The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) recently issued twelve patents during October, November and December for technologies invented at the University of New Mexico. The patents, issued during STC.UNM’s 2016 fiscal 2nd quarter, are for a variety of technologies created by researchers in the Departments of Chemical & Nuclear Engineering, Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Neurosciences, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Pharmacy, Chemistry, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and the Centers for High Technology Materials and Emerging Energy Technologies.
Issued Patent for: “Method and Apparatus for Fabrication of Large Area 3D Photonic Crystals with Embedded Waveguides”
Patent No. 9,152,040, issued 10/6/2015
Inventors: Steven Brueck, Alexander Raub
This technology is a multi-exposure, two-beam interferometric lithography technique for fabricating three-dimensional photonic crystals. The technique allows for independent, dimensional control of each axis of the crystal. These 3D photonic crystals can be integrated with a waveguide device creating several applications.
Issued Patent for: “Method of Making Magnetic Iron Nitrogen Nanoparticles”
Patent No. 9,153,367, issued 10/6/2015
Inventors: Leisha Marie Armijo
This technology is a method for synthesizing iron nitride (Fe16N2) nanoparticles through a process of reduction and amination in order to produce iron nitrogen nanocrystals with high magnetic moments. Applications include magnetic memory devices, medical hyperthermia, and magnetic drug carriers.
Issued Patent for: “Cubic-Phase, Nitrogen-Based Compound Semiconductor Films”
Patent No. 9,153,431, issued 10/6/2015
Inventors: Steven Brueck, Seung-Chang Lee
This technology is a method for epitaxially growing nitrogen-based compound semiconductor thin films on a semiconductor substrate, which is periodically patterned with grooves. The method can provide an epitaxial growth of a first crystalline phase epitaxial film on the substrate, and block the growth of an initial crystalline phase with barrier materials prepared at the sides of the grooves.
Issued Patent for: “Compact Biosensor of Matrix Metalloproteinase with Cadmium-free Quantum Dots”
Patent No. 9,155,497, issued 10/13/2015
Inventors: Erin Milligan, Marek Osinski, John Bryan Plumley
This technology is a device that includes an optical fiber modified with quantum dots (QDs) for biosensing in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in vivo by characterizing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzyme activity for identification and diagnosis of specific neurological diseases.
Issued Patent for: “Fabrication of Enclosed Nanochannels Using Silica Nanoparticles”
This technology is currently licensed.
Patent No. 9,156,004, issued 10/13/2015
Inventors: Steven Brueck, Deying Xia, Yuliya Kuznetsova, Alexander Neumann
This technology is a method for forming a nanochannel, including depositing a photosensitive film stack over a substrate and forming a pattern on the film stack using interferometric lithography. The method also includes depositing silica nanoparticles to form a structure over the pattern and removing the pattern while retaining the structure formed by the silica nanoparticles, thereby creating an enclosed nanochannel.
Issued Patent for: “Composite Metal and Bone Orthopedic Fixation Devices”
Patent No. 9,173,692, issued 11/3/2015
Inventors: Paul Kaloostian
This technology includes devices and methods for spine stabilization using bone screws, rods, plates, set screws, and interbodies, including a pedicle screw device that helps insert the pedicle screws to provide both strength and load carrying capabilities and increase integration of the devices with the surrounding bone tissue.
Issued Patent for: “Gonadotropin-Releasing, Hormone-Receptor-Targeting Peptides and Their Use to Treat and Diagnose Cancer”
Patent No. 9,180,214, issued 11/10/2015
Inventors: Yubin Miao
This technology is a radio-labeled peptide targeting the receptors specifically expressed on both the breast and prostate cancer cells for imaging breast and prostate tumors. Studies conducted with DOTA-conjugated peptides that can bind to gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors in prostate and breast cancer cells were radiolabeled with the Indium-111 isotope (111In) and used for imaging xenografted human breast and prostate tumors in mice.
Issued Patent for: “Imidazole-Derived Materials”
Patent No. 9,180,443, issued 11/10/2015
Inventors: Plamen Atanassov, Alexey Serov
This technology is a method of manufacturing enhanced M-N-C networks derived from the imidazole-class of materials as a source of carbon and nitrogen, and metal-soluble salts as a source of metal. The preparation method uses sacrificial supports.
Issued Patent for: “Active Nanoparticles and Method of Using”
Patent No. 9,186,317, issued 11/17/2015
Inventors: Hugh Smyth, Marek Osinski, Shayna McGill
This technology uses active, multifunctional nanoparticles specifically designed to overcome barriers in the delivery of therapeutics to the airways of patients with cystic fibrosis, COPD, and other lung diseases using nanoparticle systems that already have FDA approval for other applications. The transport of drugs within the airways is improved using this technology. These drugs (existing therapies, or NCEs), can be directly associated with the nanoparticle systems or administered separately.
Issued Patent for: “Therapeutic Curcumin Derivatives”
Patent No. 9,187,397, issued 11/17/2015
Inventors: David Vander Jagt, Lorraine Deck, Waylon Weber, Lucy Hunsaker, Robert Orlando, Robert Royer, Ekaterina Bobrovnikova-Marjon, Steve Abcouwer
This technology consists of methods for administering a therapeutically effective amount of curcumin derivatives to treat diseases. These methods using curcumin derivatives are useful for treating any disease or condition characterized by inflammation, including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes (particularly type 2 diabetes), cancer or a precancerous condition, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, atherosclerosis and stroke.
Issued Patent for: “Photoacoustic Imaging Devices and Methods of Imaging”
Patent No. 9,192,306, issued 11/24/2015
Inventor: Jingkuang Chen
This technology includes a photoacoustic imaging module and methods for medical diagnosis. The module may be integrated into a wireless endoscope to create an internal imaging device.
Issued Patent for: “Biological Detector and Method”
This technology is currently licensed.
Patent No. 9,194,921, issued 11/24/2015
Inventors: Todd Alam, Andrew McDowell, Laurel Sillerud
This technology is a biological detector that includes a conduit for receiving a fluid containing one or more magnetic, nanoparticle-labeled biological objects to be detected and one or more permanent magnets or electromagnets for establishing a low-magnetic field near the conduit. A microcoil is placed near the conduit for energization at a frequency that permits detection by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of whether the one or more magnetically labeled biological objects is/are present in the fluid.