Sangamo Biosciences of Richmond, Calif, has been awarded US Patent 7,220,719, “Modulation of endogenous gene expression in cells.”
Inventors listed on the patent are Casey Case, Elizabeth Wolffe, Fyodor Urnov, Albert Lai, Andrew Snowden, Siyuan Tan, Philip Gregory, and Alan Wolffe.
The patent discusses “methods and compositions for modulating expression of endogenous cellular genes using recombinant zinc finger proteins,” according to its abstract.
The United States of America, as represented by the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, has been awarded US Patent 7,220,582, “Stem cells that transform to beating cardiomyocytes.”
Inventors listed on the patent are Neal Epstein, Thiru Gopal, Steve Winitsky, and Shahin Hassanzadeh.
The patent covers a “novel isolated population of stem cells, called spoc cells, that can be induced, either in vivo or in vitro, to differentiate into cardiomyocytes,” according to the patent abstract. “Methods are disclosed herein to differentiate the spoc cells, and to utilize these spoc cells for screening agents that affect cardiomyocytes. Methods are also provided herein to utilize spoc cells in therapeutic applications for the treatment of myocardial defects, such as areas of ischemic or traumatic damage.”
Ghazi Jaswinder Dhoot, of London, has been awarded US Patent 7,220,412, “Method of preparing an undifferentiated cell.”
The inventor listed on the patent is Ilham Saleh Abuljadayel.
The patent describes “a method of preparing an undifferentiated cell,” according to the document abstract. “The method includes contacting a more committed cell with an agent that causes the more committed cell to retrodifferentiate into an undifferentiated cell.”
Mirus Bio of Madison, Wisc, has been awarded US Patent 7,220,400, “Compositions for delivering nucleic acids to cells.”
Inventors listed on the patent are Sean Monahan and Vladimir Trubetskoy.
According to the patent abstract, the document describes cyclic amidinium containing compounds and their methods of preparation. Compositions containing these compounds facilitate delivery of biologically active polymers to cells in vitro and in vivo.”
Yale University has been awarded US Patent 7,219,016, “Systems and methods for automated analysis of cells and tissues.”
Inventors listed on the patent are David Rimm and Robert Camp.
“Systems and methods for rapidly analyzing cell-containing samples, for example to identify morphology or to localize and quantitate biomarkers, are disclosed,” according to the patent abstract.