The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) recently issued six U.S. patents to UNM Rainforest Innovations during the months of April, May, and June for technologies invented at the University of New Mexico. The patents, issued during UNM Rainforest Innovations’ 2023 fiscal fourth quarter, are for a variety of technologies created by researchers in the Departments of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology; Pathology; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Cancer Research & Treatment Center; Nanoscience & Microsystems; Physics & Astronomy; Electrical & Computer Engineering; Chemical & Nuclear Engineering; the Comprehensive Cancer Center; the Center for Micro-Engineered Materials; and the Center for High Technology Materials.
Issued Patent for “Sun Tracking Canopy Structure for Autonomous Shade Control”
Patent No. 11,629,521, issued April 18, 2023
Inventors: Tim Pressnall, Payman Zarkesh-Ha
(Ref. 2021-061)
This invention provides a sun tracking canopy structure having a canopy positionable to maintain a shaded area based on calculated solar elevation and azimuth.
Issued Patent for “Compositions and Methods for Reducing Serum Triglycerides”
Patent No. 11,633,471, issued April 25, 2023
Inventors: Bryce Chackerian, Alan Remaley, Marcelo Amar, Alexandra Fowler
(Ref. 2018-072)
Described here is a vaccine approach to target angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) for reducing triglycerides in order to prevent cardiovascular diseases and other diseases that are associated with hypertriglyceridemia. Using a virus-like particle (VLP) based vaccine platform, this vaccine can induce strong antibody responses against ANGPTL3 and reduce triglyceride levels in animal models.
Issued Patent for “Method of Fabricating Broad-band Lattice-matched Omnidirectional Distributed Bragg Reflectors Using Random Nanoporous Structures”
Patent No. 11,652,188, issued May 16, 2023
Inventors: Morteza Monavarian, Daniel Feezell, Behnam Abaie, Arash Mafi, Saadat Mishkat-Ul-Masabih
(Ref. 2019-046)
A method of forming and a random Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) is disclosed. The random DBR includes a substrate and a plurality of alternating layers of lattice-matched nanoporous GaN (NP-GaN) and GaN formed on a top surface of the substrate, wherein at least one of the alternating layers has a thickness of λ/4n and an adjacent one of the alternating layers does not have a thickness of λ/4n, wherein λ is a wavelength of incident radiation and n is the refractive index of a particular layer of the plurality of alternating layers.
Issued Patent for “Modulators of GTPases and Their Use”
Patent No. 11,672,779, issued June 13, 2023
This technology is currently licensed.
Inventors: Angela Wandinger-Ness, Laurie Hudson, Larry Sklar, Zurab Surviladze, Tudor Oprea
(Ref. 2009-113)
The present invention relates to molecules which function as modulators (i.e., inhibitors and agonists) of the Ras-homologous (Rho) family of small GTPases (e.g. Rac, Cdc42 and Rho GTPases) and their use to treat diseases, including cancers (including solid tumors-medulloblastoma, ovarian, breast, head and neck, testicular, prostate among others and hematologic malignancies-B cell lymphoma, where these GTPases are overexpressed or hyperactivated), sporadic and genetic diseases where activation of Rho GTPases plays a pivotal role (Menkes disease, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, diabetes (type I), Huntington’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease) which are mediated through these proteins. Compounds according to the present invention may also be used as a therapy for the treatment of Entamoeba spp. or Acanthamoeba spp. infections, especially including Entamoeba histolytica.
Issued Patent for “Osteotropic Nanoparticles for Prevention or Treatment of Bone Metastases”
Patent No. 11,672,866, issued June 13, 2023
Inventors: Paul Durfee, C. Jeffrey Brinker, Yu-Shen Lin, Hon Leong
(Ref. 2017-011)
The present disclosure is directed to protocells or nanoparticles, which are optionally coated with a lipid bilayer, which can be used for targeting bone tissue for the delivery of bioactive agents useful in the treatment and/or diagnosis of bone cancer, often metastatic bone cancer which often occurs secondary to a primary cancer such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer and ovarian cancer, among numerous others. These protocells or nanoparticles target bone cancer especially metastatic bone cancer with bioactive agents including anticancer agents and/or diagnostic agents for purposes of treating, diagnosing and/or monitoring the therapy of the bone cancer. Osteotropic protocells or nanoparticles, pharmaceutical compositions comprising a population of osteotropic protocells or nanoparticles and methods of diagnosing, treating and/or monitoring therapy of bone cancer are representative aspects.
Issued Patent for “Adjustable Multi-slit Collimators”
Patent No. 11,679,277, issued June 20, 2023
Inventors: Richard Shaw, Shuang Luan
(Ref. 2017-077)
The transverse intensity distribution of a beam of x-rays or other radiation can be modulated with a multi-slit collimator device that includes one or more sets of collimator leaves arranged in a one-dimensional array and individually movable to form slits of variable width between pairs of adjacent collimator leaves. A two-dimensional intensity distribution may be achieved using multiple sets of one-dimensionally arranged leaves, e.g., by stacking them along the beam in different orientations, or by stacking them in a transverse direction to form a two-dimensional array of leaves. In some embodiments, the multi-slit collimator device also serves beam-monitoring purposes.