The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) recently issued nine U.S. patents to UNM Rainforest Innovations during the months of October, November, and December for technologies invented at the University of New Mexico. The patents, issued during UNM Rainforest Innovations’ 2023 fiscal second quarter, are for a variety of technologies created by researchers in the Departments of Internal Medicine – Division of Infectious Diseases; Oncology; Molecular Genetics & Microbiology; Pharmaceutical Sciences; Earth & Planetary Sciences; Electrical & Computer Engineering; Chemical & Biological Engineering; and the Center for High Technology Materials.
Issued Patent for “Thermally Gelling Drug Formulations”
Patent No. 1,464,736, issued October 11, 2022
Inventors: Jason T. McConville
(Ref. 2019-042)
The present invention provides orodispersible films (ODFs) and methods for making the same. ODFs are formed using a solvent casting technique wherein a mixture comprising a thermoresponsive polymer, an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and any optional excipients or other ingredients are cast at a temperature at or above the thermal gelation point of the mixture to form a stable gel, the solvent in the gel is then evaporated to produce a thin film.
Issued Patent for “Nanowire Bending For Planar Device Process On (001) Si Substrates”
Patent No. 11,469,104, issued October 11, 2022
Inventors: Seung-Chang Lee, Steven R.J. Brueck
(Ref. 2015-100)
Provided is a method for growing a nanowire, including: providing a substrate with a base portion having a first surface and at least one support structure extending above or below the first surface; forming a dielectric coating on the at least one support structure; forming a photoresist coating over the substrate; forming a metal coating over at least a portion of the dielectric coating; removing a portion of the dielectric coating to expose a surface of the at least one support structure; removing a portion of the at least one support structure to form a nanowire growth surface; growing at least one nanowire on the nanowire growth surface of a corresponding one of the at least one support structure, wherein the nanowire comprises a root end attached to the growth surface and an opposing, free end extending from the root end; and elastically bending the at least one nanowire.
Issued Patent for “Innovative Nanopore Sequencing Technology”
Patent No. 11,474,094, issued October 18, 2022
This technology is currently licensed.
Inventors: Steven R.J. Brueck, Jeremy S. Edwards, Alexander Neumann, Yuliya Kuznetsova, Edgar A. Mendoza
(Ref. 2014-045)
Described here are methods and apparatus for long read, label-free, optical nanopore long chain molecule sequencing. In general, the present disclosure describes a novel sequencing technology based on the integration of nanochannels to deliver single long-chain molecules with widely spaced (>wavelength), ˜1-nm aperture “tortuous” nanopores that slow translocation sufficiently to provide massively parallel, single base resolution using optical techniques. A novel, directed self-assembly nanofabrication scheme using simple colloidal nanoparticles is used to form the nanopore arrays atop nanochannels that unfold the long chain molecules. At the surface of the nanoparticle array, strongly localized electromagnetic fields in engineered plasmonic/polaritonic structures allow for single base resolution using optical techniques.
Issued Patent for “Integrated Bound-mode Spectral/Angular Sensors”
Patent No. 11,480,463, issued October 25, 202
This technology is currently licensed.
Inventors: Steven R.J. Brueck, Alexander Neumann, Payman Zarkesh-Ha
(Ref. 2021-045)
Disclosed is an occupancy sensor covering a wide field in an integrated chip. The occupancy sensor includes an array of grating coupled waveguide sensors wherein continuous wave (cw) signals monitor an ambient light field for dynamic changes on times scales of seconds, and high frequency signals map in three-dimensions of the space using time-of-flight (TOF) measurements, pixel level electronics that perform signal processing; array level electronics that perform additional signal processing; and communications and site level electronics that interface with actuators to respond to occupancy sensing.
Issued Patent for “Electrocatalyst Comprising A Crumpled Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Support Loaded with Monodispersed Metal Nanoparticles”
Patent No. 11,484,867, issued November 1, 2022
Inventors: Stephen Percival, James Eujin Park, Ivana Gonzalez, Stanley Shihyao Chou
(Ref. 2021-025)
This invention provides an electrocatalyst comprising a crumpled transition metal dichalcogenide support loaded with catalytic metal nanoparticles through spontaneous reduction reactions. The support can be prepared by hydrothermal conversion of 2D nanosheets to 3D hierarchically crumpled sheets. As an example, using crumpled MoS.sub.2 as a support, highly tunable Ru loadings were obtained using the electrostatic interaction between MoS.sub.2 and RuCl.sub.3 in solution. Control over Ru loading was leveraged to produce Ru—MoS.sub.2 electrocatalysts that demonstrate different nitrogen reduction reaction activities, and which show varying resistance to electrochemical sintering and deactivation. Further, these high surface area materials can be utilized for many applications, including electrocatalysts, supercapacitors, and batteries.
Issued Patent for “Antigenic Combinations Against Francisella Bacteria and Related Nanolipoprotein Particles, Compositions, Methods and Systems”
Patent No. 11,491,215, issued November 8, 2022
Inventors: Nicholas Fischer, Amy Rasley, Terry Wu, and Julie Lovchik
(Ref. 2018-023)
Provided herein are antigenic combinations and related compositions, methods and systems for immunizing a host from an infection caused by Francisella bacterium. The antigenic combination comprises an antigenic polysaccharide component from a Francisella bacterium capable of triggering a humoral immune response in an individual, a protein antigen component from the Francisella bacterium capable of triggering a cellular immune response in the individual, and an adjuvant, the antigenic Francisella polysaccharide component, the Francisella protein antigen component and the adjuvant are in a suitable amount to immunize an individual against the Francisella bacterium.
Issued Patent for “Low Loss Tunable Matching Network For Pattern Reconfigurable Array Antennas”
Patent No. 11,515,651, issued November 29, 2022
Inventors: Marios Patriotis, Christos Christodoulou, Firas Nazem Ayoub
(Ref. 2020-103)
Described here is an array antenna system having an RF-port with individually controlled radiating elements.
Issued Patent for “Polymer Membrane with Vertically Aligned Pore Channels and Controlled Pore Surface Chemistry”
Patent No. 11,517,858, issued December 6, 2022
Inventors: Hongyou Fan, Susan Rempe, Ying-Bing Jiang
(Ref. 2020-016)
This invention provides a nanoporous polymer membrane with vertically aligned pore channels that can be synthesized through self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers on a supporting substrate. The pore surface chemistry can be functionalized for selective anion transport.
Issued Patent for “EGFRvIII Immunogen and Methods for Using Same”
Patent No. 11,530,242, issued December 20, 2022
Inventors: Bryce Chackerian, Oliver Rixe
(Ref. 2018-103)
The present invention describes an immunogen that includes an antigenic EGFRvIII peptide linked to a Qβ bacteriophage virus-like particle (VLP) carrier. The antigenic EGFRvIII peptide has at least 53%, at least 61%, at least 69%, at least 76%, at least 84%, or at least 92% sequence similarity amino acid similarity to LEEKKGNYVVTDH (SEQ ID NO:1).