Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 179 (Thursday, September 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50291-50292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24124]



[[Page 50291]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The inventions listed below are owned by agencies of the U.S. 
Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance 
with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results 
of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent 
applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage 
for companies and may also be available for licensing.

ADDRESSES: Licensing information and copies of the U.S. patent 
applications listed below may be obtained by contacting John Fahner-
Vihtelic, Technology Licensing Specialist/Patent Advisor, at the Office 
of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive 
Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville, Maryland 20852-3804; telephone: 301/
496-7735 ext. 270; fax: 301/402-0220; e-mail: jf36z@nih.gov. A signed 
Confidential Disclosure Agreement will be required to receive copies of 
the patent applications.

Molecular Rotation Engine

Thomas D. Schneider (NCI)
DHHS Reference No. E-018-99/0 filed 03 Aug 1999

    The present application describes a molecular-based macroscopic 
rotating engine. The engine is constructed of two cylinders, one inner 
and one outer whose inner surfaces are coated with oriented mobility or 
contractile proteins. In the presence to ATP the cylinders rotate 
relative to each other. Speed of relative rotation is controlled by the 
concentration of ATP or by nesting a series of cylinders inside each 
other. Power is controlled by adjusting the length of the cylinders. 
One advantage of this technology over other macroscopic motors is that 
it can be used to supply power to prosthetic implants and medical 
devices without the drawbacks associated with conventional power 
sources. Other advantages are that the motor operates at room 
temperature, fuels can be prepared by growing sugar so the motor does 
not contribute to carbon dioxide pollution and the waste products are 
biologically safe.

Layered Electrophoresis Scan: A Method for High Throughput 
Molecular Fingerprinting of Tissue and Cell Samples

Michael Emmert-Buck (NCI)
DHHS Reference No. E-079-99/0 filed 26 Jul 1999

    Layered expression scanning is a technique which combines tissue 
and/or cell samples with a high-throughput array approach to provide a 
simple and rapid method for comprehensive molecular analysis. The 
method works by placing a biological sample (tissue section, or 
dissected cell populations, or lysates from cells) adjacent to a set of 
capture layers, each containing an individual hybridization molecule 
(antibody or DNA sequence). The specimen(s) is transferred through the 
membranes and, importantly, the overall two-dimensional architecture 
and histological relationships within the sample(s) are maintained. As 
the proteins and nucleic acids are transferred each target molecule 
specifically hybridizes to the membrane containing its antibody or 
complementary DNA sequence. After hybridization each of the membranes 
are analyzed, providing a measurement of the level of expression of 
each targeted molecule in all of the cell types present in the sample.

A Single Tube Homogeneous Assay for Lipoprotein Subfraction 
Analysis

Alan T. Remaley, Maureen Sampson, Gyorgy Csako (CC)
Serial No. 60/136,709 filed 28 May 1999

    The present invention describes a single tube assay for determining 
high density lipoprotein HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density 
lipoprotein (LDL--C) and total cholesterol (total-C), from a single 
serum sample. This technology is useful in determining a patient's risk 
factor for heart disease. Previously, multiple costly tests were 
performed in order to determine low density lipoprotein LDL-C and HDL-C 
by measuring total-C, total triglyceride, and HDL-C. That method of 
testing had limitations and was complex. In this methodology, the use 
of the homogeneous assay for HDL-C, does not require the physical 
separation of HDL. The new assay developed is efficient, less costly, 
and compares favorably to current assays for HDL-C, total cholesterol, 
and triglyceride. This technology may also be used to simplify the 
procedure for the point of care testing of hyperlipidemia.

Methods and Devices for Isolation and Analysis of Cellular Protein 
Content

Lance A. Liotta, Emmanuel P. Petricoin, Nicole Simone, Michael E. Buck 
(NCI)
Serial No. 60/120,288 filed 16 Feb 1999

    The present provisional application presents a comprehensive method 
to determine protein characteristics of a sample tissue cell in order 
to quantitatively discern and compare the protein content of healthy 
cells versus diseased cells. Furthermore, the tissue source of a tumor 
metastasis is available from the acquisition of this information. The 
realms for molecular biology study are moving from genomics to 
proteomics, the study of variations in the protein levels of cells, 
caused by the state of the cell itself, whether healthy or unhealthy. 
The invention at hand provides a method for using new and innovative 
methods for superior cell analysis. Previous methods, such as UV-laser 
ablation of unwanted tissue regions and oil well isolation of tissue 
cells, were complex, labor intensive, and did not utilize the important 
protein stabilizers. Direct comparisons between healthy cells and tumor 
cells were not made due to limitations of the methods. The new method 
consists of first using the new method of Laser Capture Microdissection 
(LCM) to obtain pure cell populations. Next, the sample is placed in a 
device so that the proteins are solubilized. Now the immunological and 
biochemical methods and subsequent analyses are performed. These 
techniques include (but are not limited to) immunoassays, 1D and 2D gel 
electrophoresis characterization, Western blotting, Matrix Assisted 
Laser Desorption Ionization/Time of Flight (MALDI/TOF) and Surface 
Enhanced Laser Desorption Ionization Spectroscopy (SELDI). The methods 
listed above allow for the direct comparison of both qualitative and 
quantitative tissue content of healthy and diseased cells, from the 
same sample. The sequential method of using LCM, protein isolation, 
analysis and comparison is superior since by simply using 
immunohistochemistry, the location of the tumor is found, but none of 
the protein characteristics, such as amino acid sequence and binding 
ability are discerned as they are in the present application. In 
addition, by using protein fingerprinting, the source of the tumor 
metastasis is found effectively. The methodology at hand has been 
tested extensively with the different methods listed above. This 
technology can be used in hospitals and research pathology labs for 
quantitative measure of protein characteristics of cells.


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    Dated: September 7, 1999.
Jack Spiegel,
Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of 
Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 99-24124 Filed 9-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M