Quarterly Newsletter from The Rockefeller University  
Office of Technology Transfer

The Rockefeller University, Office of Technology Transfer
1230 York Ave.
New York, NY 10065
Available Technologies
Rockefeller
IP Corner:
Recently Issued Patents
 
 
Jeffrey Ravetch,  M.D.,  Ph.D.  and colleagues: "Methods of identifying anti-inflammatory compounds" Licensed to Momenta.

Vincent Fischetti, Ph.D. and colleagues:  "Streptococcus bacteriophage lysins for detection and treatment of gram positive bacteria"
L icensed to Contrafect. 

For patent related inquiries, contact Joe Cagno, Assistant Director, Intellectual Property,
jcagno@rockefeller.edu
 
From the Rockefeller University Newswire:

Researchers examine how a face represents a whole person in the brain
The sight of a face offers the brain something special. More than a set of features, it conveys the emotions, intent, and identity of the whole individual. The same is not true for the body; cues such as posture convey some social information, but the image of a body does not substitute for a face.   Click here  to read more...

The Rockefeller University  
Innovation Alerts!  
Issue: 11
December 2015
Technology Spotlight: Research Tool
Thomas P. Sakmar, M.D.
ZeptoArray Chip for High-Throughput Drug Discovery

Drug discovery and optimization is critically dependent on detailed characterization of the kinetics by which a drug interacts with its target, usually a cell surface receptor. The stability of the interaction between the drug and receptor is contained in the dissociation kinetics ('off-rates') and dissociation equilibrium constant. The 'off-rates' particularly are important during the lead optimization step of the drug discovery pipeline and are often sensitive to allosteric modulators. However, existing technologies to measure 'off-rates' are material intensive and not suitable for high-throughput drug candidate screening. 

Our scientists have developed a novel device, the ZeptoArray Chip, to perform automated high-throughput assays to measure real-time ligand-receptor interactions via fluorescence microscopy. The technology includes a novel capture method to stabilize arrays of individual receptor molecules under multiplexed conditions, and an innovative autofocus algorithm that enables interleaved multi-sample imaging experiments in zeptoliter-sized sample wells over many hours using Single Molecule Detection microscopy. The ZeptoArray Chip therefore allows measuring receptor-ligand 'off-rates' in real-time over several orders of magnitude (1sec-10hrs) and is suitable for both small molecule as well as biological drug candidate screens.            

For questions about licensing this technology, contact Nidhi Sabharwal, Assistant Director, Marketing and Licensing, at nsabharwal@rockefeller.edu.
Technology Spotlight: Bioinformatics
Thomas Tuschl, Ph.D.
Towards a Human RNA Atlas
   
Despite our deep genetic knowledge, whole transcriptome analysis (RNAseq) is becoming increasingly important to understand complex human diseases. DNA sequencing does not provide gene expression information and the functional consequence of the interplay of disease mutations for the human cell is often only captured at the RNA level. However, current RNA sequencing analysis is aimed only to tell abundance and disregards any sequence variation. RNA sequencing analysis is also hampered by redundant databases and a lack of standardization between research institutes resulting in errors being propagated. Discovery and implementation of RNA-based diagnostics and therapeutics are therefore hindered by these inefficiencies. 

Our scientists have developed a curated database, the RNA Atlas, comprising non-redundant, cleanly annotated coding and non-coding human RNA transcripts. The RNA Atlas was made by experimental evidence-based curation of all publicly available transcript and SNP information. Any newly generated RNA sequencing data can be mapped against the RNA Atlas and provide the user with knowledge on transcript abundance and sequence variation (mutations, translocations, allelic variation). The Atlas will furthermore highlight functional changes due to sequence variation in annotated protein-coding or relevant non-coding RNAs. All RNA data that is not recognized by the Atlas will be returned in the form of assembled sequences empowering the discovery of novel genes and rearrangements, pathogens, and is utilized for further curation. The RNA Atlas is dynamic and will become more comprehensive as data is being analyzed helping us understand complex RNA expression profiles underlying human diseases. 

For questions about licensing this technology, contact Manjula Donepudi, Assistant Director, at mdonepudi@rockefeller.edu.
For feedback, questions, or suggestions on future newsletter content including upcoming events, news flashes, and articles please email techtransfer@rockefeller.edu.

Sincerely,

The Rockefeller University Office of Technology Transfer