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Thermostable reverse transcriptase based on a thermostable DNA polymerase
Background
Reverse transcriptase enzymes are pivotal in molecular biology for transcribing RNA into DNA, facilitating studies from gene expression analysis to viral detection. The reliability and efficiency of reverse transcription are crucial for accurate cDNA formation, a foundational step necessary for subsequent applications such as cloning and...
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High-throughput trans-well device incorporating shear stress for drug screening of blood-brain barrier function
Background
Traditional trans-well assays have long been a fundamental component in cell biology, allowing researchers to study cell migration, permeability, and transport processes across a semi-permeable membrane. However, there is a growing recognition of the need to replicate more closely the dynamic environment of human tissues, including the blood-brain...
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Adapted IsoTachoPhoresis enables single cell ribosome profiling
Problem
Ribosome profiling enables the study of translation and translational control across the transcriptome. Despite intensive efforts since initial publication of the methodology in 2009, this experimental technique remains restricted in terms of applicability, typically requiring ~1 million cells as input. No current commercially available technology...
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Full-length excised intron RNA sequencing and analysis for disease diagnosis
Problem
RNA molecules that are newly transcribed from the corresponding DNA sequence contain intron and exon sequences. Introns are removed by a process called RNA splicing, where the introns are removed and the exons are ligated to form the mature messenger RNA (mRNA) and full-length excised intron RNAs (FLEXIRs). The majority of FLEXIRs and the genes...
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Chameleon NanoCluster Beacons for single N6-adenosine methylation detection
Problem
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent modification found on eukaryotic mRNA. This modification is implicated in the development of cancer, stem cell differentiation, control of circadian rhythm, and more. m6A bases cannot be detected directly by sequencing, because the m6A modification does not change the base pairing properties and...
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Engineered Group II Intron reverse transcriptase for high-resolution RNA analysis
Background
The patent portfolio covering group II intron and related reverse transcriptase developed by Dr. Alan Lambowitz at UT Austin, including the highly efficient Thermostable Group II Intron Reverse Transcriptase (TGIRT) enzyme, is available for licensing and commercialization. As many high-profile publications have demonstrated, TGIRT has higher...
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Low-cost fluorescent reporters for nuclease activity detection
Problem
DNA cleavage or nuclease activity detection is important in many forms of nucleic acid amplification tests. The current detection technologies rely on the use of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) reporters that light up upon digestion, such as the Taqman® probe and the DNaseAlert®. Although these FRET reporters well serve...
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Lithium selective organogels
Background
Lithium (Li) is a highly reactive alkali metal with excellent heat and electrical conductivity properties, making it useful for a variety of industrial applications. Because of Li’s high reactivity, pure elemental Li is not found in nature but is present as a constituent of salts or other compounds found in brines, mineral ores, clays,...
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At-home diagnostic system for managing heart failure
Background
In the past year, we have seen widespread adoption of at-home and drive-through diagnosis. Dispersion of the first line of healthcare is creating a massive opportunity to lower healthcare costs and improve disease management for millions of patients. With more than 5 million patients in the United States and 11 million physician visits each...
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Predicting off-target activity of CRISPR-Cas9 complexes
Problem CRISPR-Cas9 is originally a bacterial defense system that uses a guide-RNA to target and nucleases to cut foreign nucleic acids. Recently, these protein-RNA complexes have taken the genome editing world by storm since the revolutionary discovery was made that they could be used as genetic editing tools. By reprogramming the guide-RNA, the Cas9...
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