The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) recently issued nine U.S. patents to UNM Rainforest Innovations during the months of July, August and September for technologies invented at the University of New Mexico. The patents, issued during UNM Rainforest Innovations’ 2026 fiscal first quarter, are for a variety of technologies created by researchers in the Departments of Chemical & Biological Engineering; Civil, Construction, & Environmental Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Electrical & Computer Engineering; Chemical & Nuclear Engineering; Pharmacy; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; the Cancer Research & Treatment Center; and the Center for High Technology Materials.
Patent No. 12,365,998, issued July 22, 2025
Inventors: Tybur Casuse, Fernando Garzon, Jose Cerrato Corrales
(Ref. 2020-107)
An ion exchange membrane separated two electrode flow analyzer for continuous aqueous electrochemical heavy metal detection is disclosed. The electrochemical cell includes a gas diffusion counter/reference electrode, a flooded flow through working electrode, and an ion exchange membrane that separates the gas diffusion counter/reference electrode and the flooded flow through working electrode. A method of continuous fluid analysis using a multi-electrode flow analyzer is also disclosed, including passing an aqueous sample through a first inlet flow area and into a working electrode of a multi-electrode flow analyzer, passing a gas mixture through a second inlet flow area and into a counter/reference electrode of the multi-electrode flow analyzer, depositing an analyte onto a surface of the working electrode, stripping the analyte from the surface of the working electrode by sweeping a range of a potential applied to the surface of the working electrode.
Issued Patent for “Microelectromechanical System Resonators”
Patent No. 12,368,396, issued July 22, 2025
Inventors: Nathan Jackson
(Ref. 2019-053)
In various embodiments, an apparatus can comprise one or more sliding mass cantilever devices. Cantilever devices can be structured as monolithic integrated structures with a mass coupled to a cantilever beam, where the mass has one or more cavities in which a liquid or solid particles are disposed. A cap can be arranged on the mass to prevent the liquid or solid particles from exiting the cavities in which they are embedded. The cantilever devices can be structured as microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonators with a tunable resonant frequency. Such cantilever devices can be implemented as energy harvesting devices.
Issued Patent for “Modulators of GTPases and Their Use”
Patent No. 12,377,072, issued August 5, 2025
Inventors: Angela Wandinger-Ness, Laurie Hudson, Larry Sklar, Zurab Surviladze, Tudor Oprea
This technology is currently licensed.
(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.
Patent No. 12,388,229, issued August 12, 2025
Inventors: Jean-Claude Diels, Hanieh Afkhamiardakani
(Ref. 2021-001)
Apparatus, systems, and methods for a bidirectional mode-locked all-polarization maintaining fiber laser with two counter-propagating, orthogonally polarized pulses are applicable in a variety of applications. A mode-locked fiber laser can be realized with a laser cavity including a first polarization maintaining gain fiber, a second polarization maintaining gain fiber, and a saturable absorber. The saturable absorber can be arranged with the first polarization maintaining gain fiber and the second polarization maintaining gain fiber to generate two counter-propagating pulses, being orthogonally polarized with respect to each other. The laser cavity can include a circulator arranged to provide separate paths for the two counter-propagating pulses in a portion of the fiber laser cavity.
Issued Patent for “Stretchable Liquid Metal Coaxial Phase Shifter”
Patent No. 12,394,874, issued August 19, 2025
Inventors: David Hensley, Christos Christodoulou, Nathan Jackson
(Ref. 2022-006)
Described here is a stretchable liquid metal coaxial phase shifter comprising opposingly located attachment disks which are attached to opposingly located shield interface rings which are open ended cylinders defining an interior space and exterior surface.
Issued Patent for “Methods of Detecting Inherited Myopathies in Horses”
Patent No. 12,398,426, issued August 26, 2025
Inventors: Jeremy S. Edwards, Paul Szauter, Robert B. Sinclair, Kirsten Dimmler
This technology is currently licensed.
(Ref. 2019-003)
This disclosure describes detecting four genetically distinct kinds of inherited myopathy in horses, referred to as Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy type 2 (PSSM2), or in some cases as Myofibrillar Myopathy (MFM).
Issued Patent for “In-line Angular Optical Multi-point Scatterometry For Nanomanufacturing Systems”
Patent No. 12,399,120, issued August 26, 2025
Inventors: Steven R.J. Brueck, Alexander Neumann, Juan Faria Briceno
(Ref. 2020-048)
A method and system for high-speed 2Θ multi-point scatterometry is disclosed. The method includes directing a laser beam from a laser light source to a collimation optical system that collimates the laser beam to a collimated laser beam; adjusting a polarization of the collimated laser beam using a polarization control optics; directing the collimated laser beam that is polarized by a first optical system to illuminate a focal area on a sample surface; receiving reflected light from the focus of the laser light source at the sample surface by a second optical system; detecting the reflected light by a detector system to produce detection signals; and processing the detection signals to measure parameters of the sample surface.
Issued Patent for “Flexibility-assisted Heat Removal In Thin Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells”
Patent No. 12,402,437, issued August 26, 2025
Inventors: Sang E. Han, Sang M. Han, Seok Jun Han
(Ref. 2020-018)
Described here is a flexible, non-flat solar cell comprises a flexible substrate. A pn junction is on or in the flexible substrate. The solar cell has been flexed so as to have a non-flat geometry that results in an increased surface area of the flexed solar cell with respect to the surface area of a flat solar cell that is the same as the flexed solar cell except that the flat solar cell has a flat surface geometry that has the same projected area on a lateral plane as does the flexed solar cell.
Issued Patent for “Method And System For In-line Optical Scatterometry”
Patent No. 12,416,580, issued September 16, 2025
Inventors: Juan Faria Briceno, Steven R.J. Brueck
(Ref. 2018-094)
A system for measuring a periodic array of structures on a sample is provided. The system includes an optical source configured to produce an optical beam; an optical system configured to control the polarization of the optical beam and to focus the optical beam with a first NA.sub.1 on a sample surface and to sweep the angle of incidence across a range of angles with an approximately fixed focal position on a sample surface with a second NA.sub.2 wherein NA.sub.2>NA.sub.1; additional optical components configured to receive the optical beam reflected from the sample surface and to focus the reflected beam onto a detector; and a recording system to record the reflectivity of the sample surface as a function of the angle of incidence. In an embodiment, the optical system provides a spot on the sample such that both the angle of incidence and the position on the sample are varied during a sweep. Electronic filtering is provided to separate low frequency signals, corresponding to structural details of the sample, and high frequency signatures, corresponding to localized defects on the sample.