The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) recently issued twelve U.S. patents to UNM Rainforest Innovations during the months of October, November & December for technologies invented at the University of New Mexico. The patents, issued during UNM Rainforest Innovations’ 2025 fiscal year second quarter, are for a variety of technologies created by researchers in the Departments of Civil, Construction, & Environmental Engineering; Chemical & Biological Engineering; Physics & Astronomy; Molecular Genetics & Microbiology; Biomedical Sciences; Pathology; Biology; Anesthesiology; the Center for Biomedical Engineering; the Center for High Technology Materials; and the Center for Micro-Engineered Materials.
Patent No. 12,109,380, issued October 8, 2024
Inventors: Mahmoud R. Taha, Eslam M. Soliman, Ahmed R. Taha
(Ref. 2020-089)
Percutaneous insertion of vascular cannulas requires dilatation to achieve the puncture site required diameter to pass the vascular cannula. The current practice is to use an axial dilation technique via serial axial dilators with upgraded diameters. This technique is typically required to insert large cannulas such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cannula (ECMO) cannulation either in the internal jugular or femoral sites. This invention provides a dilation system comprising a plurality of springs axially disposed in an elastic tube that avoid the limitations and potential risks of axial serial dilators.
Issued Patent for “Malaria Immunogen and Methods for Using Same”
Patent No. 12,121,574, issued October 22, 2024
Inventors: Bryce Chackerian, Fidel Zavala, David S. Peabody, Nikolai Petrovsky, Lucie Jelinkova
(Ref. 2022-011)
An immunogen useful for treating malaria generally includes an immunogenic carrier and an antigenic malaria circumsporozoite protein (CSP) peptide that includes the peptide NANPNVDPNANPNVD (SEQ ID NO:2) linked to the immunogenic carrier. The immunogen may be administered to a subject having or at risk of having malaria. Alternatively, the immunogen may be administered to an individual having or at risk of having Plasmodium falciparum blood stage parasitemia. In some cases, the immunogen can be administered in combination with another therapeutic agent for treating malaria of Plasmodium falciparum blood stage parasitemia.
Issued Patent for “Rap1-GTP, Rac1-GTP and FMS-like Tyrosine Kinase 3 Ligand (FLT3-L) As Biomarkers for Early Detection of Sepsis”
Patent No. 12,123,881, issued October 22, 2024
Inventors: Angela Wandinger-Ness, Tione Buranda, Peter Simons, Stephen Young
(Ref. 2017-115)
The present invention is directed to the discovery that Rap1-GTP, Rac1-GTP and Flt3-L can be used as Biomarkers for the early detection of sepsis in patients suspected of a bacterial infection which presents as sepsis or is likely to produce sepsis. In particular, the present invention is directed to methods, assays and kits which may be used to distinguish sepsis (infection) from systematic inflammatory response caused by sterile inflammation in trauma patients. The method may be used to diagnose bacteria infection and/or sepsis and monitor therapy of a patient to allow modification of treatment and/or cessation of treatment.
Patent No. 12,135,319, issued November 5, 2024
Inventors: David Hanson, Patrick J. Hudson, Kaitlyn J. Hughes Read, Laura Green, Joseph Stinziano, Tito Busani, Mahmoud Behzadirad
(Ref. 2019-102)
Methods and apparatus for electrical impedance spectroscopy for non-destructive, real-time, tracking of relative water content and stress responses in plants.
Issued Patent for “Therapeutic Antibody Fragments, Methods of Making, and Methods of Use”
Patent No. 12,145,991, issued November 19, 2024
Inventors: Karin Westlund High, Ravi V. Durvasula, Adinarayana Kunamneni
(Ref. 2019-037)
A pharmaceutical composition that generally includes a therapeutic antibody, or fragment thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The therapeutic antibody specifically binds to a target peptide that mediates pain in a subject. The composition may be administered to a subject experiencing pain to at least partially alleviate the pain.
Issued Patent for “Electrochemical Synthesis of Ammonia with Lithium Halogen Salts”
Patent No. 12,151,945, issued November 26, 2024
Inventors: Fernando Garzon, Shekar Balagopal
(Ref. 2018-055)
An electrolytic cell and method for synthesizing ammonia by utilizing a lithium selective membrane in the electrolytic cell and providing at least one lithium halogen salt as an electrolyte in the electrochemical process of producing ammonia. The reaction utilizes a hydrogen halide or hydrogen sulfide as a hydrogen oxidant in the process, and allows the regeneration of lithium halide salts that can be recycled back into the cell reaction.
Issued Patent for “Asymmetric Confocal Laser Beam Circulator”
Patent No. 12,158,569, issued December 3, 2024
Inventors: Mansoor Sheik-Bahae, Mingyang Zhang, Alexander R. Albrecht
(Ref. 2021-012)
A laser beam circulator proposed here includes a first mirror and a second mirror. The first and second mirrors are symmetric with respect to an axis therebetween. The circulator also includes a sample that is substantially planar. The axis extends through the sample. The sample is oriented at an angle with respect to a plane that is perpendicular to the axis. The angle is from about 0.1° to about 10°. The circulator also includes a laser configured to emit a laser beam that circulates multiple times from the second mirror to the sample to the first mirror and back to the second mirror. The laser beam passes through the sample during each circulation. The sample absorbs a portion of the laser beam each time the laser beam passes through the sample.
Issued Patent for “Malaria Immunogen and Methods for Using Same”
Patent No. 12,161,710, issued December 10, 2024
Inventors: Bryce Chackerian, David S. Peabody, Nikolai Petrovsky, Lucia Jelinkova, Fidel Zavala
(Ref. 2020-003)
An immunogen useful for treating malaria generally includes an immunogenic carrier and an antigenic malaria circumsporozoite protein (CSP) peptide that includes the peptide NPDPNANPNVDPNAN (amino acids 5-19 of SEQ ID NO:1) linked to the immunogenic carrier. The immunogen may be administered to a subject having or at risk of having malaria.
Issued Patent for “Compositions Targeting Apoptosis-associated Speck-like Protein with Caspase Activation and Recruitment Domain (ASC) and Methods of Use”
Patent No. 12,162,916, issued December 10, 2024
This technology is currently optioned.
Inventors: Bryce Chackerian, Kiran Bhaskar, Jonathan P. Hulse
(Ref. 2022-084)
An immunogen includes an immunogenic carrier and an antigenic apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain (ASC) peptide linked to the immunogenic carrier. In one or more embodiments, the immunogenic carrier is a Qβ virus-like particle (VLP). The immunogen may be formulated into a composition useful for treating inflammatory medical conditions.
Issued Patent for “P-Phenylene Ethynylene Compounds as Bioactive and Detection Agents”
Patent No. 12,163,953, issued December 10, 2024
Inventors: David G. Whitten, Harry C. Pappas, Eric H. Hill, Yue Zhang, Eva Yung Hua Chi, Arjun Thapa, Ying Wang, Patrick L. Donabedian, Kiran Bhaskar
(Ref. 2014-088)
Various embodiments relate to p-phenylene ethynylene compounds as bioactive and detection agents. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method of inducing germination of microbial spores including contacting the microbial spores with a p-phenylene ethynylene compound. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method for detecting an enzyme, a method of protein analysis, or a method of detecting a chemical agent, including introducing a p-phenylene ethylylene compound to a composition including an enzyme substrate, and analyzing the fluorescence of the p-phenylene ethynylene compound. Various embodiments provide sensors that include a p-phenylene ethynylene compound and an enzyme substrate.
Patent No. 12,174,426, issued December 24, 2024
Inventors: Nathan Jack Withers, Marek Osinski
(Ref. 2020-062)
A semiconductor photodetector comprising a closed loop configured to receive light from an external source adapted to trap light within said closed loop until absorption by the semiconductor.
Patent No. 12,183,852, issued December 31, 2024
Inventors: Steven R.J. Brueck, Seung-Chang Lee, Christian Wetzel, Mark Durniak
(Ref. 2012-110)
A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes providing a substrate comprising a first material portion and a single crystal silicon layer on the first material portion. The substrate further comprises a major front surface, a major backside surface opposing the major front surface, and a plurality of grooves positioned in the major front surface. A buffer layer is deposited in one or more of the plurality of grooves. A semiconductor material is epitaxially grown over the buffer layer and in the one or more plurality of grooves, the epitaxially grown semiconductor material comprising a hexagonal crystalline phase layer and a cubic crystalline phase structure disposed over the hexagonal crystalline phase.