6 Licensing Opportunities
News from
1. Plant Transformation Technology
2. Low Cost Linear Oil Free Compressors
3. Novel Approach to Cancer Treatment
4. Pentalene and Metal Pentalene Compounds
5. Cell Population Array Imager (CPAI)
6. High throughput surface tension measurement
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1. Plant Transformation Technology
Research in
Marketing
Elucidating the function of the
thousands of different genes in plant species is essential in developing new
commercially important plants. High throughput screening methods in model
species such as Arabidopsis have been widely utilised because of the efficient
transformation methods available. However, Arabidopsis is not closely related
to any crop species and developmentally important genes have distinct functions
in different species.
Understanding how species-specific
changes in gene activity alter agronomically important attributes of plant
development will be an essential aspect of crop biotechnology.
The
The
As well as being a novel platform
for studying plant gene function, the Cardamine group of plants is more closely
related to the commercially important Brassicas. This means C.hirsuta would be
a useful model system for evaluating transgenic lines for adverse effects.
Patent Status
This work is the subject of patent
application, and
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2. Low Cost Linear Oil Free
Compressors
There were two over-riding criteria
in
- oil free, and
- have a working life
of at least 10 years.
The elimination of any contacting
surface that can wear is this technology’s key feature, and this has been so
successful that it is now the basis of almost all cryocoolers used in space;
this technology has now been licensed to major aerospace companies.
During operation a linear motor
drives a piston/cylinder system, and with precise assembly the piston moves
within the cylinder without contact.
Typically the clearance between the piston and cylinder is held at less
than ten millionths of a metre allowing compressor pressure differences of
approximately 10 bar without power loss.
Provided cleanliness in the system is maintained; suitable materials for
construction have been selected; there are no wear or failure mechanisms; this
type of compressor can have a life exceeding the 10 year criterion.
Marketing
These early designs were too costly
for most commercial applications, but recent developments at
Applications for this new
generation of linear oil-free compressors include those involving hazardous
gases or those that require high levels of cleanliness. A comparison of the existing compressor
technology and the new linear technology will illustrate this.
In a traditional diaphragm
compressor a piston generates a fluctuating pressure in a volume of hydraulic
fluid. A diaphragm separates the fluid
from the gas to be compressed, and changes in hydraulic pressure deflect the
diaphragm which in turn compresses or expands the gas volume.
Although diaphragm compressors can
be used to compress virtually any gas to very high pressures there are some
serious disadvantages:
- Diaphragms have a limited life, and
typically have to be replaced at intervals of ~ 5000 hours depending on the
service, and as a consequence frequent maintenance is essential.
- Diaphragms can fail prematurely,
and a leak detection system is essential.
- The diaphragm compressor is limited
to small strokes with low speed operation. This tends to make diaphragm
compressors large and heavy for the duty performed.
- They are relatively expensive
machines to manufacture and operate.
- The significant reduction or even
total elimination of maintenance requirements.
- The elimination of any dynamic
seals; no failure mode corresponds to diaphragm failure.
- The complete elimination of oil
from the compressor environment.
The
- Linear motor designs that allow the
stator assembly to be mounted outside the pressure vessel and which also offer
high efficiency and low cost.
- Designs for devices for controlling
mean piston position and motor dynamics
- Software for determining compressor
operating parameters e.g. stroke and mean piston position from input voltage
and current. This avoids any requirement
for position transducers to be mounted with the pressure vessel.
The new design of linear motor
addresses issues for low cost, large scale manufacture:
- Low moving mass
- More efficient use of magnetic
material – cost reduction
- Simpler construction – lower cost
manufacture
- Design is readily integrated with
existing linear clearance seal technology
- Elimination of flexible current
leads – simplifies the design and improves the reliability
Patent Status
This work is the subject of granted
patents and patent applications, and
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3. Novel Approach to Cancer Treatment
Work in the Cancer Research UK
Laboratories at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine,
Marketing
One effective strategy to treat
metastatic cancer is to induce sequence-specific silencing of target gene
expression in cancer cells. The use of small interfering RNAs (siRNA) as gene
silencing agents in mammalian cells is the most potent method. One important
gene target with therapeutic potential in the fight against cancer is the
type-1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R). IGF1R activation induces
tumour cell growth and protection from apoptosis, including that induced by
conventional anti-cancer treatments. Its upregulation in tumours relative to
normal tissues renders IGF1R a highly attractive anti-cancer treatment
target.
The
The problem associated with IGF1R
targeting is the high degree of homology between the IGF1R and the insulin
receptor (IR). Because of this close homology, IGF1R kinase inhibitors and
blocking antibodies can influence the function or cell surface expression of
the insulin receptor, potentially inducing glucose intolerance and diabetes.
The
Commercialisation
The IGF1R siRNAs have been tested
successfully in vitro. Treatment of tumour cells with siRNAs blocks IGF
signalling, inhibits cell survival and enhances sensitivity to cytotoxic drugs
and irradiation. Work by the researchers has also shown that tumour cells
remain sensitive to IGF1R gene silencing despite the presence of compensatory
signaling via other growth factor receptors, or of downstream mutations causing
constitutive activation of growth and survival signaling pathways. Following
chemical modification to enhance stability and pharmacokinetic characteristics,
the in vivo efficacy of these agents is currently being tested in human tumour
xenografts.
These agents represent an exciting
new anti-cancer treatment with wide applicability for patients with a variety
of metastatic tumours.
Patent Status
This work is the subject of a
patent application, and
Request Further Information: Project
Number 1206 Commercial
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4. Pentalene and Metal Pentalene
Compounds
Isis Innovation, the technology
transfer company of the
The cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ligand
has remained the prevalent moiety in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous
catalysis since the 1960s. Complexes of the permethylated derivative (Cp*)
showed huge improvement in stability, solubility and crystallisability; leading
to catalysts capable of operating over wider temperature ranges and at higher
solution loadings thus substantially increasing process activity.
The
Catalysts based on the pentalene
(Pn) ring system (a ‘double-Cp’ equivalent) are hitherto unknown (Figure 1).
Comemrcialisation
This technology offers an
opportunity to secure a foothold in an exciting, expanding field. Pn complexes show a plethora of new binding
modes and facilitate kinetically unfavourable chemical transformations such as C-C
& C-H bond formation, N2 reduction to NH3 and hydrogenations. Additionally, the Pn skeleton provides a
platform to bind two or more metals (Figure 2) in complexes that are expected
to display catalytic properties unavailable to mononuclear systems. Furthermore, this chemistry leads to the
possibility of novel advanced materials such as organometallic polymers with
unique electrical and magnetic properties.
Patent Status
This work is the subject of patent
application, and
Request Further Information: Project Number 2475 - Pentalenes
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5. Cell Population Array Imager (CPAI)
Researchers at the
The
The CPAI is a specialised simple
microscope which measures weak light signals over minutes to hours. The signals come from individual live cells
introduced into it as a suspension, such as blood cells. Fluorescent or luminescent reporter molecules
are pre-incorporated into the cells by well-established methods. The heart of the CPAI is an imaging optical
fibre-bundle forming a close-packed array of ultramicrowells imaged by a
sensitive digital camera. Each well
accommodates just one cell. Images of
thousands of cells are acquired every few seconds. The fibre-bundle is in a
closed flow-chamber so that cells can react with substances micro-pumped
through it in solution. Some of the
cells may brighten transiently, with characteristic patterns. For instance T lymphocytes react to
anti-receptor antibodies that stimulate calcium oscillations. For a few tens of minutes some of the cells
wink like lighthouses, displaying a range of time-variant patterns. Proprietary neural-network-based
pattern-recognition algorithms running on an ordinary laptop computer then
automate the classification of the winks into characteristic cell subpopulations. For the first time we can classify cells into
subsets primarily according to their biochemical function, not by molecular
marker. This CPAI is an inexpensive and portable research instrument, in
comparison with conventional flow cytometers or fluorescence microscope. It is likely to improve “’omic” strategies by
screening large tethered arrays of protein or RNA ligands, and also has the
potential to be developed as a field-portable cytometer with primary healthcare
and third-world applications.
Solutions provided by this
invention
The CPAI solves all the limitations
that afflict two related technologies:
1. Conventional video-imaging by
fluorescence microscope to record signals from cell populations is constrained
by:
- limited number of cells analysed,
so subset-typical patterns aren’t identifiable
- cells being displaced by reagent
passage during image acquisition, so data are lost
- cumbersome and expensive equipment
- requirement for relatively large
cell numbers
2. Flow cytometers, when used for
time-varying functional studies, assume each cell behaves identically to all
the others in the sample. They measure only the average of the whole poputaion;
so individual differences are hidden.
Patent Status
This work is the subject of a
patent application. Interested parties are welcome to discuss with Isis
Innovation on how to utilise this invention. Please contact the Isis Project
Manager to discuss this further.
Request Further Information: Project Number 1547 Cell Poputaion Array Imager (CPAI)
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6. High throughput surface tension
measurement
Researchers at the
Marketing
- High throughput screening in
pharmaceutical drug discovery (prevention of false negatives)
- Process control in manufacturing
surface active products (inks, detergent products, agrochemicals)
- Quality control in production lines
- Screening tool for microfluidics
compatibility (lab-on-a-chip samples)
- Multiplexing multiwell assays using
combined ELISA and enzyme-linked immunosurfactant assay (ELISURFA)
The
The invention offers a rapid method
for the measurement of surface tension at a fluid-gas (or fluid-fluid)
interface in multi-well plates, based upon computer-generated repetitive high
contrast patterns imaged through the samples using a CCD camera controlled by
dedicated image analysis software. Rapid
well-by-well feedback control of the optimal spatial frequency of the
analytical pattern ensures the widest possible measurement range (by keeping
the signal in the image within the most accurate linear range despite wide
variation due to different lensing effects).
Applications
A dedicated stand-alone instrument
offers very high throughput with minimum constraint on sample size and
composition, except for the requirement that the sample be at least translucent
at a wavelength between 400-900nm. A
reflection mode variant removes even this constraint.
A wide range of applications are envisaged;
a subset are suggested in the marketing section above.
Advantages
Measurements are very rapid (96
wells read in parallel with a reading time of less than one second), use small
samples (typically 50-200 microlitres), require no contact (so sterility is
maintained and toxic aerosols are never created), and may be made at any
temperature and in non-air atmosphere if required. Furthermore, measurements may be made
repeatedly such that reactions may be followed dynamically in real time, rather
than being constrained to an end-point value.
The method is especially suitable
for robotic plate handling systems and may be incorporated efficiently into the
work flow of a high throughput screening assay.
This makes the method particularly relevant for screening HTS assays for
unexpected surface tension changes (predominantly due to the library compounds
that vary from well to well, but also able to detect bubbles and foreign bodies
in wells) that might otherwise give rise to false negatives or false positives
in the screen.
Application of a feedback between
the image analysis software and the pattern generator is used to maximize the
range of surface tension effects that can be measured. This is achieved by feedback regulation of
the spatial frequency of the pattern until a waveform with a wavelength in the
linear range is detected in the image.
Patents Status
This work is the subject of a
patent application. Interested parties are welcome to discuss with Isis
Innovation on how to utilise this invention. Please contact the Isis Project
Manager to discuss this further.
Figures
A digital demonstration of the
dynamic measurement; a line scan or simple photodiode system could provide an
analog voltage varying so that processing could remain in an analog frequency domain.
Request Further Information:
Project Number 2538 High throughput surface tension measurement
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