This is a broad portfolio that includes all aspects of life sciences. Some of the representative areas are bioengineering (brain computer interface, chips to grow and monitor cellular activities, and bioprinting), vaccines and therapeutics (nanolipoprotein particles for the delivery of vaccines and drugs, carbon nanotubes for drug delivery, KRAS inhibitors, and anti-bacterial minerals), medical diagnostics (molecular diagnostics, point-of-care testing, imaging, and forensic), life science instrumentation (PCR instruments, rapid PCR, fluid partitioning, microfluidics, and biosensors), and methods for the extraction and purification of rare earth elements using lanmodulin and other natural/synthetic bacterial proteins.
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Rare-earth elements are essential for many electronic, energy and advanced defense technologies. A research collaboration between LLNL and Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) has generated a portfolio of intellectual property (IP), jointly owned by both organizations, that uses bacterial proteins to pick out critical metal ions.
LLNL has licensed its interest in the joint IP to advanced biochemistry start-up Alta Resource Technologies for commercialization of the resulting technology to transform mineral separation. Similarly, Penn State is negotiating a license agreement with Alta for its interest in the joint IP.
LLNL and neurotechnology company Canaery have developed an advanced nose-computer interface (NCI) capable of enhancing the ability of scent-detection animals to simultaneously identify contraband such as explosives and narcotics, as well as other types of important scents such as biomarkers for neurological and infectious diseases.
Nanofabrication of the implantable device is led by staff research engineer Travis Massey in LLNL’s Implantable Microsystems Group, and initially began under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) through LLNL’s Innovation and Partnership’s Office (IPO). The work is now part of a strategic partnership between LLNL and Canaery.
Technology designed to aid on-the-field diagnostics for military applications is gaining a wider reach as Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and BioVind, LLC achieved a milestone in their partnership: the exclusive licensing of LLNL pathogen diagnostics technology focused on oil and gas applications.
The technology, called BioID, is a rapid and portable molecular diagnostics platform that can detect up to 18 target DNA or RNA sequences from a single sample in 30 to 60 minutes. BioID uses an isothermal amplification technique to detect pathogen nucleic acid.
After screening at least 50 different cyclodextrins, LLNL researchers found that the drug Subetadex shows enhanced affinities for fentanyl and its analogues. Subetadex is a smaller version of sugammadex and with a smaller central cavity, allows it to bind extremely well to fentanyl by comparison. A pharmacokinetic study showed a rapid clearance of this promising candidate from…
Rather than using genes carried by viruses, LLNL researchers have developed an alternative approach of delivering CAR to T-cells in form of proteins that are carried on the surface of nanolipoprotein (NLP) particles. NLPs are naturally occurring molecules that serve as structural mimics of cell membranes. They can self-assemble and provide a structure or platform for connecting other…
LLNL researchers have designed and developed a novel high-density, high-channel count 3D connector that enables hundreds or thousands of nonpermanent connections within a compact footprint. The connector addresses limitations of currently used conventional approaches that were described previously, which have an artificial ceiling on the number of recording sites of modern devices of no more…
To address shortcomings of current liposome drug delivery systems, the patented innovation uses drug-loaded liposomes containing carbon nanotube porins (CNTPs) inserted into the liposomal membranes for the delivery of the encapsulated drugs. Short CNTPs (10 nm in length) with narrow diameter (0.8 nm) has been demonstrated to facilitate efficient fusion of lipid bilayers resulting in the…
A new approach of developing synthetic antibacterial mineral assemblages can be used as an alternative treatment when traditional antibiotics fail in clinical and agricultural settings. Mineral mixtures can be synthesized with tunable metal release and reactive oxygen species generation that are capable of killing human pathogens and promoting wound healing. One of the key components in the…
The method described in a pending patent application uses a novel thiacrown (dibenzohexathia-18-crown-6) for efficient extraction of 197m,gHg and 197gHg from irradiated Pt target foils. The separation of 197m,gHg and 197gHg from Pt foils using this novel thiacrown was found to be highly specific. No detectable amount of the Pt foil was seen in the…
Combining the principles of nanotechnology, cell-free protein synthesis and microfluidics, LLNL researchers have developed a reusable, portable programmable system that can create purified, concentrated protein product in vitro in a microfluidic device containing nucleic acids.
Many of the disadvantages of current interface devices can be overcome with LLNL’s novel interface design, which relies on area array distribution where independent interface connector subassemblies are positioned in a planar grid. Not only is the interface device expandable area-wise (without increasing contact force), but it could also be expanded height-wise, with multiple layers of…
LLNL’s high throughput method involves proteome-wide screening for linear B-cell epitopes using native proteomes isolated from a pathogen of interest and convalescent sera from immunized animals.
Commercial fiber optic cables are the current standard for carrying optical signals in industries like communications or medical devices. However, the fibers are made of glass, which do not have favorable characteristics for applications that require flexibility and re-routing, e.g. typically brittle, limited selection of materials, dimension constraints.
LLNL scientists developed novel hydrogels, which are biodegradable soft materials synthesized by a water-soluble polymer. Incorporating silver imparts antimicrobial activity to the material at low concentration compared to currently used silver nanoparticles. Our hydrogels are composed of silver ions instead of silver nanoparticles, which eliminates the toxicity concerns of modern silver…
LLNL has developed a brain-on-a-chip system with a removable cell-seeding funnel to simultaneously localize neurons from various brain regions in an anatomically relevant manner and over specific electrode regions of a MEA. LLNL’s novel, removable cell seeding funnel uses a combination of 3D printing and microfabrication that allows neurons from select brain regions to easily be seeded into…
LLNL has developed a novel process of production, isolation, characterization, and functional re-constitution of membrane-associated proteins in a single step. In addition, LLNL has developed a colorimetric assay that indicates production, correct folding, and incorporation of bR into soluble nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs).
LLNL has developed an approach, for formation of NLP/…