Construction of an Infectious Full-Length cDNA Clone of the Porcine Enteric Calicivirus RNA Genome
Porcine enteric calicivirus (PEC) is a member of the genus Sapovirus in the family Caliciviridae. This virus causes diarrheal illness in pigs, and is presently the only enteric calicivirus that can be grown in cell culture. In addition to its relevance to veterinary medicine as a diarrheal agent in pigs, PEC serves as an important model for the study of enteric caliciviruses that cause diarrhea and that cannot be grown in cell culture (including the noroviruses represented by Norwalk virus).
DLX3 Knockout Mice for the Study Mouse Models of Tooth, Hair, and Epidermal Defects
This technology includes K14creDLX3 conditional knockout (cKO) mice which will be used to study ectodermal dysplasia disorders such as Amelogenesis Imperfecta, and to study molecular mechanisms of DLX3 regulation in skin and ectodermal appendages. DLX3 is expressed in the epidermis, hair matrix cells in the hair follicle and in the mesenchymal and epithelial compartment of the tooth during embryonic development. To determine the transcriptional network dependent on DLX3-function, we will generate and analyze an epithelial-specific conditional knockout of DLX3.
Astrocyte Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells with StemPro Embryonic Stem Cell Serum Free Medium for Research and Potential Therapeutic Use
This technology includes an innovative method for differentiating astrocytes from neural stem cells (NSCs). The process involves using Life Technologies StemPro embryonic stem cell serum-free medium to initially guide NSCs towards a neuronal lineage. Over a period of 28-35 days, as the cells are continually passaged, neurons gradually die off, leading to the proliferation of astrocytes. By the end of this differentiation protocol, approximately 70% of the cells exhibit markers characteristic of mature astrocytes, specifically GFAP.
Respirator Protection Devices and Methods to Detect and Remove Toxic Gases from the Air - Cobinamide Encapsulated Silica-based Materials for Respirator Canisters
Composite Gels and Methods of their Use in Tissue Repair, Drug Delivery, and as Implants
Gel materials, particularly hydrogels, typically lose their mechanical strength and stiffness as they swell. This property limits their use in both biological (e.g., cartilage and ECM repair) and non-biological (e.g., sealant) applications. Innovative materials in both medical and non-medical application areas are sorely needed.
MADCO-Accelerated Multidimensional Diffusion MRI
Although multidimensional diffusion/relaxation NMR experiments are widely used in materials sciences and engineering applications, preclinical and clinical MRI applications of these techniques were not feasible. Moreover, higher-field MRI scanners posed another obstacle to translation of this NMR method. Their specific absorption rate (SAR) limits the use of multi-echo or CPMG pulse trains, so that the large amounts of data required by these methods cannot be collected in vivo due to exceedingly long scan times.
Nitric Oxide-Releasing Polysaccharide Materials
Diazeniumdiolates comprise a diverse class of NO-releasing compounds and materials that are known to exhibit sufficient stability to be useful as therapeutics.
Devices for Improved Tissue Cryopreservation and Recovery
Problem: Cryopreservation is a process where living biological materials like cells, tissues, and cell therapies (which are susceptible to damage caused by unregulated chemical kinetics) are preserved by cooling to very low temperatures in the presence of specific cryopreservation media that protects the biological material from damage. In order to be used, the biological material ideally should be thawed in a controlled manner that minimizes damage and desirably brings the material back to a viable state.
Antibodies to TMC1 Protein for Hearing Loss
This technology includes antibodies for TMC1 protein as a treatment for hearing loss. TMC1 is one of the common genes causing hereditary hearing loss. Our laboratory used synthetic peptides corresponding to the TMC1 protein to immunize rabbits. The resulting antisera were shown to bind to TMC1 protein expressed in heterologous expression systems. TMC1 protein is required for the transduction of sound into electrical impulses in inner ear sensory cells.