JMI :: Technologies

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Biotechnology 

  • Methods of making biodegradable plastic with polyhydroxyalkanoates comprising 4-hydroxybutyrate monomer units
    • Method of production of poly-beta-hydroxyalkanoate copolymers
    • Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of the Alcaligenes eutrophus H16 poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate biosynthetic pathway
    • Method for the improved production and recovery of poly-.beta.-hydroxybutyrate from transformed Escherichia coli
  • Novel Therapeutic for Wound Healing and the Treatment of Ocular Diseases (Dry Eye)

Health and Life Sciences

  • Skin Probiotics
  • Substance Abuse prevention training materials

Outcomes Assessment

  • National Educational Standards for Teachers (NETS●T) Certification Program

Preparedness & Resiliency

  • Thermoelectric Sensor
  • RFID Disaster Identification Bracelet System
  • Hospital Preparedness Modeling Tools
  • Cyber Citz Guide for Teens

Materials Science

  • Improved Method for Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices Allowing Functional Tuning

 

 

Biotechnology

Methods of making biodegradable plastic with polyhydroxyalkanoates comprising 4-hydroxybutyrate monomer units

D. Dennis et al
U.S. Patent 6,117,658

The technology portfolio is a collection of technologies related to the production of biopolymer polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). The portfolio includes processes to produce PHAs using recombinant organisms, including one method to obtain high levels of PHAs comprising 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB) monomer units in a cost-efficient manner. PHAs with 4HB monomer units are useful in biodegradable thermoplastic applications requiring greater flexibility than PLAs.

For more information, see the market brief.

 

Method of production of poly-beta-hydroxyalkanoate copolymers

D. Dennis et al
U.S. Patent 5,891,686

The present invention relates generally to the production of polymers in prokaryotic host cells, and more specifically, to the production of poly-.beta.-hydroxyalkanoates.

 

Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of the Alcaligenes eutrophus H16 poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate biosynthetic pathway

D. Dennis et al
U.S. Patent 5,518,907

Genes coding for poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate were removed from Alcaligenes eutrophus H16 and cloned into Escherichia coli. Some of the clones produced PHB to 90% of the cell weight.

 

Method for the improved production and recovery of poly-.beta.-hydroxybutyrate from transformed Escherichia coli

D. Dennis et al
U.S. patent 5,512,456

The present invention is generally related to the production of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) using Escherichia coli (E. coli) which has been genetically transformed by a vector carrying the genes coding for the PHB biosynthetic pathway and, more particularly, to the more efficient production and recovery of PHB from transformed E. coli.

 

Novel Therapeutic for Wound Healing and the Treatment of Ocular Diseases (Dry Eye)

Coming soon...

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Health and Life Sciences

Skin Probiotics

Coming soon...

 

Substance Abuse prevention training materials

Wessel, Martino-McAllkister, Banks, Yeager, Taylor, Richardson, Travis, Deaton

The copyrighted material is a university-state agency-practicing professional collaboration for substance abuse prevention training for grass-roots practicing professionals . A cross section of professionals came together to design, develop and update the curriculums and training delivery designed for the adult learner . Materials include instructor and participant manuals for three levels, in addition to the workshop training/seminar agenda.

Prevention Basics Level I - Building a Common Knowledge Base is a two-day seminar that focuses on cutting-edge prevention theory, research, and practice. It is designed for current practitioners who are either new to prevention or experienced practitioners who wish to make sure that their prevention practices are up-to-date.

Prevention Basics Level II - Skills for Assessing Needs and Evaluating for Results is a two-day seminar designed for individuals involved in prevention coordination and program development. The goal is to develop skills in conducting needs assessments and program evaluations.

Prevention Basics Level III - Building Capacity for Sustainability is a two-day seminar designed to develop skills that will reinforce community-based prevention planning and implementation at the broad community-wide level. The training emphasizes cross-agency collaboration, skills for successfully building your coalition, skills for coalition management, advocacy and public relations.

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Outcomes Assessment

National Educational Standards for Teachers (NETS●T) Certification Program

Ingram

Customizable employee performance certification system for private and public organizations to assess competency of employees in technical, sales, and managerial positions. The first application developed allows teachers statewide to demonstrate
mastery of technology integration. A related industry review "finds the JMU system to be an exceptionally well-designed and robust assessment system."

For more information, see the market brief.

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Preparedness & Resiliency


Thermoelectric Sensor

Lawrence, Tucker, DeVore, Coffman, Raab, Taylor
Patent #11/809,716

These invention detects airborne chemical and biological agents using coated thermopile heat sensors. These thermopile temperature sensors have chemical or biological coatings that react with air pollutants of concern inside buildings or structures. They are designed to be a low-cost solution for homeland security personnel monitoring potential terrorist threats.

For more information, see the market brief.

 

RFID Disaster Identification Bracelet System

Teate

This tool is a prototype for a large-scale location and notification system consisting of a cost-effective, easilydeployable distributed network of RFID readers. The system is driven by customized software and a secure centralized database and is used to track evacuees during a national disaster. Patent pending.

For more information, see the market brief.

 

Hospital Preparedness Modeling Tools

Higgins, Salyers, Martin, Harrison, Leahy, Elliott

Using various modeling tools, this system simulates patient flow at the local hospital during a flu pandemic, including modeling patients in different levels of care and nursing staff needed.

For more information, see the market brief.

 

Cyber Citz Guide for Teens

Coming soon...

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Materials Science

Improved Method for Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices Allowing Functional Tuning

Landers, Augustine, Hughes, Ferrance, Polefrone
WO 2004/007582

The invention is directed to improve silica-based microchip devices and methods of manufacturing such devices and focuses on the further development of polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) as a new substrate material for microfluidics. The resulting devices will be easy and inexpensive to manufacture using standard mass production techniques. The device should also be as effective as current glass microchip technology at separating a variety of biomolecules. In order to meet this requirement, the surface of the microfluidic channel must be nonbiofouling, and therefore must be extremely smooth and well passivated.

This technology enables volume production of high quality plastic devices because the necessary smooth surface is created first on a silicon "master" using crystallographic etching, and then transferred to the PMMA device using hot embossing. The bonding procedure using this polymer requires a substantially reduced annealing temperature (a few hundred degrees centigrade) and can be used to bond to a variety of substrates including glass, plastic, silicon, fused silica, or quartz. Furthermore, this bonding procedure could allow for hybrid devices to be created yielding microchips with different properties. For example, glass/silicon or glass/plastic devices become feasible and even glass/glass microchips, where one type of glass might be more amenable to etching while another type of glass might be better suited as a coverplate due to better optical properties.

Miniaturization of analytical methods and instrumentation for clinical applications is an area of growing interest. Microchips have been developed for many applications in order to minimize both the time and space required to perform processes such as drug delivery and clinical diagnostic procedures. Microchips have thus been developed for a number of different applications including solid phase extraction, PCR amplification of purified DNA, and electrophoretic separations. However, the range of uses of the microchips has been inhibited by the properties of the glass or plastic substrates for the microchips. The disadvantages inherent using a glass substrate includes limited control of electroosmotic flow (EOF) and the need for high bonding temperatures. Using a plastic substrate, in many cases, also results in low EOF and poor optical characteristics, including intrinsic fluorescence.

The current invention is an improved method for developing microfluidic devices coated with a novel polymeric material. This UV transparent coating solves many of the problems associated with the fabrication of microchips. This method allows the user to f ine-tune the EOF generated in the microchip for the specific sample analyzed. In addition, this coating could provide improved fluid dynamics and reduce the absorption of analytes and buffer components to the surface.

Previous to this invention, such glass/glass hybrids were difficult, if not impossible, to fabricate. By adding this novel polymer coating to uncharged plastic substrates, an EOF can be generated allowing the production of cheaper, disposable microchips. This novel method has the potential to play a large role in the future exploitation of microchips for both clinical and research diagnostics.

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