making and... Read More Embodiments of nanostructured, multilayered metal-dielectric particles suitable for use as Raman spectroscopic probes, as well as methods of designing, making and using such multilayered nanoparticles, and kits including the multilayered nanoparticles. The multilayered nanoparticles include alternating metal and dielectric layers and an outer dielectric shell. One or more of the dielectric layers may include a plurality of reporter molecules. Embodiments of the multilayered nanoparticles are suitable for detecting target analytes in a sample. Some embodiments of the multilayered nanoparticles are suitable for use in multiplexed assays, including assays for multiple target analytes having differing concentrations.
Integrated System for Genome Modification in E. coli Dr. Kuhlman from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has created a new system that provides a single editing tool for a variety of genome modifications... Read More Dr. Kuhlman from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has created a new system that provides a single editing tool for a variety of genome modifications. This method has the advantage over CRISPR-Cas9 system in not requiring prior modification of the genome and requires only locus-specific primers for genome editing. This technology is an optimized Landing Pad system that can use positive and negative selection to select for insertion, deletion, and knockout events at genomic targets using specific primers contain homology region A, B, and C. This approach provides a powerful tool for manipulating the genome. Benefits The Landing-Pad system can integrate large fragments of DNA, can be targeted anywhere in the genome and ab be applicable to deletions and knockouts as well. Unlike the CRISPR-Cas9 system, this technique does not require a special promoter for gene expression. The Landing-Pad system can target different loci with only locus-specific primer design.
Microfluidic Device for the Preparation of Highly Viscous, Non-Newtonian Mixtures with Application to In-Meso Membrane Protein Crystallization Devices for mixing of significantly different fluids: Applications in protein crystallization. A microfluidic device for preparing a mixture, has... Read More Devices for mixing of significantly different fluids: Applications in protein crystallization. A microfluidic device for preparing a mixture, has a mixer. The mixer includes a plurality of chambers, each chamber having a volume of at most 1 microliter, a first plurality of channels, each channel fluidly connecting 2 chambers, a plurality of chamber valves, each chamber valve controlling fluid flow out of one of the plurality of chambers, and a first plurality of channel valves, each channel valve controlling fluid flow through one of the first plurality of channels. This device enables the metering and mixing of two fluids of significantly different viscosities and potentially non-Newtonian fluid behavior. Mixing is performed using large pneumatically acuated valves to drive fluid flow in a sequence that prevents fluid stagnation and facilitates mixing. The device can be used, for example, in the preparation of aqueous/lipid mesophases for in-meso membrane protein crystallization.
Controlled Targets-Specific Drug Delivery via DNAzyme (aptazyme or aptamer) - Functionalized Liposome An amphiphilic substance includes a hydrophobic group, and a polynucleotide group attached to the hydrophobic group. The polynucleotide group includes a first... Read More An amphiphilic substance includes a hydrophobic group, and a polynucleotide group attached to the hydrophobic group. The polynucleotide group includes a first polynucleotide segment and a second polynucleotide segment. The first and second polynucleotide segments are at least partially complementary and are bound together by interactions including base pairing. At least one of the first and second segments includes at least one of an aptamer and a nucleic acid-based enzyme. A lipid vesicle may include the amphiphilic substance, a first polar lipid that is an unstable vesicle former, and a polar liquid. Upon exposure to a rupture agent, the vesicle may rupture, releasing the contents of the vesicle. Substances that may be released from the vesicle include bioactive agents, such as drug agents.

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