This technology includes 8 novel strains of the species Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus infantis for vaccine or probiotic development. The capsular biosynthetic genes from each of these strains are highly related to pneumococcal counterparts encoding 5 capsular serotypes. All 8 of these non-pneumococcal strains were recovered from nasopharyngeal (NP) or oropharyngeal (OP) specimens.
This technology includes a real-time RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase – polymerase chain reaction) Taqman assay using primers and probes specific for EV-D68 viral protein 1 nucleic acid. This assay provides a more specific identification of EV-D68 strains allowing better diagnosis. Human Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is a non-polio enterovirus that can cause mild to severe respiratory illness, especially in infants and children with asthma. The assay is simple, validated, and allows rapid testing and detection of EV-D68 in respiratory samples.
This technology includes a compound, CDEU050, which has shown to have anti-Ebola virus activity in cell culture. CDEU050 is a novel small molecule, unrelated to any previously described inhibitor that blocks Ebola virus infection in cell culture.
This technology includes using defective interfering (DI) genomes as a therapeutic against various mononegavirales. DI genomes are defective versions of the wildtype viral genome, incapable of replicating by itself but able to interfere with replication of the wildtype virus. We developed both a system to identify and characterize multiple naturally occurring henipaviruses Nipah (NiV) DI genomes species, and a methodology to artificially produce high titer stocks of virions containing these DI genomes, termed DI particles (DIPs).
This technology includes plasmodium falciparum parasites (PH1, Benin, FCQ79, Santa Lucia and Borneo) which have all been isolated from infected persons from various geographic locations and have been modified/adapted for growth in the laboratory for multiple uses. Plasmodium falciparum strain W2 is a parasite clone from a parasite isolate called Indochina III/CDC which in turn originated from a patient in Laos infected with chloroquine-resistant parasites. Gametocytes from W2 can be grown experimentally and used in experimental infection of chimpanzees and aotus monkeys.
This technology includes an optimized influenza A/H9 virus real-time (RT)-PCR assay for detection and characterization influenza A/H9 viruses, which are considered to be one of the most likely candidates to cause an influenza pandemic in humans. The H9 real-time RT-PCR assay will be in compliment with CDC human Influenza Viruses RT-PCR Detection and Characterization Panel to detect of A/H9 influenza viruses.
This technology includes an optimized N.A H7 influenza A virus subtyping real-time (RT)-PCR assay for detection and characterization of N.A A/H7 influenza viruses. Since 1995, infection of poultry with N.A A/H7 influenza viruses has greatly increased, the outbreaks of N.A A/H7 influenza viruses in poultry as well as wild birds occurred many times in Canada, Mexico and USA; meanwhile a number of human infection caused by N.A A/H7 influenza viruses have been confirmed following exposure to infected poultry.
This technology includes compositions useful as inhibitors of acetyltransferase Eis, whose upregulation causes kanamycin (KAN) resistance of tuberculosis (TB) infections, and therefore can be developed and utilized as a treatment for TB. In particular, the compositions are sulfonamide-based and sulfonyl isothiazole-based small molecules. Drug adjuvants in TB represent a conceptually novel approach to combatting a serious global epidemic of drug-resistant TB.
This technology includes methods for the delivery of active bacteriophages or other agents to the lung, with the goal of reducing bacterial colonization and improving clinical outcomes. This is accomplished by encapsulating, immobilizing, or otherwise incorporating bacteriophages to polymer particles in the micro- to nano-scale size range in order to target their delivery to specific lung regions. The current example of this involves poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) particles conjugated to phages that kill Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients.
This technology includes a HIV-2 plasmid library for use in diagnostic assay development. In December of 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) proposed a new US laboratory testing algorithm for the diagnosis of HIV infections. This new algorithm recommends additional testing for confirmation of HIV infection using a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) in the event of discordant serological test results.