Clinical Area Summaries

EMMI- non-invasive imaging method for safe, accurate, robust monitoring of uterine contractions
Cahill, Alison ; Cuculich, Phillip ; Schwartz, Alan ; Wang, Yong
T-015805

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed an electromyometrial imaging (EMMI) method to non-invasively monitor uterine contractions. During pregnancy, many women experience preterm contractions. Sometimes these contractions progress to pre-term labor a…

Myocardial perfusion SPECT optimization
Jha, Abhinav Kumar ; Rahman, Md Ashequr ; Siegel, Barry ; Yu, Zitong
T-020357

— T-020357, T-020358, T-020744 Myocardial perfusion SPECT optimization Technology Description Researchers from the laboratory of Abhinav Jha at Washington University have devised methods to reliably improve and personalize myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging. The inventions include the following capa…

Myocardial perfusion SPECT optimization
Jha, Abhinav Kumar ; Rahman, Md Ashequr ; Siegel, Barry ; Yu, Zitong
T-020357

— T-020357, T-020358, T-020744 Myocardial perfusion SPECT optimization Technology Description Researchers from the laboratory of Abhinav Jha at Washington University have devised methods to reliably improve and personalize myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging. The inventions include the following capa…

EMMI- non-invasive imaging method for safe, accurate, robust monitoring of uterine contractions
Cahill, Alison ; Cuculich, Phillip ; Schwartz, Alan ; Wang, Yong
T-015805

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed an electromyometrial imaging (EMMI) method to non-invasively monitor uterine contractions. During pregnancy, many women experience preterm contractions. Sometimes these contractions progress to pre-term labor a…

Functional Biomarkers of Platinum Chemotherapy and PARP Inhibitor Response
Lomonosova, Elena ; Mullen, Mary ; Verma, Priyanka ; Zhao, Peinan
T-020659

— T-020659 — Functional Biomarkers of Platinum Chemotherapy and PARP Inhibitor Response Technology Description Most patients diagnosed with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) undergo first-line platinum therapy and PARP inhibitor maintenance therapy. However, the degree to which HGSOC p…

ACALADE: surgical device designed for faster, safer lumbar discectomy
Johnson, Tim ; Leuthardt, Eric ; Moran, Daniel ; Reynolds, Benton ; Stoev, Ivan ; Wright, Neill
T-016236

— Technology Description A team of researchers at Washington University have developed ACALADE (Advanced Capability Lumbar Discectomy), a device designed to help surgeons safely access and quickly remove the back portions of herniated discs for faster, lower risk lumbar discectomy. Currently, about…

Atrial fibrillation treatment with patient-specific model to design ablation lesions
Damiano, Ralph ; Schuessler, Richard
T-005819

— Technology Description This technology is a patented method aimed at increasing the success rate of atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment by designing customized, patient-specific cardiac ablation lesion sets. AF, the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, has traditionally been treated with a ma…

ACALADE: surgical device designed for faster, safer lumbar discectomy
Johnson, Tim ; Leuthardt, Eric ; Moran, Daniel ; Reynolds, Benton ; Stoev, Ivan ; Wright, Neill
T-016236

— Technology Description A team of researchers at Washington University have developed ACALADE (Advanced Capability Lumbar Discectomy), a device designed to help surgeons safely access and quickly remove the back portions of herniated discs for faster, lower risk lumbar discectomy. Currently, about…

Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease and Brain Injury
Ladenson, Jack ; Landt, Yvonne ; Laterza, Omar ; Modur, Vijay
T-004414

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Jack Ladenson’s laboratory have discovered biomarkers and associated antibodies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that could be used for early/presymptomatic diagnosis or in clinical trials for AD drugs. This patented technology is based on the i…

Methods to Treat Vasodilatory Septic Shock
Boyle, Walter
T-007528

— Background: Vasodilatory shock, a reduction in effective blood circulation, occurs when endogenous vasoconstrictor mechanisms fail as a result of an often lethal combination of severe infections. Sepsis, as one of the causes, alone affects 1 million people resulting in more than 258,000 deaths each …

Human monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein
Ellebedy, Ali
T-019492

— Species: Human Target: SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein Applications: Description: Two recombinant fully human monoclonal antibodies that recognize SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (data below). Related Web Links: Ellebedy Profile; Ellebedy Lab

microRNA biomarker and drug target for ALS and other motor neuron diseases
Dougherty, Joseph ; Hoye, Mariah ; Hyman, Theodore ; Koval, Erica ; Miller, Timothy
T-015167

— Prof. Timothy Miller and colleagues have identified a motor neuron-specific, drug responsive microRNA (miR-218) that reflects the pathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This biomarker could be a target for therapeutic intervention or a proxy for motor neuron health and survival, including…

Human monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein
Ellebedy, Ali
T-019492

— Species: Human Target: SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein Applications: Description: Two recombinant fully human monoclonal antibodies that recognize SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (data below). Related Web Links: Ellebedy Profile; Ellebedy Lab

Mouse monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (Ellebedy)
Diamond, Michael ; Ellebedy, Ali ; Fremont, Daved
T-019438

— Species: Mouse Target: SARS-CoV-2 spike protein Applications: Description: Four murine monoclonal antibodies that recognize SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Data below includes avaiable antibodies (mCoV.1.1C02; mCoV.1.2C08; mCoV.1.2D09; mCoV.1.2F05). Related Web Links: Ellebedy Profile; Ellebedy Lab …

Human monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
Ellebedy, Ali ; McIntire, Katherine ; Mudd, Philip ; Schmitz, Aaron ; Turner, Jackson
T-019454

— Species: Human Target: SARS-CoV-2 spike protein Applications: Description: Ten recombinant fully human monoclonal antibodies that recognize SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (data below). Related Web Links: Ellebedy Profile; Ellebedy Lab Available Antibodies mAb name Ag 30.0000 10.0…

Mouse monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
Diamond, Michael ; Fremont, Daved ; VanBlargan, Laura ; Zhao, Haiyan
T-019470

— Species: Mouse Target: SARS-CoV-2 spike protein Applications: Data: See table below for library of antibodies, inventor can recommend specific clones based on intended application. Related Web Links: Diamond Profile Available Antibodies Ab: Well # Final Boost flow cytometer…

SPARTA – A Stent for Fusiform Aneurysms that Prevents Endoleaks
Bayly, Philip ; Derdeyn, Colin ; Elbert, Donald ; Genin, Guy ; Leuthardt, Eric ; McCoy, Kathleen ; Suh, JunWoo ; Teh, Yuni ; Vemuri, Chandu ; Zhao, Alan ; Zipfel, Gregory
T-015969

— Background: Popliteal artery aneurysms are the most prevalent type of peripheral aneurysms and are treated surgically to prevent rupture. Currently, surgical options include open surgery or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). EVAR is less invasive than open surgery, resulting in shorter hospital st…

Small molecule inhibitors of G protein activity to treat uveal melanoma, and other cancers and disorders
Blumer, Kendall ; Onken, Michael
T-017344

— Disease indication – Uveal melanoma and other G protein-driven disorders, including other cancers (certain vascular tumors, colon, lung, adenocarcinoma, skin melanoma, thyroid adenoma), cholera and Sturge-Weber Syndrome Drug format – small molecule (FR900359, a bioavailable inhibitor of…

microRNA biomarker and drug target for ALS and other motor neuron diseases
Dougherty, Joseph ; Hoye, Mariah ; Hyman, Theodore ; Koval, Erica ; Miller, Timothy
T-015167

— Prof. Timothy Miller and colleagues have identified a motor neuron-specific, drug responsive microRNA (miR-218) that reflects the pathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This biomarker could be a target for therapeutic intervention or a proxy for motor neuron health and survival, including…

Method of increasing chemotherapy sensitivity in leukemia using BET inhibitor
Mitra, Robi ; Moudgil, Arnav ; Wilkinson, Michael Nathaniel
T-019486

— Technology Description Researchers in Robi Mitra’s lab at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method to increase the sensitivity of leukemias to chemotherapy by pre-treatment with a BET inhibitor. BET inhibitors convert stem-like leukemia cells to a more differentiated state …

NRF2 inhibitors as cancer therapeutics
Bowman, Brittany ; Dolle, Roland "Ron" ; Lapak, Kyle ; Major, Michael "Ben" ; Medcalf, Matthew
T-019534

— Disease indication – Diseases related to oxidative stress, including cancer, autoimmune disease, and Toxoplasma infection Drug format – Small molecule Drug class – Best-in-class Research stage and preliminary data – The researchers have synthesized a series of pyrimethamin…

S1P1-targeted PET tracers
Liu, Hui ; Rosenberg, Adam ; Tu, Zhude "Will" ; Yue, Xuyi
T-016151

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1)-specific PET tracers. Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors are G-protein coupled receptors, with five subtypes denoted S1P1-5, that have key functions in immune, inflammat…

Tissue engineering scaffold for cell differentiation and delivery to intervertebral disc for treating lower back pain
Barcellona, Marcos ; Setton, Lori ; Speer, Julie
T-019297

— Background: Severe low back pain and disability can result from intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration caused by cell phenotype changes in the nucleus pulposus (NP) region. While autologous stem cells have be used to treat lower back pain, currently there are no tools to control differentiation of…

Rapid Strep Throat Diagnostic Using Host Gene Expression Analysis
Storch, Gregory ; Yu, Jinsheng
T-019526

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Gregory Storch’s laboratory have developed a molecular assay that utilizes the patient/host gene expression pattern to rapidly identify acute group A streptococcus (GAS) infection in patients with pharyngitis (sore throat) to help guide appropriate…

Antibody blocking IL-12 and IL-23 receptors to treat inflammatory diseases
Colonna, Marco ; Secca da Silva, Cristiane
T-019316

— Disease indication – Autoimmune diseases (plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease) Drug format – Monoclonal antibody Drug class – First-in-class Research stage and preliminary data – Researchers have stimulated human ILC3s with IL-23 in vitro, with and…

A companion diagnostic to SARM1 inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases
Bloom, Adam ; DiAntonio, Aaron ; Mao, Xianrong ; Milbrandt, Jeffrey
T-019378

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University, led by Jeffrey Milbrandt, have developed a companion diagnostic for SARM1 inhibitors that detects pathogenic variants of the SARM1 gene. Patients with one of several identified variants of SARM1 would respond well to SARM1 inhibitor thera…

Range finder to improve X-ray image collection
Clayton, William ; Don, Steven
T-014196

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a device that automatically measures and displays body thickness to optimize X-ray image collection. This device will improve X-ray image quality and reduce the radiation exposure to patients. The device es…

String Theory: Neurovascular Catheter System with 2-in-1 Variable Rigidity
Chandrasekaran, Vinay ; Genin, Guy ; Hafez, Daniel ; Hartquist, Chase ; Leuthardt, Eric ; Lowe, Halle ; Osbun, Joshua ; Zayed, Mohamed
T-019184

— An interdisciplinary team at Washington University has developed an easy-to-use neurovascular catheter system designed to reduce surgery time and prevent herniation during transradial interventions for stroke, aneurysms and other conditions. This device, called “String Theory”, can be sw…

Fast, simple, low-cost point-of-care diagnostics for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases
Buchser, William ; Lalli, Matthew ; Milbrandt, Jeffrey ; Mitra, Robi
T-019442

— Technology Description A team of Washington University researchers has developed a low-cost molecular diagnostics kit and reader that could provide rapid, widespread screening and surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 and other infections. This technology utilizes a reverse-transcription loop-mediated isot…

Ion Channel Blockade of Radium-223 Gut Uptake
Abou, Diane ; Thorek, Daniel
T-018999

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method to reduce gut uptake of Radium-223 and improve its targeting to metastasized bone cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Prostate c…

Urine-based metabolomics signature to predict severe COVID-19
Henderson, Jeffrey P. ; Marks, Laura ; Robinson, John
T-019592

— Technology Description A team of researchers has discovered a urinary metabolite pattern occurring early in COVID-19 disease progression that can predict which patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 are at high risk for respiratory failure or death. This metabolite signature could potentially provide a…

Therapeutic food supplements that promote healthy gut microbiome to treat malnutrition
Barratt, Michael ; Chang, Hao-Wei ; Gehrig, Jeanette ; Gordon, Jeffrey ; Venkatesh, Siddarth
T-018889

— Technology Description Prof. Jeffrey Gordon and his colleagues have developed an inexpensive food formulation that could treat malnutrition and a range of associated health problems by repairing the gut microbiome. Children who are malnourished are currently treated with supplemental nutrition tha…

Engineered Oncolytic Zika Virus Therapy for Glioblastoma
Chheda, Milan ; Diamond, Michael ; Gorman, Matthew
T-017429

— T-017429 Engineered Oncolytic Zika Virus Therapy for Glioblastoma Technology Description Researchers in the laboratories of Michael Diamond and Milan Chheda at Washington University have developed prospective treatments for glioblastoma (GBM) through the application of an engineered Zika virus (ZI…

Optimized Non-Coplanar Radiation Delivery for Simpler, Faster, and Safer Treatments
Mutic, Sasa ; Zhang, Tiezhi
T-016307

— Existing LINACs inefficiently deliver non-coplanar beams The goal of radiation treatment is to precisely deliver a prescribed radiation dose to the targeted tissue, while avoiding dosing the surrounding normal tissues and organs. These treatments require radiation beams to be delivered from multipl…

Antisense oligo to enhance neuronal survival in Huntington’s Disease
Oh, Youngmi ; Yoo, Andrew
T-020121

— Technology Description Researchers in Andrew Yoo’s laboratory at Washington University have developed an antisense oligonucleotide targeting a miRNA (miR-29b-3p) as a treatment for Huntington’s disease (HD). Inhibiting miR-29b-3p promotes neuronal survival by rescuing neurons from deg…

Dynamic seal valve to prevent aerosol infection
Cashin, John ; Hartquist, Chase ; Lowe, Halle ; Zayed, Mohamed
T-019628

— Technology Description Researchers in Mohamed Zayed’s lab at Washington University have developed a dynamic seal valve that creates a seal around devices with varying cross sections. This valve could be deployed in masks to protect health care workers from aerosol infection while using airwa…

Combination therapy for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors
Amin, Neha ; Borcherding, Dana ; Hirbe, Angela
T-020000

— Technology Description Researchers in Angela Hirbe’s lab at Washington University have developed a method of treating malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) with a combination of inhibitors. The most effective therapy is to combine an inhibitor of TYK2 with a MEK inhibitor. MPNST…

Technique to reduce juxta-anastomotic stenosis development in AV fistulae
Shenoy, Surendra
T-010339

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a technique for arteriovenous fistula creation that reduces the incidence of juxta-anastomotic stenosis, which often leads to graft failure. The procedure involves clamping closed one end of the graft and attac…

NRF2 inhibitors as cancer therapeutics
Bowman, Brittany ; Dolle, Roland "Ron" ; Lapak, Kyle ; Major, Michael "Ben" ; Medcalf, Matthew
T-019534

— Disease indication – Diseases related to oxidative stress, including cancer, autoimmune disease, and Toxoplasma infection Drug format – Small molecule Drug class – Best-in-class Research stage and preliminary data – The researchers have synthesized a series of pyrimethamin…

Antibody blocking IL-12 and IL-23 receptors to treat inflammatory diseases
Colonna, Marco ; Secca da Silva, Cristiane
T-019316

— Disease indication – Autoimmune diseases (plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease) Drug format – Monoclonal antibody Drug class – First-in-class Research stage and preliminary data – Researchers have stimulated human ILC3s with IL-23 in vitro, with and…

Range finder to improve X-ray image collection
Clayton, William ; Don, Steven
T-014196

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a device that automatically measures and displays body thickness to optimize X-ray image collection. This device will improve X-ray image quality and reduce the radiation exposure to patients. The device es…

Effective test for active tuberculosis infection
Chandra, Pallavi ; Coullon, Heloise ; Philips, Jennifer
T-019244

— Technology Description Researchers in Jennifer Philips’ lab at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a more sensitive biomarker test for active tuberculosis infection. These biomarkers, found in the sputum and plasma, comprise of cholesterol metabolites that are cooperatively prod…

Mutant PDGF-B as a VEGFR inhibitor
Imoukhuede, Princess
T-018996

— Technology Description Researchers in the Imoukhuede lab at Washington University have developed a library of mutant PDGF-B proteins to develop more effective VEGF pathway inhibitors. As PDGF-B also binds to VEGF receptors, a mutant form can be used to block VEGF binding and stop tumor angiogenesi…

Targeting TPL2 in RAS-mutated cancers
Dodhiawala, Paarth ; Lim, Kian-Huat
T-019493

— Technology Description Researchers in Kian-Huat Lim’s lab at Washington University have developed a therapeutic strategy to target TPL2 in RAS-mutated cancers, which should work synergistically with chemotherapy and radiation. As TPL2 (MAP3K8) is necessary for upstream activation of both MAP…

d42m1 & F279 tumor cell lines
Schreiber, Robert
T-011286

— D42m1 is a methycholanthrene (MCA) induced sarcoma cell line generated in 129S6 strain RAG2 gene targeted mice. These cells are highly immunogenic and are rejected when transplanted into syngeneic naive wild type mice. F244 is an MCA induced sarcoma cell line generated in wild type 129S6 mice. Thes…

SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies with distinct epitopes effective against multiple variants
Ellebedy, Ali
T-019707

— Disease indication – SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) Drug format Drug class – Best-in-class Research stage and Preliminary data – The inventors have developed and characterized these antibodies, creating a chimeric version with a human IgG backbone for SARS2-38. The antibodies have …

TREM2 blockade as an adjuvant for checkpoint inhibitors
Colonna, Marco
T-019371

— Disease indication – In combination with anti-PD-1 therapy for cancer. Anti-PD-1 therapy is currently approved for: Drug format – Monoclonal antibody Drug class – First-in-class Target – TREM2 Research stage and preliminary data – The inventors performed initia…

ELISpot assay to immune phenotype patients
Hotchkiss, Richard ; Mazer, Monty ; Remy, Kenneth ; Turnbull, Isaiah
T-019522

— Technology Description A team of researchers, led by Richard Hotchkiss at Washington University in St. Louis, have developed a version of the ELISpot assay to determine if COVID-19 patients are in a hyper-inflammatory or immunosuppressed state. The results of this assay, which can be performed wit…

An alternative approach in antimalarial drug design
Djuranovic, Sergej ; Erath, Jessey Lee ; Pavlovic Djuranovic, Slavica
T-018688

— Technology Description Researchers in Sergei Djuranovic’s lab at Washington University have developed polybasic peptides and polymers to block Plasmodium falciparum adhesion as a treatment for malaria. These therapeutics reduce parasite infection of human cells, making this a promising alter…

Method of increasing chemotherapy sensitivity in leukemia using BET inhibitor
Mitra, Robi ; Moudgil, Arnav ; Wilkinson, Michael Nathaniel
T-019486

— Technology Description Researchers in Robi Mitra’s lab at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method to increase the sensitivity of leukemias to chemotherapy by pre-treatment with a BET inhibitor. BET inhibitors convert stem-like leukemia cells to a more differentiated state …

Photothermal disinfection of N95 respirators
Jun, Young-Shin ; Singamaneni, Srikanth
T-019477

— Technology Description A team of researchers led by Young-Shin Jun have developed a polymer coating for N95 respirators that would permit fast, easy, and cheap N95 disinfection using only direct sunlight. The researchers coated the outermost fabric layer in polydopamine, which converts photon energ…

Fusion protein for treating multiple strains of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus
Basore, Katherine ; Diamond, Michael ; Fremont, Daved ; Kafai, Natasha ; Kim, Arthur ; Ma, Hongming ; Thackray, Larissa
T-019414

— Disease indication – Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) infection, either naturally-arising and as a result of bioterrorism Drug format – Biologic (soluble receptor fusion protein) Drug class – First-in-class Mode of action – This soluble fusion protein contains domain …

PI3K inhibitors to treat Cytokine Release Syndrome
Amatya, Parmeshwar ; Carter, Alun ; Cooper, Matthew ; DiPersio, John
T-019429

— Technology Description A team of researchers, led by John DiPersio and Matthew Cooper at Washington University in St. Louis, have identified a small molecule kinase inhibitor capable of mitigating cytokine release syndrome following CAR-T cell therapy. PI3K inhibitors can suppress production of IL-…

Efficient multi-dimensional 4D MRI and PET/MR motion correction
An, Hongyu ; Eldeniz, Cihat
T-016414

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Hongyu An’s laboratory have developed a new image processing system for faster acquisition of motion-corrected MR or PET/MR images. This technology could be expanded to multiple sampling schema to correct both respiratory and cardiac motion. Liv…

An Intradermal Method for the Treatment of Hair Loss and Alopecia
Feng, Jing ; Hu, Hongzhen ; Luo, Jialie ; Yang, Pu
T-017716

— Technology Description: A team of researchers, led by Hongzhen Hu, at Washington University in St. Louis has developed a method of treating hair loss and alopecia by intradermal injection targeting TRPV4 activation. Using a small molecule TRPV4 agonist, a single intradermal injection is sufficient…

Tissue engineering scaffold for cell differentiation and delivery to intervertebral disc for treating lower back pain
Barcellona, Marcos ; Setton, Lori ; Speer, Julie
T-019297

— Background: Severe low back pain and disability can result from intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration caused by cell phenotype changes in the nucleus pulposus (NP) region. While autologous stem cells have be used to treat lower back pain, currently there are no tools to control differentiation of…

String Theory: Neurovascular Catheter System with 2-in-1 Variable Rigidity
Chandrasekaran, Vinay ; Genin, Guy ; Hafez, Daniel ; Hartquist, Chase ; Leuthardt, Eric ; Lowe, Halle ; Osbun, Joshua ; Zayed, Mohamed
T-019184

— An interdisciplinary team at Washington University has developed an easy-to-use neurovascular catheter system designed to reduce surgery time and prevent herniation during transradial interventions for stroke, aneurysms and other conditions. This device, called “String Theory”, can be sw…

Fast, simple, low-cost point-of-care diagnostics for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases
Buchser, William ; Lalli, Matthew ; Milbrandt, Jeffrey ; Mitra, Robi
T-019442

— Technology Description A team of Washington University researchers has developed a low-cost molecular diagnostics kit and reader that could provide rapid, widespread screening and surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 and other infections. This technology utilizes a reverse-transcription loop-mediated isot…

MRI-based Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers for early diagnosis and clinical trials
Yablonskiy, Dmitriy ; Zhao, Yue
T-015754

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Dmitriy Yablonskiy’s laboratory have developed patented neuroimaging techniques to identify pre-clinical and early stage Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using MRI-based biomarkers of amyloid accumulation and other pathological changes in the brain. …

Rapid Strep Throat Diagnostic Using Host Gene Expression Analysis
Storch, Gregory ; Yu, Jinsheng
T-019526

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Gregory Storch’s laboratory have developed a molecular assay that utilizes the patient/host gene expression pattern to rapidly identify acute group A streptococcus (GAS) infection in patients with pharyngitis (sore throat) to help guide appropriate…

Treatment for chronic migraines
Cao, Yu-Qing ; Cloud, Megan ; Hu, Rong ; Zhang, Jintao ; Zhang, Zhiyu
T-018942

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) have developed two methods for treating chronic migraine and post-traumatic headache. Chronic migraine and post-traumatic headache are highly prevalent and debilitating with limited treatment options. Further, for m…

Method to generate functionally mature, stem-cell derived, beta cells
Millman, Jeffrey ; Velazco-Cruz, Leonardo
T-019270

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed an improved method to differentiate stem-cells into functionally mature, insulin-secreting beta cells (SC-beta cells). Pancreatic beta cells play an important role in controlling blood glucose levels as they se…

Low-cost optical sensors for high performance, discrete hearing aids
Liao, Jie ; Yang, Lan
T-019167

— Technology Description A team of engineers in Prof. Lan Yang’s laboratory have developed ultra-sensitive, broad bandwidth optical sensors that could detect sound in low-cost, discrete hearing devices. This technology utilizes whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators as compact photonic vibra…

PANIR: Photoacoustic near-infrared spectroscopy for monitoring preterm birth
Hu, Peng ; Macones, George ; Qu, Yuan "Ed" ; Stout, Molly ; Tuuli, Methodius ; Zhao, Peinan
T-018998

— Technology Description An interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a photoacoustic near-infrared (PANIR) probe to predict preterm birth by quantifying water content in cervical tissue (an early and objective indicator of cervical remodeling). This compact photoacoustic endoscopy probe u…

Chimpanzee adenovirus-based vaccine for COVID-19
Curiel, David ; Diamond, Michael ; Dmitriev, Igor ; Hassan, Ahmed
T-019478

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a chimpanzee adenovirus-based vaccine for COVID-19. COVID-19, the clinical syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, has had extensive morbidity and mortality impacts and destabilized society. There is an urg…

Rapid PEG-based drug delivery implant for local treatment of cervical cancer
Azab, Abdel Kareem ; Federico, Cinzia ; Schwarz, Julie ; Sun, Jennifer
T-019396

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Kareem Azab’s laboratory have developed a fast, localized drug delivery system designed to maximize anti-tumor efficacy and reduce side effects by delivering chemotherapy directly to cervical tumors. The current standard-of-care treatment regimen …

Recombinant VSV vector for COVID-19 vaccine or drug screening
Rothlauf, Paul ; Whelan, Sean
T-019338

— Background: Recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) has successfully been used to create a vaccine for Ebola virus that is currently on the market. Previously, Professor Sean Whelan and colleagues have exploited the VSV platform to create similar vectors for both SARS and MERS. Technology: The…

Compound to treat alcohol use disorder
Covey, Douglas ; Mennerick, Steven
T-019232

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed new compounds that may be used to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD). AUD, a common condition that takes a high personal and public health toll, is characterized by severe problems with drinking- sufferers may co…

Blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease for diagnostics and clinical trials
Cruchaga, Carlos ; Dube, Umber ; Ibanez, Laura
T-019198

— Technology Description: Researchers in Prof. Carlos Cruchaga’s laboratory have identified a sensitive and specific panel of circular RNAs (circRNA) that could be used for diagnosing, screening or monitoring patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The expression of these circRNAs tracks with …

Adhesive coated sutures for stronger musculoskeletal repairs
Genin, Guy ; Linderman, Stephen ; Thomopoulos, Stavros
T-014989

— Technology Description An interdisciplinary team at Washington University in St. Louis has developed patented adhesive-coated sutures with the potential to reduce ruptures following surgical repair of tendons and ligaments. These modified sutures are designed to minimize stress by shifting the mec…

Stent System for the Treatment of Aorto-Iliac Occlusive Disease
Wirtz, Alexander ; Zayed, Mohamed
T-018558

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis developed an improved stent system to treat aorto-iliac occlusive disease. Aorto-iliac occlusive disease is caused by atherosclerotic plaque accumulation in the abdominal aorta where it connects to the common iliac arteries. …

Method to evaluate function of members of a gut microbiota
Gordon, Jeffrey ; Patnode, Michael
T-018760

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a bead-based method to understand the functional states and metabolic capabilities of individual members of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota is increasingly linked to multiple aspects of human healt…

Antibiotic-sparing small molecule therapy for urinary tract infection and other Gram-negative pathogens
Dodson, Karen ; Hultgren, Scott ; Omattage, Natalie ; Pinkner, Jerome ; Yuan, Peng
T-018046

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Scott Hultgren’s laboratory have discovered an antibiotic-sparing method for treating infections from E. coli and other Gram-negative bacteria. This approach is designed to block pathogens from colonizing their host by using small molecule inhibito…

Real-time 3D MRI
Kim, Taeho ; Park, Chunjoo (Justin)
T-019011

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method for real-time, high-resolution 3D MRI that can be used in diagnostic MRI and MRI-guided radiotherapy (MRgRT). MRgRT combines medical imaging with radiation therapy to provide visualization of the tumor…

Biomimetic device for stronger repair of rotator cuff and other soft tissue-to-bone tears
Galatz, Leesa ; Genin, Guy ; Hoppe, Ethan ; Smith, Lester ; Thomopoulos, Stavros ; Yoon, Dong Hwan
T-019211

— Technology Description A team of engineers led by Professor Guy Genin has developed a device to strengthen the reattachment of soft tissue to bone for use in orthopedic procedures such as rotator cuff repairs. Although tendon and ligament tears are common, the techniques used to reattach these tis…

S1P1-targeted PET tracers
Liu, Hui ; Rosenberg, Adam ; Tu, Zhude "Will" ; Yue, Xuyi
T-016151

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1)-specific PET tracers. Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors are G-protein coupled receptors, with five subtypes denoted S1P1-5, that have key functions in immune, inflammat…

Radium Chelation For Targeted Alpha Particle Therapy
Abou, Diane ; Thorek, Daniel
T-019039

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method to chelate radium-223 and increase its utility in targeted alpha-particle therapy (TAT). TAT aims to deliver cytotoxic alpha-particles to cancer cells. Radium-223 is an alpha particle emitting isotope …

Use of ent-allopregnanolone to treat glaucoma
Covey, Douglas ; Izumi, Yukitoshi ; Zorumski, Charles
T-018940

— Technology Description Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis and colleagues have identified ent-allopregnanolone (ent-AlloP) as a potential therapeutic to treat glaucoma. Glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness, results from damage to the retinal ganglion cells (RGSs) t…

Steerable Thermoablation Probe for Improved Access to Brain Lesions
Leuthardt, Eric
T-015768

— Technology Description An interdisciplinary team led by Professor Eric Leuthardt has developed a steerable device that can be integrated into existing thermoablation systems to treat abnormal brain lesions. Thermoablation is a more targeted and less disruptive method for treating lesions than chem…

Therapeutic food supplements that promote healthy gut microbiome to treat malnutrition
Barratt, Michael ; Chang, Hao-Wei ; Gehrig, Jeanette ; Gordon, Jeffrey ; Venkatesh, Siddarth
T-018889

— Technology Description Prof. Jeffrey Gordon and his colleagues have developed an inexpensive food formulation that could treat malnutrition and a range of associated health problems by repairing the gut microbiome. Children who are malnourished are currently treated with supplemental nutrition tha…

Cytokine therapy for juvenile dermatomyositis and other autoimmune diseases
Alinger, Joshua ; French, Anthony ; Throm, Allison
T-018911

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Anthony French’s laboratory have discovered a signaling mechanism associated with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) that could potentially be targeted with cytokine-based therapies to treat JDM as well as other autoimmune disorders. This therapeutic a…

Target and method to treat alphavirus infections
Basore, Katherine ; Diamond, Michael ; Fremont, Daved ; Kim, Arthur ; Nelson, Christopher ; Thackray, Larissa ; Zhang, Rong
T-017583

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have identified a target for therapeutic development and created methods to potentially treat arthritogenic alphavirus infection. Arthritogenic alphaviruses, including chikungunya (CHIKV), Ross River, Mayaro and O’nyong…

Brachytherapy device for outpatient, MRI-guided treatment of gynecological cancers
Grigsby, Perry
T-012905

— Technology Description Researchers in Dr. Perry Grigsby’s lab have developed a patented brachytherapy device for outpatient, MRI-guided treatment of gynecological cancers. Gynecological cancers, such as recurrent endometrial and cervical cancers, can be treated with brachytherapy, but requir…

Alpha-synuclein ligands as specific PET imaging probes for Parkinson’s Disease and other disorders
Dhavale, Dhruva ; Kotzbauer, Paul ; Tu, Zhude "Will" ; Yue, Xuyi
T-018038

— Technology Description A team of researchers at Washington University have developed and optimized highly potent PET imaging probes which are specific for the misfolded protein that is the hallmark of Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. This family of molecules was designed based on s…

Potent, locally-acting chemokine binding proteins to protect organ transplants and treat ischemic or inflammatory diseases
Fremont, Daved ; Lu, Yun Hsuan ; Lubman, Olga
T-017443

— Researchers in Prof. Daved Fremont’s laboratory have identified two potent, soluble proteins that could prevent damage to transplanted organs and potentially treat other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases by evading the immune response instigated by chemokines. In organ transplants, chemoki…

Applicator device for reducing artifacts in MR-guided gynecological brachytherapy
Grigsby, Perry ; Zoberi, Jacqueline
T-011297

— Technology Description Radiation oncologists at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a patented plastic sheath applicator device to improve treatment planning and tumor targeting in image-guided brachytherapy (IGBT) for uterine and cervical cancer. Currently, high-dose rate brachyther…

Targeting hepatic arginine metabolism for treatment of metabolic diseases
DeBosch, Brian ; Higgins, Cassandra ; Mayer, Allyson ; Zhang, Yiming
T-017417

— Background Over 30% of adults in the world are overweight or obese. Lifestyle management has proven to be impractical and ineffective in real-life settings and there are no current treatments available for metabolic disease. Technology Summary Pharmacological or genetic activation of the Arginine…

Tumor Detection Using Digitally Enhanced and Stimulated Thermal Imaging
Achilefu, Samuel ; Meng, Hongyu ; Mondal, Suman ; O'Brien, Christine ; Shmuylovich, Leonid
T-018541

— Background Temperature differences between tumor and healthy tissue due to increased blood flow and metabolic activity are exploited for thermal imaging (TI) as an adjunct imaging modality for cancer diagnosis. Despite many technological advances and recent improvements, TI has a limited tumor dept…

Drugs to supplement microglial metabolism during treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
Colonna, Marco ; Ulland, Tyler
T-017401

— Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, and yet causation of the disease is poorly understood and targets for therapeutic intervention are still being identified. Recently, mutations in the immune receptor TREM2 have been found to be strongl…

Blood-based prognostic marker for respiratory distress from influenza and other viral infections
Mudd, Philip
T-019387

— Technology Description A team of researchers at Washington University has discovered an easily-measured, blood-based marker that could provide an early indicator to identify patients who will develop very severe disease following a viral infection. This immune cell marker for acute respiratory dis…

Targeting hepatic arginine metabolism for treatment of metabolic diseases
DeBosch, Brian ; Higgins, Cassandra ; Mayer, Allyson ; Zhang, Yiming
T-017490

— Background Over 30% of adults in the world are overweight or obese. Lifestyle management has proven to be impractical and ineffective in real-life settings and there are no current treatments available for metabolic disease. Technology Summary Pharmacological or genetic activation of the Arginine…

Cell-based tumor targeting for delivering therapeutic and imaging agents
Azab, Abdel Kareem ; Muz, Barbara
T-018893

— Researchers in Prof. Abdel Kareem Azab’s laboratory have developed a biologically-targeted cellular drug delivery system to precisely target therapeutic or diagnostic agents to a wide range of cancers. Delivering drugs directly to cancer cells and not to healthy cells could improve outcomes by…

Optimized MHC-independent T cell receptors as a CAR-T alternative
Chang, Ju Fang ; Singh, Nathan
T-019636

— Technology Description Researchers in Nathan Singh’s lab at Washington University have developed a construct for cell therapy that combines facets of existing CAR-T therapy and the endogenous T cell receptor (TCR) to better regulate adoptive cell activation. Unlike the traditional TCR, this …

Automated, Improved Deformable Image Registration for Radiation Therapy and other Clinical Applications
Yang, Deshan
T-017324

— Technology Description Prof. Deshan Yang and colleagues have developed automated systems and software toolkits to provide more accurate deformable image registration (DIR) for adaptive radiotherapy and other clinical applications. In particular, they have automated tedious and labor-intensive DIR …

Barbed mesh for fast, suture-less surgical wound closure
Felder, John
T-018828

— Technology Description: A surgeon at Washington University in St. Louis has designed a barbed mesh wound closure device with the potential to save time and improve outcomes by eliminating the need for surgical suturing to close incisions of the skin and fascia. This device has applications in a var…

Oxygen-releasing hydrogel for rapid wound healing
Guan, Jianjun ; Guan, Ya ; Niu, Hong
T-019931

— Technology Description Researchers in Jianjun Guan’s lab at Washington University have developed an oxygen-releasing hydrogel that accelerates wound healing. The biodegradable hydrogel is loaded with oxygen release microspheres (ORM) that slowly release oxygen into the surrounding tissue to …

High-throughput blood biomarker test for peripheral atherosclerosis
Semenkovich, Clay ; Zayed, Mohamed
T-017421

— Technology Description Researchers from Mohamed Zayed’s lab at Washington University have developed a blood biomarker test for atherosclerosis more accurate than LDL. Circulating levels of Fatty Acid Synthase (cFAS) in the serum correlate to a high degree to severity of peripheral atheroscle…

Versatile airway management system to reduce exposure to aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens
Iqbal, Zahid ; Lee, Jin Vivian ; Zayed, Mohamed
T-019443

— Technology Description Researchers in Dr. Mohamed Zayed’s laboratory have developed a versatile, sealable valve system for airway management devices that can protect healthcare workers by reducing their risk of exposure to aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens during risky pulmonary pro…

Therapeutic targets for atopic dermatitis
Kim, Brian ; Wang, Fang
T-019333

— Researchers at Washington University’s Center for the Study of Itch & Sensory Disorders have discovered a novel histamine-independent pathway that could be targeted to treat atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that presents with itch as its mos…

Metabolic biomarkers for accurate, real-time diagnostics and monitoring of C. difficile infection
Crowley, Jan ; Henderson, Jeffrey P. ; Robinson, John
T-019079

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Jeffrey Henderson’s laboratory have developed a method of analyzing metabolic biomarkers from fecal samples to more accurately identify C. difficile infection (CDI) and distinguish between symptomatic and asymptomatic colonization. CDI is currently …

Targeting hepatic arginine metabolism for treatment of metabolic diseases
DeBosch, Brian ; Higgins, Cassandra ; Mayer, Allyson ; Zhang, Yiming
T-017490

— Background Over 30% of adults in the world are overweight or obese. Lifestyle management has proven to be impractical and ineffective in real-life settings and there are no current treatments available for metabolic disease. Technology Summary Pharmacological or genetic activation of the Arginine…

Scalable Generation of Hematopoietic Progenitors from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Luff, Stephanie ; Sturgeon, Christopher
T-018886

— T-018886 — Scalable Generation of Hematopoietic Progenitors from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Technology Description In vitro generation of CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) that faithfully recapitulate in vivo behavior is an area of ongoing research. A key characteristic of CD34+ …

Uropathogen Vaccines
Dodson, Karen ; Ellebedy, Ali ; Feldman, Mario ; Hultgren, Scott ; Pinkner, Jerome ; Tamadonfar, Kevin ; Timm, Morgan
T-020120

— Technology Description Researchers in Scott Hultgren’s laboratory at Washington University have created two prospective vaccine treatments designed to prevent the colonization of prominent uropathogens. These vaccines have potential for treating urinary tract infections (UTIs) with specific m…

Oxygen-releasing hydrogel for rapid wound healing
Guan, Jianjun ; Guan, Ya ; Niu, Hong
T-019931

— Technology Description Researchers in Jianjun Guan’s lab at Washington University have developed an oxygen-releasing hydrogel that accelerates wound healing. The biodegradable hydrogel is loaded with oxygen release microspheres (ORM) that slowly release oxygen into the surrounding tissue to …

Optimized MHC-independent T cell receptors as a CAR-T alternative
Chang, Ju Fang ; Singh, Nathan
T-019636

— Technology Description Researchers in Nathan Singh’s lab at Washington University have developed a construct for cell therapy that combines facets of existing CAR-T therapy and the endogenous T cell receptor (TCR) to better regulate adoptive cell activation. Unlike the traditional TCR, this …

JAK inhibitor as conditioning agent for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
DiPersio, John ; Persaud, Stephen "Steve"
T-019132

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed an improved process for conditioning patients for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) using JAK inhibitors. Commonly used to treat autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, JAK inh…

IP-10 as a blood biomarker of respiratory failure
Mudd, Philip
T-019671

— Technology Description Researchers in Philip Mudd’s lab at Washington University have developed a blood biomarker test that detects impending respiratory failure before existing diagnostics. High levels of the biomarker IP-10 in the blood are correlated with the subsequent development of acu…

Chimeric antigen receptor dendritic cells
DeSelm, Carl
T-019199

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a genetic method to produce chimeric antigen receptor dendritic cells (CAR-DCs) for the treatment of solid tumors. The team generated a CAR that drives differentiation of cDC1s and mediates tumor-specific uptak…

Therapeutic targeting of LDL in ALS
Kreple, Collin ; Miller, Timothy ; Nielsen, Susan ; Racette, Brad
T-020021

— Technology Description Researchers in Brad Racette and Tim Miller’s labs at Washington University have developed a therapeutic strategy for treating ALS by using statins to lower LDL. Statins were successful at prolonging both survival and time with a normal gait. The researchers identif…

High-throughput blood biomarker test for peripheral atherosclerosis
Semenkovich, Clay ; Zayed, Mohamed
T-017421

— Technology Description Researchers from Mohamed Zayed’s lab at Washington University have developed a blood biomarker test for atherosclerosis more accurate than LDL. Circulating levels of Fatty Acid Synthase (cFAS) in the serum correlate to a high degree to severity of peripheral atheroscle…

Improved MRI resolution with Diffusion Dictionary Imaging (DDI)
Wang, Qing ; Wang, Yong
T-019608

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed MRI post-processing software capable of imaging cellular components. The software matches specific patterns with a dictionary of signals corresponding to cellular components. While the researchers have previous…

Metabolic biomarkers for accurate, real-time diagnostics and monitoring of C. difficile infection
Crowley, Jan ; Henderson, Jeffrey P. ; Robinson, John
T-019079

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Jeffrey Henderson’s laboratory have developed a method of analyzing metabolic biomarkers from fecal samples to more accurately identify C. difficile infection (CDI) and distinguish between symptomatic and asymptomatic colonization. CDI is currently …

A novel modulator of tumor angiogenesis and anti-tumor immunity
Choi, Kyunghee ; Kabir, Ashraf Ul ; Krchma, Karen
T-019294

— Technology Description Researchers in Kyunghee Choi’s lab at Washington University in St. Louis have identified a novel target, Myct1, that modulates tumor angiogenesis and anti-tumor immune response. Myct1 inhibition with siRNA blocks angiogenesis and promotes infiltration of cytotoxic T ly…

Anti-fungal treatment and companion diagnostic for Crohn’s Disease
Jain, Umang ; Stappenbeck, Thaddeus
T-019293

— Technology Description: Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have identified a new avenue for treatment of non-healing ulcers in patients with Crohn’s disease by targeting Debaryomyces hansenii. While the cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown, the fungus D. hansenii colonize…

SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody effective against all variants
Adams, Lucas ; Diamond, Michael ; Fremont, Daved ; VanBlargan, Laura
T-019791

— Disease indication – SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) Drug format – Chimeric monoclonal antibody Drug class – Best-in-class Research stage and Preliminary data – The inventors have developed and characterized this antibody, creating a chimeric version with a human IgG backbone. T…

Predictive biomarker for CAR T-associated neurotoxicity
Ances, Beau ; Butt, Omar ; DiPersio, John ; Ghobadi, Armin
T-019528

— Technology Description: Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a biomarker screening assay to predict which patients receiving CAR T cell therapy will experience neurotoxicity. Patients can be screened well in advance of receiving the T cell therapy with a simple serum as…

Robust, scalable phase control system for non-invasive neuromodulation devices
Li, Jr-Shin ; Zlotnik, Anatoly
T-016206

— Technology Description: Researchers in Prof. Jr-Shin Li’s laboratory have developed a robust, scalable, patented technology to control and entrain complex, noisy, non-linear oscillating systems such as neuronal firing and circadian rhythms. This system uses a single global, open-loop control …

Early, specific, blood-based diagnostic for septic arthritis
Luhmann, Scott
T-018905

— Technology Description: Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have identified blood-based cytokine signatures that could be used to specifically detect, distinguish and monitor septic arthritis, synovitis and osteomyelitis. This assay could enable timely, accurate treatment to avoid joi…

Barbed mesh for fast, suture-less surgical wound closure
Felder, John
T-018828

— Technology Description: A surgeon at Washington University in St. Louis has designed a barbed mesh wound closure device with the potential to save time and improve outcomes by eliminating the need for surgical suturing to close incisions of the skin and fascia. This device has applications in a var…

Interferon-gamma treatment to improve efficacy of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for AML and other cancer
Christopher, Matthew ; DiPersio, John ; Ley, Timothy ; Petti, Allegra ; Rettig, Michael
T-018954

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have discovered that interferon-gamma treatment could potentially prevent relapse after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) treatment by making the cancer cells more visible to the donor immune cells. This technolog…

Versatile airway management system to reduce exposure to aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens
Iqbal, Zahid ; Lee, Jin Vivian ; Zayed, Mohamed
T-019443

— Technology Description Researchers in Dr. Mohamed Zayed’s laboratory have developed a versatile, sealable valve system for airway management devices that can protect healthcare workers by reducing their risk of exposure to aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens during risky pulmonary pro…

Long non-coding RNA as cancer biomarker and drug target
Cabanski, Christopher ; Fields, Ryan ; Maher, Christopher ; Silva-Fisher, Jessica
T-018788

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Christopher Maher’s research program (in conjunction with collaborator Ryan Fields) discovered that RAMS11 (RNA Associated with Metastasis 11), a novel long non-coding RNA, (i) promotes metastatic disease, (ii) confers resistance to topoisomerase i…

Stimulating Innate Immune Cells for Cancer Therapy or Vaccine Adjuvants
Barrow, Alexander ; Colonna, Marco
T-016924

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Marco Colonna’s laboratory have identified a receptor-ligand interaction that could be harnessed to activate the innate immune system to treat cancer or enhance the response to vaccines for infectious disease. Specifically, platelet-derived growth f…

miRNA mimics to treat metabolic disease
Gong, Yong-feng ; Hou, Jianghui
T-017930

— Disease indication: metabolic disorders including insulin resistance and diabetic nephropathy Drug format: chemically modified synthetic microRNA (miRNA) Drug class: first-in-class for metabolic disease Research stage and Preliminary data: Target: miR-29 mimics can increase the gene expressio…

Prognostic for Lymphoproliferative Disorders
Qavi, Abraham ; Swat, Wojciech
T-019271

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed an improved method to monitor the progression of lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) and guide treatment decisions. LPDs, including leukemia and lymphoma, are characterized by the abnormal proliferation of blo…

Eye test to diagnose preclinical Alzheimer’s disease
Apte, Rajendra ; Van Stavern, Gregory
T-018518

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a non-invasive screening method using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to detect Alzheimer’s disease (AD) at the early, preclinical stage. AD is characterized by progressive memory loss, be…

Intestinal biomarker predicts response to treatment for inflammatory bowel disease
Stappenbeck, Thaddeus ; VanDussen, Kelli
T-019186

— Technology Description Researchers in the Stappenbeck lab have discovered an objective histologic biomarker on intestinal cells that can predict a patient’s response to ustekinumab treatment for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Specifically, the length of microvilli (MV) could pr…

Liquid biopsy assay for personalized prostate cancer treatment
Chaudhuri, Aadel ; Maher, Christopher ; Pachynski, Russell
T-019287

— Technology Description A team of researchers at Washington University has developed “EnhanceAR-Seq”, a circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay that predicts which patients are at high risk for developing resistance to androgen receptor (AR)-directed treatment for metastatic prostate cancer…

Method to create designer stem cells for safer, more effective therapeutics
Guilak, Farshid
T-018758

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method to create designer stem cells which provide a safer, more effective cell therapy approach to treating disease. Cell-based regenerative therapies could potentially be used to treat many diseases and res…

Method to characterize gut microbiome
Gordon, Jeffrey ; Raman, Arjun
T-018977

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method to stratify gut microbiota dysbiosis and monitor treatments to correct it. In order to efficiently treat microbiota imbalance, it would first be beneficial to understand the healthy organization and in…

Arteriovenous graft designed to prevent thrombosis and graft failure
Genin, Guy ; Williams, Dillon ; Zayed, Mohamed
T-018994

— Technology Description Prof. Mohamed Zayed and colleagues have developed an arteriovenous graft cuff with features designed to normalize the blood shear rate and decrease risk of thrombosis at the venous end anastomosis. This device could reduce the failure rate of these grafts, thereby improving …

Ultrasound-guided diffuse optical tomography for fast, low-cost functional imaging of breast lesions
Mostafa, Atahar ; Zhu, Quing
T-018800

— Technology Description Prof. Quing Zhu and colleagues have pioneered a compact, low-cost ultrasound-guided optical tomography system designed to differentiate between benign and malignant breast lesions and reduce the need for costly and invasive biopsies. This technology enables fast, robust imag…

Automated, Improved Deformable Image Registration for Radiation Therapy and other Clinical Applications
Yang, Deshan
T-017324

— Technology Description Prof. Deshan Yang and colleagues have developed automated systems and software toolkits to provide more accurate deformable image registration (DIR) for adaptive radiotherapy and other clinical applications. In particular, they have automated tedious and labor-intensive DIR …

Drug target and biomarker for multiple sclerosis
Klein, Robyn ; Williams, Jessica
T-017623

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Robyn Klein’s laboratory have discovered that interferon lambda (IFN-λ) is a potential target for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly secondary progressive MS (SPMS). Most patients with MS present with relapsing remitting MS (RRM…

Vaccine to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection
Caparon, Michael ; Flores-Mireles, Ana ; Hultgren, Scott ; Pinkner, Jerome
T-013965

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a vaccine strategy to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). CAUTIs are the most common cause of hospital-acquired infections. Many of these are caused by Enterococcus bacteria. CAUTIs a…

Target and small molecule drugs to selectively neutralize bacteria in urinary tract infections
Henderson, Jeffrey P.
T-018628

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Jeffrey Henderson’s laboratory have discovered a drug target and a class of small molecule candidates that could be used to selectively prevent pathogenic enterobacteria from causing diseases such as urinary tract infections (UTIs). Currently, UTI…

Exosome-based therapy for tendon injuries and other soft tissue repair
Shen, Hua
T-018565

— Technology Description: A team of researchers at Washington University has developed a cell-free, nano-sized extracellular vesicle (EV/exosome) system to enhance repair of soft musculoskeletal tissue. This technology leverages the natural anti-inflammatory effects of adipose-derived stem cells (ASC…

NanoTCE: a nanoparticle antibody system for immunotherapy against heterogeneous multiple myeloma
Alhallak, Kinan ; Azab, Abdel Kareem
T-018892

— Disease indication – multiple myeloma Drug format – antibodies conjugated to nanoparticles for T-cell immunotherapy Drug class – improved delivery platform Research stage and Preliminary data: In vivo: In vitro proof of concept – in a MM cell line: NanoMuTEs and NanoTC…

Deep learning algorithm to expedite MRI-guided adaptive radiotherapy planning
Fu, Yabo ; Yang, Deshan
T-018708

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Deshan Yang’s laboratory have developed a deep-learning method for fast, robust, automated MRI segmentation to expedite treatment planning for patients undergoing MRI-guided adaptive radiotherapy (MR-IGART). Specifically, this technology utilizes a…

Cell-based tumor targeting for delivering therapeutic and imaging agents
Azab, Abdel Kareem ; Muz, Barbara
T-018893

— Researchers in Prof. Abdel Kareem Azab’s laboratory have developed a biologically-targeted cellular drug delivery system to precisely target therapeutic or diagnostic agents to a wide range of cancers. Delivering drugs directly to cancer cells and not to healthy cells could improve outcomes by…

PET tracer to diagnose kidney disease
Baldelomar, Edwin ; Beeman, Scott ; Bennett, Kevin ; Reichert, David
T-018902

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a PET tracer that may be used to quantify kidney nephron endowment and diagnose kidney disease. Nephrons are the functional units of the kidney responsible for filtering the blood to remove waste. They are form…

PET tracer to diagnose kidney disease
Baldelomar, Edwin ; Beeman, Scott ; Bennett, Kevin ; Reichert, David
T-018902

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a PET tracer that may be used to quantify kidney nephron endowment and diagnose kidney disease. Nephrons are the functional units of the kidney responsible for filtering the blood to remove waste. They are form…

Inflammatory bowel disease biomarkers and therapeutic target
Kaiko, Gerard ; Liu, Ta-Chiang ; Stappenbeck, Thaddeus
T-017071

— Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) has been identified as a specific biomarker that is significantly elevated in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and is correlated with disease severity. It could be used to both diagnose the disease (including ulcerative colitis and colonic Croh…

Molecular imaging of COVID binding receptor
Abou, Diane ; Thorek, Daniel ; Zhang, Hanwen
T-019485

— Technology Description A team of researchers led by Professor Daniel Thorek at Washington University have developed a peptide specific to human ACE2, the receptor for SARS-CoV-2, that can be used for imaging or therapeutic delivery. The peptide can be easily chelated for PET imaging, allowing for …

Non-invasive Technology Enables Brain Tumor Biopsy Without Surgery
Chen, Hong ; Dunn, Gavin ; Leuthardt, Eric ; Petti, Allegra
T-017113

— Background: The American Brain Tumor Association reports that about 80,000 of the estimated 700,000 Americans that live with a brain tumor have been diagnosed in 2017. The surgery required for a traditional brain tumor biopsy entails making a hole in the skin and skull, placing a needle probe, and r…

Automated image processing tools for quantitative SPECT and PET scans
Jha, Abhinav Kumar ; Liu, Ziping ; Moon, Hae Sol ; Rahman, Md Ashequr ; Yu, Zitong
T-019331

— Engineers in Washington University’s Computational Medical Imaging Lab have developed automated, machine-learning techniques to improve nuclear medicine imaging (SPECT and PET). These tools include estimation-based segmentation methods to define boundaries and ASC (attenuation and scatter comp…

Targeted liposome drug delivery system to improve multiple myeloma treatment
Azab, Abdel Kareem ; Federico, Cinzia
T-019089

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Kareem Azab’s laboratory have developed a liposome drug delivery vehicle to improve efficacy and reduce side effects of multiple myeloma treatment. This system is designed to target compounds to the bone marrow microenvironment (BMME) and simultane…

Simple, stable plasmonic biosensors for point-of-care diagnosis of cardiac arrest and other conditions
Kharasch, Evan ; Morrissey, Jeremiah ; Singamaneni, Srikanth ; Tadepalli, Sirimuvva
T-014923

— Technology Description An interdisciplinary team of researchers at Washington University have developed a sensitive, shelf-stable, label-free system for quickly quantifying biomarkers in point-of-care settings (e.g., office, ambulance or battlefield). Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) off…

MRI neural network segmentation in atherosclerosis
Jha, Abhinav Kumar ; Li, Ran ; Woodard, Pamela ; Zheng, Jie
T-020254

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a two-stage neural network model, with CNN and BNN architecture, to segment carotid atherosclerotic plaque components based on multi-weighted MR images and measure the uncertainty of the segmentation output. Th…

Trackable pedicle screws
Brunner, Peter ; Genin, Guy ; Hacker, Carl ; Leuthardt, Eric ; Lowe, Halle ; Molina, Camilo ; Moran, Daniel ; Repka, Alicia ; Sandler, Jacob
T-019941

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a system that uses lenticular arrays to better track pedicle screw placement during spinal fusion surgery. By enabling an accurate assessment of the screws’ locations, this system allows for computer-auto…

Real-time interference compensation in MRI guided radiotherapy
Curcuru, Austen ; Gach, H. Michael ; Kim, Taeho ; Villa, Umberto
T-019745

— Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method to improve image quality during MR imaging guided radiation therapy (MR-IGRT) by correcting for B0 fluctuation in real-time. The corrections reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) between the MRI sc…

Peptides responsible for Type 1 diabetes
Lichti, Cheryl ; Unanue, Emil ; Wan, Xiaoxiao
T-018626

— Technology Description: Researchers in the lab of Emil Unanue at Washington University have discovered a panel of peptides responsible for autoimmune activation in Type 1 diabetes and potentially capable of diagnosing T1D at an early stage. These peptide fragments of insulin are found circulating …

CCR2-targeted cancer nanoimmunotherapy
Lim, Kian-Huat ; Liu, Yongjian ; Zhang, Xiaohui
T-019463

— Disease indication – Drug format – Combination containing radiolabeled copper nanocluster, small molecule, and peptide Drug class – First-in-class Target – CCR2, the receptor for CCL2 Mode of action – The ECL1i peptide is conjugated to a copper nanocluster loaded…

Generating pancreatic beta cells from pluripotent stem cells for diabetes cell therapy or drug development
Hogrebe, Nathaniel ; Millman, Jeffrey ; Velazco-Cruz, Leonardo ; Veronese Paniagua, Daniel ; Wernes, Kristina
T-019409

— Technology Description: Researchers in Prof. Jeffrey Millman’s laboratory have developed multiple techniques for enhancing the differentiation, maturation and function of glucose-responsive, insulin-producing SC-beta cells (pancreatic beta cells made from human pluripotent stem cells). Downst…

MRI and PET nanoparticle imaging agents for kidney disease diagnostics and transplant evaluation
Baldelomar, Edwin ; Bennett, Kevin
T-019017

— Technology Description: Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed targeted, natural nanoparticle imaging agents that may be used to quantify kidney nephron endowment and diagnose renal disease with MRI or PET imaging. Nephrons are the functional units of the kidney responsi…

Inflammatory bowel disease biomarkers and therapeutic target
Kaiko, Gerard ; Liu, Ta-Chiang ; Stappenbeck, Thaddeus
T-017071

— Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) has been identified as a specific biomarker that is significantly elevated in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and is correlated with disease severity. It could be used to both diagnose the disease (including ulcerative colitis and colonic Croh…

Automated image processing tools for quantitative SPECT and PET scans
Jha, Abhinav Kumar ; Liu, Ziping ; Moon, Hae Sol ; Rahman, Md Ashequr ; Yu, Zitong
T-019331

— Engineers in Washington University’s Computational Medical Imaging Lab have developed automated, machine-learning techniques to improve nuclear medicine imaging (SPECT and PET). These tools include estimation-based segmentation methods to define boundaries and ASC (attenuation and scatter comp…

Targeted liposome drug delivery system to improve multiple myeloma treatment
Azab, Abdel Kareem ; Federico, Cinzia
T-019089

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Kareem Azab’s laboratory have developed a liposome drug delivery vehicle to improve efficacy and reduce side effects of multiple myeloma treatment. This system is designed to target compounds to the bone marrow microenvironment (BMME) and simultane…

Synthetic Dendritic Cells for Expanding Antigen-Specific T Cells used in Cancer Immunotherapy
Klechevsky, Eynav ; Pathak, Amit ; Sarker, Bapi
T-017391

— Technology Description: A team led by Drs. Amit Pathak and Eynav Klechevsky have developed a soft alginate-gelatin matrix-based synthetic dendritic cell to rapidly expand and deliver CD8+ T cells for cancer immunotherapy. CD8+ T cells kill tumors, but current methods to expand them also activate r…

TR3: a stabilized TRAIL timer for use as an anticancer therapeutic
Hawkins, William ; Hotchkiss, Richard ; Spitzer, Dirk
T-007646

— WUSTL Technology 007646 Technology Description Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) have developed a novel TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand)-based anticancer drug platform, designated TR3. TRAIL has potent and specific apoptotic activity against tumor cells. Thus,…

Therapy to treat and prevent respiratory disease in pre-term and at-risk neonates
Morley, Sharon "Celeste" ; Todd, Elizabeth (Betsy)
T-017434

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. S. Celeste Morley’s laboratory have developed a long-lasting prophylactic therapy that could protect pre-term and at-risk infants from pneumonia, respiratory distress and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Neonates born prematurely are at increased risk f…

Simple, stable plasmonic biosensors for point-of-care diagnosis of cardiac arrest and other conditions
Kharasch, Evan ; Morrissey, Jeremiah ; Singamaneni, Srikanth ; Tadepalli, Sirimuvva
T-014923

— Technology Description An interdisciplinary team of researchers at Washington University have developed a sensitive, shelf-stable, label-free system for quickly quantifying biomarkers in point-of-care settings (e.g., office, ambulance or battlefield). Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) off…

MRI-based multiparametric cardiac strain analysis of myocardial viability
Cupps, Brian ; Pasque, Michael
T-006692

— Background: Assessing left ventricle (LV) cardiac contractile function is a good indicator of overall heart health and is used to determine which patients are good candidates for revascularization surgery. With over 3 million new coronary artery disease patients annually and over 1 million annual re…

Non-invasive Technology Enables Brain Tumor Biopsy Without Surgery
Chen, Hong ; Dunn, Gavin ; Leuthardt, Eric ; Petti, Allegra
T-017113

— Background: The American Brain Tumor Association reports that about 80,000 of the estimated 700,000 Americans that live with a brain tumor have been diagnosed in 2017. The surgery required for a traditional brain tumor biopsy entails making a hole in the skin and skull, placing a needle probe, and r…

A Truly Tumor-Specific Epitope Carried by BG-A Antigen for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Xu, Mai
T-016998

— Background: In the US alone, 154,000 new cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) are diagnosed each year. Unfortunately, a third of those patients will die due to diagnosis at late stages – the 5-year survival rate is 11%, compared to 91% for those who are diagnosed with only localized CRC. A colonos…

Machine learning paired with photoacoustic microscopy and ultrasound for improved rectal cancer imaging
Chapman Jr., William "Will Jr" ; Leng, Xiandong ; Mutch, Matthew ; Uddin, Shihab ; Zhu, Quing
T-019449

— Technology Description: Researchers led by Quing Zhu at Washington University have developed a method for imaging rectal tumors using photoacoustic microscopy and ultrasound with a machine learning component. This method is better able to differentiate residual cancer from healthy tissue following…

Software to predict low back pain from brain imaging
Hawasli, Ammar ; Jayasekera, Dinal ; Lamichhane, Bidhan ; Leuthardt, Eric ; Ray, Wilson
T-019322

— Technology Description: Researchers at Washington University, led by Eric Leuthardt, have developed software that can identify specific brain regions involved in chronic low back pain from neuroimaging data. This software, powered by machine learning, relies on differences in cortical thickness an…

Lightweight, wearable cap for bedside functional optical neuroimaging
Bergonzi, Karla ; Culver, Joseph ; Eggebrecht, Adam ; Ferradal, Silvina
T-013611

— Technology Description Researchers in Prof. Joseph Culver’s laboratory have developed a patented, compact, lightweight functional neuroimaging device for long-term bedside monitoring. This technology, based on high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT), could be used as a surrogate for …

SIMPEL: electrode device to safely and precisely stimulate sympathetic nerves to treat asthma, hypertension and other conditions
Cloonan, Paige ; Kamath, Ashwin ; Leuthardt, Eric ; MacEwan, Matthew ; Moore, Amy ; Moran, Daniel ; Qin, Yidan (Ida) ; Ray, Wilson ; Zhang, Christopher
T-017895

— Technology Description A team of researchers at Washington University have developed “SIMPEL”, a small, implanted electrode device designed to manage a variety of conditions (such as asthma, hypertension or neuropathy) by delivering current from a defined, fixed position near specific …

Accurate, efficient 2D strain mapping with robust detection of strain localization
Boyle, John ; Genin, Guy ; Pless, Robert ; Thomopoulos, Stavros
T-014090

— Summary DDE (Direct Deformation Estimation) and SIMPLE (Strain Interference with Measures of Probable Local Elevation) are two simple Digital Image Correlation algorithms that combine image analysis techniques with mechanical engineering principles to provide accurate, efficient, quantitative strai…

Machine learning methods for real-time MRI image processing: MRI-only radiation treatment planning and improving MR image resolution
Green, Olga ; Mutic, Sasa ; Park, Chunjoo (Justin) ; Zhang, Hao
T-018522

— Technology Description A team of researchers at Washington University School of Medicine developed deep learning image processing techniques to improve MRI diagnostics and potentially enable faster, more precise MRI-guided radiation therapy without exposing patients to radiation from CT imaging. S…

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