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Disorders of adult beta-globin synthesis, which include sickle cell disease (SCD) and beta-thalassemia, are the most common monogenic disorders in the world. While the curative potential of bone marrow transplantation has been demonstrated, this approach is limited to a small fraction of affected patients due to the requirement for an HLA-matched donor, the highly specialized approach that requires critical infrastructure, and the high cost.

This technology includes a computer-implemented method for determining magnetic field inversion time of a tissue species using a T1-mapping image, information about the region of interest, and a tissue classification algorithm. This method includes T1-mapping image comprising a plurality of T1 values within an expected range of T1 values for the tissue of interest. An image mask is created based on predetermined identification information about the tissue of interest. Next, an updated image mask is created based on a largest connected region in the image mask.

This technology includes a method to reduce scanning time while retaining high image quality during MRI scans. A reconstructed image is rendered from a set of MRI data by first estimating an image with an area which does not contain artifacts or has an artifact with a relatively small magnitude. Corresponding data elements in the estimated image and a trial image are processed, for instance by multiplication, to generate an intermediate data set.

This technology includes the determination of temperature dependent temporal deviations of the real from the intended gradient waveforms and k-space trajectories during MRI image acquisition, and the use of appropriate temperature dependent pre-compensations to avoid or reduce the image distortion caused by these temporal deviations on the gradient waveforms and k-space trajectories, which will improve imaging quality.

This technology includes an efficient lentiviral vector-based method for gene transfer into NK cells and demonstrates a stable and long-term robust expression of transgenes for the treatment of cancer. High gene transfer rates into primary cells being transduced and the ability to produce high titers of virus particles for large-scale transduction of patient cells are prerequisites for clinical trials. Lentiviral vectors can be produced in high titer and concentrated without compromising their transduction efficiency.

This technology includes a method of correcting the motion during T1 mapping using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The lack of blood supply among myocardial tissue, especially for scar regions, changes the T1 relaxation value of heart muscles. The non-invasive quantification of T1 value of myocardium (T1 mapping) is therefore of great importance for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

This technology includes in vitro-generated trophectoderm (TE) cells, which are ideal for modeling diseases of the placenta, drug screening, and cell-based therapies. The TE lineage which gives rise to placental cells during early human development. Derivation of definitive placental cells from human pluripotent stem cells in culture remains controversial and so far, placental cells can only be derived directly from primary placental tissue, which largely limits their access and study in the laboratory.

This technology includes the use of nanodiamonds to achieve background-free imaging. We present several techniques to reduce or eliminate background florescence by exploiting properties of the fluorescent nanodiamonds. In particular, magnetic field modulation of the fluorescence intensity offers a simple, robust, and easily adaptable method to obtain background free imaging in a variety of imaging modalities, i.e., fluorescence microscopy and wide field fluorescence animal imaging.