Name of Intellectual Property: Reconstituted fluorescent proteins for combinatorial marking of cells and cell structures

Submitted by: Brendan Rauw, Portfolio Director, Science and Technology Ventures, Columbia University, New York, NY

Inventor Information: Martin Chalfie, PhD, is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences. He shared the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry along with Osamu Shimomura and Roger Y. Tsien “for the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP.” He holds a PhD in neurobiology from Harvard University.

Non-Confidential Technology Summary: Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) and its derivatives are used as reporters because they readily form active fusion proteins, can be safely expressed in cells and are easily visualized by standard microscopic techniques. This invention details the use of a “split” GFP, where the original GFP molecule is expressed as two separate polypeptides. When brought into close proximity, the polypeptides fold together, reconstituting the original protein and its fluorescent properties. The key to this invention is the low rate of spontaneous reconstitution; the polypeptides will not fluoresce without a molecular “zipper” to associate them together. This “zipper” is modular since binding domain from protein-protein, protein-small molecule or protein-nucleic acid interactions can be used to reconstitute the fluorescent protein.

Why is this important or intriguing? Current applications of fluorescent proteins, especially high throughput screens used in drug discovery, are limited in spatial and temporal resolution by the number of flourophores. This invention adds finer grain control to the expression of fluorescent molecules, dramatically improving assays.  Also, the polypeptides can be introduced into animal models using standard transgenic techniques, providing a direct path for in vivo target validation.

Synopsis of Business Opportunity: This technology is available for non-exclusive licensing and sponsored research support.

Ownership: This intellectual property is assigned to The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York.

Patent Status: Patent Pending (US 2007/0256147 A1, WO/2005/118790)

Key Commercialization Contact

Jullian G. Jones, Ph.D., J.D.
Science and Technology Ventures
Columbia University
80 Claremont Avenue
New York, NY 10027-5712
USA

Email: techtransfer@columbia.edu
Phone: 212.851.0258

Posted June 25th, 2009 under Hot IP, Molecular Biology. [ Comments: none ]

Name of Intellectual Property: Enhanced measurement of cAMP, an important signaling molecule, enabling improved study and drug discovery for related disorders

Submitted by: Lindsay Polak, Marketing & Communications Manager, University of Colorado

Inventor Information: Lead inventors: Dr. Jeffrey W. Karpen, Oregon Health Sciences University; Dr. Jerome Schaack, University of Colorado Denver (School of Medicine)

Non-Confidential Technology Summary: Dr. Karpen and his team have developed a novel research tool to detect activity of the cellular signaling molecule cAMP. They genetically engineered cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels (CNGs) that are 2-20 fold more sensitive to activation by cAMP. Once activated, CNG channels allow positively charged calcium ions (Ca2+) to flow into the cell. This Ca2+ influx can either be recorded as an electrical current or imaged with fluorescent dyes. Using modified CNGs, both measurements act as a quantification of cAMP activity. Technically, this tool has a high signal-to-noise ratio allowing for improved spatial and temporal resolution over current techniques.

Why is this important or intriguing? Modified CNGs show potential as a drug-screening tool, testing the efficacy of pharmaceutical treatments for pathological conditions involving the cAMP-signaling pathway. This includes the following medical conditions: diabetes, heart failure, ischemic brain damage, some cancers and cognitive deficits common with aging and ADHD.

Synopsis of Business Opportunity: Development of modified CNGs (mCNGs) will provide the research and medical fields with a powerful drug-screening tool for potential treatments of diabetes, heart failure, ischemic brain damage, some cancers and cognitive deficits common with aging and ADHD.  In addition, mCNGs could be marketed as a research tool to laboratories in the basic sciences studying cAMP signaling pathways. mCNGs are an improvement over current technology. First, mCNGs are more sensitive, able to detect cAMP over a wider concentration range. Second, the electrical recording methods allowed by mCNGs give improved spatial and temporal resolution.

Ownership: This technology is owned by the University of Colorado, and is available for licensing.

Patent Status: U.S. Patents 7,341,836 and 7,166,463.

Contact Information:

David Poticha
Senior Licensing Manager
University of Colorado Technology Transfer Office
12635 E. Montview Blvd., Suite 350
Aurora, CO 80045
United States

E-mail: david.poticha@cu.edu
Phone: 303-724-0220
Fax: 303-724-0816

Key Science/Technology Team Team Member 1:
Jerome Schaack, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Medicine, Dept. of Microbiology
Aurora, CO 80045
United States

E-mail: Jerry.Schaack@UCDenver.edu
Phone: 303-724-4220

Posted June 25th, 2009 under Hot IP, Molecular Biology. [ Comments: none ]