Technology Transfer:
Technology transfer is a natural extension of innovative research and a valuable part of an academic institution's mission. My group has actively engaged in technology transfer through the filing of patent applications and launch-support of start-up companies. At the Naval Research Laboratory, we developed an intellectual property portfolio that included five patents based on novel cantilever sensor using superparamagnetic microparticles and scanning probe microscopy. Several of these patents have also been granted in Europe and Asia. This portfolio covered the areas of single molecule force measurements, biosensors that use microfabricated cantilevers, and microparticle magnetic transducers. At Purdue, we developed an intellectual property portfolio that builds on the earlier work at the NRL. Currently we have three provisional patent applications filed and one full application has been granted on the nanoporous membrane collector for air borne pathogen detection. Based on this technology Dr. Hao Shang, a very talented postdoctoral fellow, founded the company MagSense Life Sciences, Inc.
Patents:
Published Patent Applications:
MagSense Life Sciences, Inc
Bioseparation is the process that defines our ability to understand and work with biological systems. At the molecular scale, it allows us to characterize the state of a cell and at the larger scale it determines the commercial viability of advanced biomaterials ranging from therapeutics to structural materials. Separation constitutes as much as 80% of the cost of large scale biosynthesis. Implementation of high efficiency bioseparation technologies promises to greatly improve research efforts in the life sciences community, biosynthetic production of advanced biomaterials, and detection of pathogens for security or medical purposes. MagSense Life Sciences Inc. has been founded to commercialize two pieces of intellectual property that have been exclusively licensed from Purdue University. The first invention is a process for synthesizing superparamagnetic microparticles that facilitate an efficient affinity separation of specific analytes from complicated biological mixtures, like a fermentation broth or human plasma. Magnetic particles are currently used for bioseparation, which is accomplished when the magnetic particles are introduced into a mixture to bind target cells (or molecules), and then individually pull their targets toward the source of an activated magnetic field. Thus, a concentration or purification of target materials occurs near the magnetic field source. When their job is done, the magnetic particles can be easily induced to release their targets. The second invention is a means for the detection of pathogens in complex environments, i.e. in complex samples, such as blood or the environmental samples, utilizing the mobility of pathogen-magnetic microparticle complexes to simultaneously and rapidly detect multiple pathogens. The significant advantage of this "magnetophoresis" technique is that it can be used to simultaneously separate and identify pathogens with a sensitivity one thousand to one million times higher than the solid phase immunoassays commonly used today.
- G.U Lee, D.A. Kidwell and R.J. Colton, "Force Assisted Chemical/Biological Sensor (FACS)", USPTO 5,807,758.
- J.-B. D. Green and G.U Lee, "Addressable Probe Arrays for Singe-Molecule Force Measurements", USPTO 5,992,226.
- J.-B. D. Green, A. Novoradovsky and G.U Lee, "Methods for Measuring Intramolecular Forces by Atomic Force Microscopy", USPTO 5,958,701.
- G.U Lee, "Ultrasonic Force Differentiation Assay", USPTO 6,086,821.
- G.U Lee, "Force Differentiation Assay", USPTO 6,180,418.
- C. Yanavich and G.U Lee, "Nanoporous Membrane Immunoassay", patent issued as USPTO 6,676,904.
- David H. Thompson, Christine A. Hrycyna, Gil U. Lee, Osman A.Basaran, Kinam Park, and Igal Szleifer, "Device and bioanalytical method utilizing asymmetric biofunctionalized membrane", USPTO patent issued as 7,374,944, May 20, 2008 publication date.
- G.U Lee and S.W. Lee, "Mesoporous Membrane Collector and Separator for Airborne Pathogen Detection", International publication number WO 03/049840 A1, June 19, 2003 publication date, patent accepted.
- Lee; Gil U.; (Dublin, IE) ; Yellen; Benjamin; (Cary, NC) ; Erb; Randall Morgan; (Durham, NC) NONLINEAR MAGNETOPHORETIC SEPARATION OF BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCES, PCT NO: PCT/US08/07429, Filed: June 14, 2008
- Lee; Gil U.; (West Lafayette, IN) ; Shang; Hao; (West Lafayette, IN) ; Chang; Won-Suk; (West Lafayette, IN) Serial No.: 552324 Filed: October 24, 2006
Bioseparation is the process that defines our ability to understand and work with biological systems. At the molecular scale, it allows us to characterize the state of a cell and at the larger scale it determines the commercial viability of advanced biomaterials ranging from therapeutics to structural materials. Separation constitutes as much as 80% of the cost of large scale biosynthesis. Implementation of high efficiency bioseparation technologies promises to greatly improve research efforts in the life sciences community, biosynthetic production of advanced biomaterials, and detection of pathogens for security or medical purposes. MagSense Life Sciences Inc. has been founded to commercialize two pieces of intellectual property that have been exclusively licensed from Purdue University. The first invention is a process for synthesizing superparamagnetic microparticles that facilitate an efficient affinity separation of specific analytes from complicated biological mixtures, like a fermentation broth or human plasma. Magnetic particles are currently used for bioseparation, which is accomplished when the magnetic particles are introduced into a mixture to bind target cells (or molecules), and then individually pull their targets toward the source of an activated magnetic field. Thus, a concentration or purification of target materials occurs near the magnetic field source. When their job is done, the magnetic particles can be easily induced to release their targets. The second invention is a means for the detection of pathogens in complex environments, i.e. in complex samples, such as blood or the environmental samples, utilizing the mobility of pathogen-magnetic microparticle complexes to simultaneously and rapidly detect multiple pathogens. The significant advantage of this "magnetophoresis" technique is that it can be used to simultaneously separate and identify pathogens with a sensitivity one thousand to one million times higher than the solid phase immunoassays commonly used today.
