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University of California, San Francisco
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A DEVICE FOR SUTURELESS VASCULAR ANASTOMOSIS
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Current surgical procedures requiring minimally invasivevascular bypass operations employ conventional suturing techniques to establisha secure connection between the bypass graft and the artery. However, thistechnique has gained limited acceptance in the medical field due to thedifficult and time-consuming procedures associated with suturing throughsmall incisions with laparoscopic instruments. I...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR KAWASAKI DISEASE (SF05-071)
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Kawasaki Disease is a childhood disease that primarilyaffects children under five years old. It is the leading cause ofacquired heart disease in children Depending on the region, the averageannual incidencevaries from 9 cases per 100,000 population in the US to 108 casesper 100,000 children in Japan. A recurrence rate of 3-5% has beenreported in Japan. In addition, because one of every 150 childre...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A DIAGNOSTICTEST TO PERSONALIZE PATIENT THERAPY USING PLATINUM-BASED ANTICANCERDRUGS
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Platinum-based anticancer drugs, such as the US approveddrugs cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin, are among the mostactive anticancer agents. These platinum compounds are known to bind toDNA andtrigger cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of cancer cells. These drugsappear to have similar anticancer mechanism(s), but vary in their anticancerspectrumand toxicity. For example, oxaliplatin generally ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A HOME/OFFICE SELF-SCREENING ORAL CANCER KIT
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Cancersof the oral cavity and pharynx are a major cause of death the UnitedStates, exceeding the death rates for cervical cancer, malignantmelanoma and Hodgkin's disease. There are several reasons for thehigh mortality rate of oral cancer, but undoubtedly the most significantfactor is delayed diagnosis. UCSF investigators have developed akit that will allow members of the general public to perfor...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A METHOD FOR PREVENTION OF GALLSTONES (SF2005-084)
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Gallstones are the most common and costly digestivedisease in the United States. Over 800,000 people are hospitalizedannually for the treatment of gallstones at a cost of over $5 billion.Gallstones affect about 1 in 10 Americans, of which 80% are cholesterolgallstones formed by crystallization of the cholesterol found inbile. Significant risk factors for cholesterol gallstone diseaseinclude obesit...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A METHOD TO REGULATE TOOTH MOVEMENT AND SUTURAL EXPANSIONIN ORTHODONTICS
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At present orthodontic treatmenttakes substantial amounts of time to complete due to limitations of thebiologic remodeling responses to mechanical devices. Additionally, methodsto diminish undesirable orthodontic movements (such as anchorage loss)are currently based entirely on mechanical means such as the use of theunpopular headgear. Finally, post-orthodontic retention of teeth is difficultand ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A MORE EFFECTIVE CHEST TUBE USING THE SELDINGER TECHNIQUE
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Current practices for inserting a chest tube into a patient in order to drain blood, air or fluid around the lungs typically involve a painful, blunt dissection of the chest wall. To address this problem, a UCSF investigator has developed a novel method for inserting a chest tube via the Seldinger technique that causes less patient discomfort without sacrificing chesttube size. Chest tubes of any...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A MOUSE MODEL FOR AUTOIMMUNE LUPUS GLOMERULONEPHRITIS
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Systemic LupusErythematosus is an autoimmune disease which affects many organsand has a wide range of clinical manifestations. The disease ischaracterized by joint pain, rashes, and fevers, as well as inflammationof organs including the heart, lungs and kidneys. The cause of lupushas been difficult to identify, as almost every pathway of the immunesystem is abnormal in effected individuals. The pr...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A MULTIPLEXED IN VIVO ASSAY OF SMALL MOLECULE STRUCTURESPACE
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The set of smallorganic compounds that binds to a given target is frequently conceptualizedas a subset of “chemical space” or “structure space”.In this language, locating the subset of structure space that containsinhibitors for a given protein is one of the principle aims of drug development.Navigating structure space is complicated due to the fact that currentlythere is n...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A NEW METHOD FOR PRODUCING LARGE QUANTITIES OF PROLIFERATING MYOCYTES FOR TRANSPLANTATION
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Myoblasts are increasingly beingused therapeutically for myogenesis or muscle tissue regeneration. However,when taken from patient's own muscle to avoid transplant rejection onlya limited supply of myoblasts is available for transfer into the degeneratingmuscle. UCSF investigators may have identified a potential way to expandthe population of myoblasts either isolated directly from patients ortho...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A NEW TRANSGENIC MOUSE LINETO STUDY ADULT NEUROGENESIS
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The mammalian central nervous system (CNS) is a complexstructure that arises from multi-potent neural stem cells during embryogenesis.In adults, these neural stem cells persist in specialized regions of theCNS, and contribute to continued neurogenesis throughout the life of theanimal. Although adult neurogenesis has been mostly studied in rodents,similar stem cells have been identified in humans a...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A NOVEL CANDIDA ALBICANS LIBRARY
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Candida albicans is oneof the most frequently encountered fungal pathogens, causing a widevariety of infections ranging from mucosal infections in healthyimmunocompetent people to life-threatening systemic infections inimmunocompromised individuals such as those with AIDS and thoseundergoing immunosuppressive therapy or chemotherapy. When individualswith compromised immune system are infected, it...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A NOVEL DEVICE FOR ISOLATING COLONIES OF ADHERENT CELLSIN VITRO (SF2005-076)
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The generation of stable eukaryotic cell linesexpressing transgenes is vital in studying the function of specificgene products. In order to generate these cell lines, antibioticresistance markers are often co-expressed with the protein of interest,thus conferring a method to isolate cell populations expressing thetransgene. Clonal cell populations that survive antibiotic selectionare then isolated...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A NOVEL METHOD FOR MEASURING TISSUE PERFUSION (SF2005-067)
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Measurements of tissue perfusion are critical forunderstanding physiological changes in the human body. For example,detection of abnormal perfusion may indicate pathological processesat an early stage, thereby preempting irreversible tissue damage.Perfusion measurements may also help to stage and predict diseaseprogression as well as monitor a patient’s response to treatment.
Current...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A NOVEL PROSTHESIS EXTRACTOR FOR SHOULDER IMPLANTS
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Surgical devices currently exist to facilitate the removal of hip arthroplasty implants and knee arthroplasty implants, but there are no instruments on the market specifically designed to extract similar implants in the shoulder. Removal of such prosthetic devices in the humerus can result in peri-prosthetic fractures, significant blood loss, and the need for supplemental fixation with allograft ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A SUCCESSFUL GENETIC TARGETING SEQUENCE FOR USE IN PROLIFERATIVE DISEASETHERAPY
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Unregulatedcellular prolifieration is a pathophysiologic event common to severalclinically significant disorders, including cancer, rheumatoid arthritisand psoriasis. Directed transcriptional silencing of a cohort ofgenes involved in the proliferation pathway represents a potentialtherapeutic approach for such disorders.
Researchers at UCSF haveused the DNA binding domain of a highly conser...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A TRANSGENIC MOUSE FOR RAPID AND SENSITIVE IN VIVO TUMORDETECTION AND EVALUATION (SF03-069)
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The number of murine models for human cancer has grownrapidly in recent years and there now exist mouse models for almost alltumor types. Evaluating the effect of specific molecular alterations ortherapeutic interventions in these animal models requires the ability totemporally and spatially assess the tumor burden. In many cases, however,this entails sacrificing the animal thereby limiting abilit...
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University of California, San Francisco
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A VISUAL TECHNIQUE FOR RADIOGUIDED SURGERY
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Radioguidedsurgery allows surgeons to identify and resect tissues suspectedof metastatic involvement which are impossible to identify withother techniques. Researchers at UCSF have invented a device togreatly improve the surgeon's ability to locate the distributionof radiation emission with the anatomy of the patient by a uniquevisual technique. This invention can be applied to an intraoperativesi...
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University of California, San Francisco
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ACTIVITY BASED PROBES OF CD CLAN CYSTEINE PROTEASES (SF2002-019)
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A UCSF investigator has developed a new seriesof activity-based probes that are based on a peptide previously knownto be a potent inhibitor of the caspase family of cysteine proteases.There is precedence in the literature for these types of compounds.However, they all target CD clan caspases, while our technology targetsdifferent members of CD clan enzymes. These 4 probes have the followingcharact...
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University of California, San Francisco
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AUTOMATED TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL FEE BILLING PROGRAM
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Many laboratoriesin large clinics and teaching hospitals lack an automated bill payingsystem, yet every unit that provides health care services must generatea bill for services rendered. The bill is typically divided intotwo parts: a technical fee and a professional fee. An enormous amountof documentation is required in order to satisfy the third partythat ultimately pays the bill. For example, t...
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University of California, San Francisco
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BLIND SEPARATION OF MIXED SIGNALS FROM CONVOLVED SOURCES
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Scientists at UCSF have developed a practical method for signal deconvolutioncalled Dynamic Component Analysis (DCA). DCA can resolve a complex signalcomprised of mixed signals from different sources into its componentpartstraced to their points of origin. The practicality of earlier methodsof signal processing has been limited by frequency distortion to 2 or3 sources.
In situationswhere ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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Carcinogenesis Model Encompassing the Range of ProstateCancer Progression and Metastasis
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Currently there is a lack of information and modelsfor understanding human prostate cancer progression. Most models currentlyavailable only allow for comparison of tumorigenic versus non-tumorigenicstates. UCSF investigators have developed a series of human prostaticepithelial cell lines that encompass the range of prostate cancerprogression. These cells are derived from the parental BPH-1 non-tum...
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University of California, San Francisco
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Cell Line Producing Fc Control Protein (Fc Portion ofHuman IgG)
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Researchers at UCSF have created a stably transfected293 cell line that produces soluble Fc protein (Fc portion of humanIgG). The Fc protein produced by these cells is equivalent to theFc protein frequently used as a protein tag in many chimeric proteins.
This Fc protein serves as the ideal control protein for any Fc-taggedrecombinant protein that is used in any cell biological and function...
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University of California, San Francisco
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CELL LINE USEFUL FOR STUDYING THE EFFECTS OF UV DAMAGEON DNA REPAIR
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DESCRIPTION:
Researchers at the University of California,San Francisco have immortalized a cell line from a patient withan impaired abilityto repair ultraviolet(UV) light-induced DNA damage. Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP) is anautosomal recessive disease characterized by extreme sensitivity to sunlightand an increased risk for skin cancer. Patients with XP have defectsin oneof eight proteins in...
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University of California, San Francisco
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COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR PREVENTING CANCER BY IMMUNIZINGAGAINST A HEDGEHOG SIGNALING TARGET
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UCSF researchers havesuccessfully used a specific member of the hedgehog signaling pathwayas a target for immunoprevention of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) in mice.The abnormal expression of genes of the hedgehog signaling pathway hasbeen linked to several cancers, including basal cell carcinoma, medulloblastoma,small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and digestive track tumors.Therefore, inhibi...
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University of California, San Francisco
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DELIVERY OF GENE THERAPY TO CORNEA OR SKIN
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Certaintherapeutic proteins have tremendous potential for treatment ofthe skin and/ or cornea. Examples include the use of growth factorsto promote wound healing and the use of IL-1 receptor to reduceinflammation and promote corneal graft survival. Effective deliveryof therapeutic proteins in topical formulations is limited.
Researchers at UCSFhave developed a system for delivering therapeu...
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University of California, San Francisco
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DETECTION OF DNA REPAIR DEFECTS IN INFERTILE MEN
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Among the 20 million infertile couples in the U.S.,a male factor is implicated in 40% of cases. Of male patients withinfertility, only 50% will have an identifiable cause. Despite thislack of etiological information, many men with serverely impairedspermatogenesis can achieve biological fatherhood through in vitrofertilization (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).However, ICSI could ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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DETERMINATION OF GENETIC VARIABILITY USING DNA HYBRIDIZATION
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BACKGROUND:
Genetic variation occurs in many natural and engineeredsystems. Examples range from the natural genomic diversity within the populationof a given organism to the complexity of engineered libraries in the laboratory.Multiple methods exist for the analysis of genetic variability includingdenaturing HPLC, single strand conformation polymorphism, heteroduplexanalysis, and high resol...
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University of California, San Francisco
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DETERMINATION OF PROTEIN FOLD RECOGNITION USING CHEMICALCROSS-LINKING AND MASS SPECTROMETRY (SF99-065)
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Determination of the three-dimensional structures ofproteins has traditionally been achieved by x-ray crystallography and NMR.These techniques produce high resolution structural data but have variouslimitations including requirement for large amount of pure protein andextensive length of time for data analysis. There are also several purelycomputational methods for predicting protein fold, but the...
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University of California, San Francisco
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DOSETAILOR: A DOSING PARAMETERS SOFTWARE PACKAGE FOR ANTINEOPLASTICS
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UCSF investigators have designed a software package called DoseTailor that allows clinicians to use pharmacokinetically guided models to dose the chemotherapy agent docetaxel. DoseTailor can be easily expanded to include a wide variety of other antineoplasics including carboplatin, vinorelbine, ifosfamide, and 5-fluorouracil. Multiple models are available for use by the clinician, each with varyi...
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University of California, San Francisco
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EUKARYOTIC HIGH RATE MUTAGENESIS SYSTEM
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Although mutationsare, in general, detrimental to organisms, there are situations in whicha high mutation rate (hypermutation) is advantageous. For example, atthe immunoglobin loci, hypermutation functions to improve antibody diversityand affinity to help the immune system cope with the large diversityof threatening microorganisms, which is itself mutational in origin.
To date, there arese...
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University of California, San Francisco
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EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF SMOKE-INDUCED LUNG CANCER (SF2005-045)
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Lung cancer is the second most common cancer amongboth men and women and is the leading cause of death in both sexes.Nearly 90% of all lung cancers can be attributed to smoking. Currentresearch models of smoke-induced lung cancer are generated by invivo whole body exposure of mice to tobacco smoke. However, the percentresponse is low, and the model is both labor- and time-intensive,involving the p...
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University of California, San Francisco
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FACIAL AND OCULAR MUSCLE MODULATION USING ELECTROCHEMICALIMPLANTS (SF2005-036)
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BACKGROUND: Cranial nerves provide innervation to the eye muscles, cornea,eyelids, and facial muscles. Damage to the cranial nerves can lead to dysfunctionof the eye, affecting vision, or deformity, resulting from damage to thefacial or eyelid nerves and causing deformity in the afflicted person’sappearance. Current treatments for cranial nerve palsies do not restoremuscle tone or improve ne...
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University of California, San Francisco
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FAMILY OF SMALL MOLECULE COMPOUNDS THAT INHIBIT BOTH HIV REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASEAND INTEGRASE
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Humanimmunodeficiency virus (HIV) is believed to be the etiological agentof acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Chemotherapeutic strategiesfor treating AIDS or HIV infection have traditionally targeted criticalenzymes in the viral life cycle. Treatments with reverse transcriptaseinhibitors and protease inhibitors have been successful for some patients.However, others do not respond and vira...
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University of California, San Francisco
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FUNCTIONAL MIMICRY BY CLASSES OF ORGANIC MOLECULES
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The side chains of amino acids provide the specificity for unique protein-protein interactions. UCSF investigators have designed two classes of organic molecules that functionally mimic the residues of protein secondary structures (either alpha-helices or beta-strands). The design process produced semi-rigid scaffolds that can present side chains in the same manner as that found in a peptide sequ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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GENE IMPLICATED IN HAIR GROWTH MODULATION AND ANIMAL MODEL FOR HAIR GROWTH
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Male-pattern baldnessand other hair growth defects, such as alopecia and chemotherapy-inducedhair loss, are conditions that have historically been difficultto treat clinically. UCSF investigators have discovered a specificgene that appears to modulate hair growth, and inhibitors of thisgene product may have beneficial therapeutic effects for patients.These UCSF investigators also have generated m...
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University of California, Davis
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GLUCOSE EMULATING RADIOPHARMACEUTICAL FOR CONVENTIONAL GAMMA CAMERA IMAGING
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Glucose transport protein is present on every living cell'smembrane, and its concentration is up- and down-regulated with thecell's need for glucose. Thus a tracer of this transport protein isa tracer of glucose metabolism itself.Studies with radioactivefluordeoxyglucose, a glucose tracer in positron emission tomography(PET), show a unique utility for the diagnosis of most cancers, forindicating...
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University of California, San Francisco
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HIGH AFFINITY INHIBITORS OF SH3 DOMAIN-MEDIATED PROTEIN-PROTEIN INTERACTIONS
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Intracellularprotein recognition domains are important targets for drug design,as several forms of cancer and other proliferative diseases aretightly linked to signaling malfunctions. However, these domainshave proven challenging targets to find compounds which bind withhigh affinity.
Researchers have addressed this challenge by studying proline-rich binding domains,the SH3 (Src-Homology 3)...
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University of California, San Francisco
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HIGH THROUGHPUTBIOASSAY FOR MODULATORS OF cAMP CYCLASE AND cAMP KINASE ACTIVITY (SF05-088)
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BACKGROUND: cAMPcyclase and cAMP kinase are well known targets in the arena of cancertherapeutics. Screening compounds for their ability to affect thesetwo enzymes is a commonly used route for lead discovery. The mostwidely used screening assays measure biochemical activity in cellextracts, are expensive and do not provide direct information onwhat is happening within cells. Important variables su...
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University of California, San Francisco
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IDENTIFICATION OF SEIZURE-CAUSING GENETIC LOCUS
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Researchersat UCSF have identified a genetic locus that causes juvenileaudiogenic (sound-induced) seizures in mice, and theirwork thus suggests that a gene in this area might bepart of a pathway that underlies different forms of epilepsy.About 1% of the world’s population has epilepsy,defined as recurrence of seizures requiring some formof medication. In addition, 5% of children have one or...
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University of California, San Francisco
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ILIOS: AN AWARD-WINNING MEDICAL SCHOOL CURRICULUM MANAGEMENTTOOL (SF05-022)
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Developers at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) havebuilt a new web-based curriculum management tool aimed at satisfyingmedical school accreditation requirements for the reporting of curriculardata with Association of American Medical College’s CurrMITdatabase. Curricular reporting is currently a time consuming andlaborious process, but Ilios’s simple user interface makesda...
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University of California, San Francisco
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IMPROVED GENE TRANSFER AND WOUND HEALING
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Impaired wound healing is a major complicationof diabetes, a disease that affects up to 16 million Americans.More than 67,000 patients with diabetes require foot amputationseach year in the U.S. alone. Neovascularization (angiogenesis)and extracellular matrix deposition (collagen synthesis),central to the normal wound healing process, are impairedin diabetics. Although the underlying causes of im...
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University of California, San Francisco
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IMPROVED NASAL FIXATION SYSTEM
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Immobilization of the nose is necessary for corrective shaping of nasal deformities, both for therapeutic and cosmetic procedures. Doctors at UCSF have developed and patented a fiber-mesh nasal fixation system that offers many benefits over conventional nasal splints and casts. Unlike rigid aluminum or metal sheeting, this flexible fiberglass mesh molds precisely to the patient's nose. Adhesive ta...
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University of California, San Francisco
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IMPROVED SURGICAL SITE RADIOGRAPHICMARKERS AND DELIVERY PLATFORM
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BACKGROUND:
Radiographic markers denoting a surgical site are usefulfor precise post-operative identification and localization. Such occasionsoccur when radiographic surveillance of a surgical site is expected ortreatment with radiation or chemotherapy for disease recurrence is expected.Current markers used are radio-opaque surgical clips and fiduciary goldmarker seeds, both of which can ea...
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University of California, San Francisco
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IMPROVING DIFFICULT AIRWAY MANAGEMENT: A NEW CRICOTHYROTOMYTOOL
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BACKGROUND:
Cricothyrotomy is a method of obtaining airway accesswhen endotracheal intubation cannot be performed. Such situations occurin all prehospital and in-house emergency settings, in which the successof the procedure may determine whether the patient will live long enoughto be intubated via conventional means. Unfortunately, reported complicationrates from emergency cricothyrotomy v...
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University of California, San Francisco
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IMPROVING VACCINES: INCREASEDVIRAL ATTENUATION AND FIDELITY
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BACKGROUND:
Live-attenuated vaccines are the most efficient typeof vaccines because they produce a strong, long-lived immune response.However, a problem with attenuated vaccines is that they can revert tovirulent forms and cause disease. Reducing the likelihood of spontaneousreversion to virulence and increasing viral attenuation is an importantgoal in vaccine development.
DESCRIPTIO...
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University of California, San Francisco
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INCLINOMETERS FOR RADIOGRAPHICIMAGING
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BACKGROUND:
Accurate interpretation of radiographic imaging studiesrequires knowledge of the patient’s angle of inclination at the timeof image exposure. Conventional X-ray studies are presented in a two-dimensionalformat, effectively flattening the imaged body part or organ. The methodscurrently used for measuring the angle of inclination are crude and inconsistent,detecting only if ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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INETLLECTUAL PROPERTY PORTFOLIO FOR INVESTIGATION OF THERAPIESFOR TYPE 1 DIABETES
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UCSF has amassedan intellectual property portfolio in the area of diabetes researchthat would provide a company with a proprietary position on severalgenes and technologies for developing small molecule, cell therapyand/or gene therapy based treatments for diabetes. Our investigatorshave identified and characterized three human endocrine transcriptionfactors that are required for the differentiati...
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University of California, San Francisco
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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PORTFOLIO FOR TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENTOF PAIN (SF00-02, SF03-041, SF03-078, SF04-041)
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UCSF has amassed an intellectual property portfolioin the area of potent analgesic combination drug therapies for therelief of pain, particularly neuropathic and inflammatory pain. Ourinvestigators have shown that the analgesic effects of partial agonistkappa-opioid agonists can be enhanced by addition of either opioidantagonists or antipsychotic/neuroleptic agents. These drug combinationshave bee...
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University of California, San Francisco
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KAPOSI'S SYNDROME HERPESVIRUS PROTEASE AND ASSEMBLY PROTEIN
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Whilerelatively uncommon in HIV-negative individuals, Kaposi's sarcoma associatedherpesvirus (KSHV) is known to cause tumors in approximately one thirdof patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In additionto being especially common among HIV-positive individuals, Kaposi's sarcoma(KS)is also more aggressive. Recent success of HIV chemotherapeutic interventionwith protease inhibitor...
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University of California, San Francisco
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LIBRARIES OF ANTIGENIC SEQUENCESEXPRESSED BY VIRAL VACCINE VECTORS AND METHODS TO USE THEREOF
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Live viral vectors are attractive candidates for usein compositions for inducing an immune response in a subject for severalreasons. It produces long lasting immunity; it is very safe and easy tomanipulate experimentally; it has a proven safety and efficacy record inover 1 billion vaccines; it is inexpensive to produce and distribute indeveloping countries; and it produces a potent mucosal immune ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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MEDICAL DEVICE TO TREAT INFLAMMATORYAIRWAY DISEASES SUCH AS ASTHMA
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Asthma affects nearly 20 million Americans. It is a chronicdisease of the lungs in which the airways become blocked or narrowedcausing breathing difficulty. Present asthma therapy consists of administrationof asthma medication via oral or nasal (inhaled) pathways, many ofwhich lead to undesirable side effects in sever asthmatics with increaseddosage and or/ extended duration of therapy.
UCS...
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University of California, San Francisco
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METHOD FOR REDUCING SURFACTANT INACTIVATION IN PULMONARYSURFACTANT THERAPY
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Background:
Human lung surfactant is a complex mixture of lipids and proteinsthat reduces surface tension in the lung, enabling normal breathing.Lack of effective surfactant results in Respiratory Distress Syndrome(RDS), a potentially fatal condition seen in premature infants andin adults with lung infection or trauma. While replacement lungsurfactant (RLS) therapy has revolutionized neonat...
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University of California, San Francisco
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METHOD FOR TREATING LEUKEMIABY INHIBITION OF WNT16
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BACKGROUND:
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) accounts for 20% ofall adult leukemias and almost 25% of all childhood cancers, makingit the most common pediatric cancer. ALL is a malignant disease characterizedby large populations of immature white blood cells in the blood andbonemarrow. Chromosomal translocations are often associated with ALL,with the t(1:19) translocation occurring most o...
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University of California, San Francisco
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METHOD TO IMPROVE EFFICACY OF ADENOVIRAL VECTORS FOR GENE THERAPY
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Adenoviral vectors havebeen extensively used to transfer genes into mammalian cells dueto their wide spectrum of tissue specificity and their efficientdelivery. However, variable transduction efficiency in vivo remainsa major hurdle for effective clinical application of adenoviralvectors for gene therapy. Efficient adenoviral vector-mediated genetransfer depends on the presence of adequate levels...
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University of California, San Francisco
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METHODFOR NUCLEIC ACID STRUCTURE-BASED VIRTUAL DRUG DISCOVERY
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Rationaldrug design has been used to design diagnostic and therapeutic agentswhich bind to protein receptors, whose structure is known through X-raycrystallography and/or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies. However,little effort has been made to design drugs on the basis of the sequence-dependentthree-dimensional (3-D) structure of the DNA or RNA in a gene. Thiscould be due to the limited te...
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University of California, San Francisco
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METHODS AND DEVICES TO REDUCE NEOINTIMAL HYPERPLASIA INDIALYSIS ACCESS
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Vascular assess is a major problem in dialysis treatment for end stage renal disease. Dialysis involves cannulation of the vascular system for extracorporeal flow of blood from a large vein through a dialysis machine. Dialysis catheters currently in use include the semi-permanent Tessio and Quinton devices which last up to 4 months. The only long-term solution is to surgically attach an artery to...
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University of California, San Francisco
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METHODS FOR DETECTING AND SCREENING DRUG CANDIDATES AGAINST KAPOSI'S SARCOMA-ASSOCIATEDHERPESVIRUS
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Kaposi'ssarcoma is the leading neoplasm of AIDS patients and also occurs at lowerfrequency in HIV-negative individuals. The DNA of Kaposi's sarcoma-associatedherpesvirus [KSHV or HHV 8]) is regularly associated with both the AIDS-relatedand HIV-negative forms of the disease. Seroepidemiologic studies suggestthat KSHV infection is tightly linked to risk for Kaposi's sarcoma. KSHValso infects B lymp...
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University of California, San Francisco
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METHODS FOR THE TREATMENT OF POST-OPERATIVE ILEUS
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Inhibitionof intestinal motility, especially colonic motility, is a major complicationof abdominal surgery. The condition, called post-operative ileus, delaysthe normal resumption of food intake after surgery. Ileus can extenda hospital stay by 2-10 days and represents the most common conditionthat prolongs costly hospitalization. Current approaches to treatmentof post-operative ileus are generall...
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University of California, San Francisco
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MODULATION OF B-CELL CHEMOATTRACTANT/RECEPTOR INTERACTIONAS TREATMENT FOR IMMUNE DISEASE
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Abnormaldevelopment of lymphoid tissue plays a critical role in many autoimmunediseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Graves' disease. In addition,the migration of lymphocytes into diseased lymphoid tissue facilitatesthe progression of diseases such as AIDS. UCSF researchers have identifieda pathway, involved both in the development of lymphoid tissue andin the migration of lymphocytes into ly...
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University of California, San Francisco
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MOLECULAR DIAGNOSIS AND CLASSIFICATION OF MALIGNANT MELANOMA(SF2004-078)
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Effective treatment of malignant melanoma requiresearly detection. However at present no reliable method exists fordistinguishing benign nevi (moles) from malignant melanoma. Pathologistsattempt to make this distinction based on the morphology of the primarytumor, but this method lacks sensitivity because there is an imperfectcorrelation between this phenotype and malignant behavior.
To re...
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University of California, San Francisco
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MOLECULAR MARKER FOR CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING
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Cervicalcancer and dysplasia are worldwide problems in women’s health care.In the United States, cervical neoplastic changes, possibly heraldingcancer, are detected on Pap smears of millions of women annually. Whilethese changes, known as cervical dysplasia, are well defined by conventionalhistological and cytological criteria, little is known about the molecularproperties which govern their...
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University of California, San Francisco
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Mouse Model for Studying Epithelial Derived Tumors
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BACKGROUND:
Animal models are useful not only for studying andunderstanding the biological and genetic factors that influence the developmentof different cancers, but also for developing treatments against thosecancers. Unfortunately, although epithelial tissue derived cancers (e.g.breast, colon, lung, skin, and ovarian), are among the most common humancancers, very few models exist for st...
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University of California, San Francisco
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MOUSE MODEL OF HEPATOCELLULARCARCINOMA
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BACKGROUND:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common formof liver cancer worldwide and accounts for three out of every four casesof primary liver cancer. HCC is the fifth most common cancer worldwidewith a global incidence of one million cases each year. Although less commonin the US than Asia and Africa, where HCC is the most common cancer insome countries, global incidence is inc...
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University of California, San Francisco
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MULTI-LUMEN SELECTIVEPERFUSION CATHETER
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DESCRIPTION:
UCSF investigators have developed a modified Foley catheterwith improved features for broader applications and selective, closed-systemirrigation/perfusion of a closed space or open-ended tube structure withinthe body.
APPLICATIONS:
For treatment and/or surveillance in patients with intraurethraltumors.To perfuse any luminal closed-space structure within the body...
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University of California, San Francisco
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MURINEMODEL FOR STUDYING MEGAKARYOCYTE GENETICS
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Despite the biological importance of plateletsin both health and disease, remarkably little is known about the developmentof megakaryocytes (cells of the bone marrow) and platelet formation.The study of megakaryocyte development has been slow due to a lack ofgood animal models and tissue culture cell lines. To address these problem,researchers at UCSF have developed a number of new mouse lines whi...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NATURAL SKIN PENETRATION ENHANCEMENT SYSTEM
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BACKGROUND:
Many topically applied products contain active ingredientsthat fail to exert their advertised effects. For example, it is commonlybelieved that collagens, present in many cosmetic products, can penetratethe skin and replace the “old” collagens. However, collagensare such large molecules that they cannot readily penetrate into livingskin layers. In fact, the penetrati...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NEW CLASS OF CYSTEINE PROTEASE INHIBITORS AS THERAPEUTIC AGENTS FOR TRYPANOSOMAL DISEASE
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UCSF researchershave identified a novel series of small molecule compounds thatpotently inhibit trypanosomal infection and serve as promisingagents for antitrypanosomal therapy. Parasitic trypanosomes causea variety of debilitating illnesses in humans, including Africansleeping sickness and Chagas’ disease in humans and naganain cattle. Chagas’ disease, which affects 12-15 million peo...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NEW FAS LIGAND WITH IMPROVED THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL
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Thefas ligand (fasL) induces programmed cell death in fas-bearing cells.The fasL/fas interaction appears critical to the regulation of cell numberin a large and ever-expanding number of organ systems, including theimmune system, where it has received considerable scientific attention.FasL expression has been shown to limit the immune response in certainsituations by eliminating antigen-specific fa...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NEW ION CHANNEL TARGET FOR PAIN ALLEVIATION THERAPY
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Background:
UCSFresearchers have discovered that a known ion channel has potential asa target for analgesic therapies. The protein studied by the UCSF groupis expressed in pain sensory neurons (nociceptors) but was not previouslylinked to pain modulation. Clinical pain conditions include traumaticor inflammatory pain resulting from injury to non-neural tissue, neuropathicpain that results...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NEW METHOD FOR TISSUE SELECTIVE GENE OR VIRUS EXPRESSION
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BACKGROUND:
Pathogenicity of viruses is often dependenton specific tissue or cell tropism. For example, poliovirus replicationin the gutis not life threatening, while infection of the motor neuronsof the spinal cord leads to poliomyelitis. The ability to rationallydesign viral strains that are selectively disabled in theirreplication in a given tissue would be extremely useful in the develo...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NEW THERAPEUTIC TARGET FOR SKIN DISEASE
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BACKGROUND:
The skin’s most important function is to actas a permeability barrier between the body and its external environment.Almost all dermatological disorders, such as eczema, atopic dermatitis,contact dermatitis, inflammatory ichthyosis, and psoriasis, are associatedwith permeability barrier abnormalities, which are thought to initiatea cytokine cascade that triggers inflammatio...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NEWFAMILY OF AMINO ACID NEUROTRANSMITTER TRANSPORTERS
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Synaptic transmission in the central and peripheral nervous system involves theregulated release from presynaptic terminals of vesicles filled with neurotransmitter.Classical transmitters are synthesized in the cytoplasm, requiring theirtransport into synaptic vesicles. However, the proteins responsible for packagingof the neurotransmitters have not been identified.
A group at UCSF has ide...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL 3D WAVELET-BASEDFILTER FOR VISUALIZING FEATURES IN NOISY BIOLOGICAL DATA
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To date, no methods have been very successful in determiningfine structural details of specific complex objects. Although imaging toolssuch as electron microscope tomography allow 1nm resolution in biologicalsystems, there is generally a lot of associated background noise due tononspecific staining. Methods of analyzing tomography images such as Fourier,correlation, and model fitting fail to filte...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL ANTI-INFECTIVE SMALL MOLECULES THAT TARGET RNA
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Background:
UCSF researchers have synthesized and screened novel compounds, basedon a central chemical scaffold, which show binding to RNA structuresthat are potential therapeutic targets for infectious and viral diseases.RNA-based drug design will benefit the treatment of diseases that relyon unique RNA structures that play essential roles in pathogen viabilityand propagation. For exampl...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL ANTIBODY TARGETS FORNEUROMYELITIS OPTICA AND OTHER FORMS OF AUTOIMMUNE DEMYELINATION
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BACKGROUND:
Neuromyelitis Optica (Devic’s Disease,NMO), is a rare form of multiple sclerosis (MS) characterized by severe,frequently relapsing course, destructivelesions of optic nerves and spinal cord that result in severe disabilityfollowed by death within a few years. NMO is typically resistantto approved MS therapies, general immunosuppression, and relatively insensitivetopulsed s...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL BIOMARKERS FOR PROSTATE CANCER
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BACKGROUND:
Wound healing is the process of repair that follows injury to the skinand other soft tissues. Wounds may result from mechanical trauma, chemicalor thermal burning, bacterial infection, or from a surgical incision.In addition, pressure ulcers, such as bed sores and diabetic ulcers,might also be considered wounds.
Several treatmentsare currently available for the treatment...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL CALCIUM TRANSPORTING ATPASE IN KERATINOCYTES
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Thedifferentiation of keratinocytes is accompanied by changes in thenature of their adhesive interactions. Hailey Hailey disease (FamilialBenign Chronic Pemphigus) is an autosomal dominant skin diseasecharacterized by widespread abnormality in keratinocyte adhesionand consequent blister formation. TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling) and confocal microscopyr...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL CANDIDA ALBICANS VIRULENCE GENES
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Candida albicans is a common resident of human mucosal surfaces. However,it is also the most prevalent fungal pathogen, causing common superficialinfections, as well as more serious systemic and organ infectionsin immunocompromised patients, many of which are life-threatening.Researchers at UCSF have identified two novel genes called RBT1and RBT4 in Candida albicans. Rbt1p is likely displayedon th...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL CELL LINE FOR STUDYING DRUG TRANSPORT AND DELIVERY WITH REGULATEDGENE EXPRESSION
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Polarizedeplithelial cells in culture are very useful for studying drug transportand delivery. The cells often used for such studies are CaCo2 (humancolon carcinoma) cells, however these are difficult to work with.MDCK (Madin-Darby canine kidney) cells are easier to work with.However MDCK cells do not allow reliable regulated gene expressionof exogenous proteins, especially those that are toxic. R...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL COMPONENTS REQUIRED FOR M. TUBERCULOSIS VIRULENCE AND IMMUNOGENESIS
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UCSF researchers have identifiedproteins that are required for Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulenceand immunogenesis. These molecules could be used as targets fordrug development against tuberculosis (TB) disease. They also suggestspecific drug screening assays. M. tuberculosis, the causativeagent of TB, imposes an enormous burden on world health, causingmore deaths annually than any other bacter...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL COMPOUNDS FOR TREATMENT OF PARASITIC PROTOZOA
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Allparasitic protozoans lack the ability to synthesize purine nucleotides.Instead they obtain purine nucleotides solely by salvaging purine basesand/or nuclosides from their host. Purine salvage enzymes like phosphoribosyltransferases(PRTs) play a pivotal role in protozoan purine salvage pathways andare important for their survival. Inhibiting protozoan PRTs could thusrepresent an efficient approa...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL DRUG DISCOVERY TARGETS TO IMPROVE HUMAN AGING (SF2005-004)
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C. elegans reproductive system has been shown toregulate lifespan. Genetic or physical ablation of germ cells resultsin a substantial lifespan extension, but the mechanism by which thiseffect occurs has remained largely unknown.
Now researchers at UCSFhave identified 27 C. elegans genes required for the lifespan extensionof germ cell ablated animals, and 2 genesthat enhance the lifespan ex...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL GENES IN THE JNK SIGNALING PATHWAY
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Researchers at UCSF have identified two novel mouse proteins that interact withmammalian Dishevelled in yeast two hybrid assays. As Dishevelled is a highlyconserved component involved in both the Wnt signaling pathway and the JNKsignaling pathway, these new genes represent potential targets for disruptionof the cell cycle for the treatment of cancer and other hyperproliferativedisorders.
E...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL METHOD FOR LOCAL ADMINISTRATION OF THERAPEUTICS TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
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Background:
Researchers at theUniversity of California have developed a novel and efficient methodof locally delivering therapeutics to target tissues, such as the centralnervous system (CNS). This novel method can be used for CNS deliveryof a variety of anti-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, or anyother molecule. As a proof of concept, our investigators have successfullytargeted ther...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL METHODOLOGIES FOR VACCINE DEVELOPMENT
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Background:
UCSF researchers havedeveloped a panel of novel, live-attenuated bacterial and viral vectorswith a view to their use in vaccine development. Vaccineshave long been a crucial component of the arsenals usedto combat diseases such as measles, tetanus, polio and tuberculosis.Continuing researchinto the vaccine field is required to develop improvedcompositions of current vaccines as...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL METHODS FOR DETERMINING ENZYMATIC SPECIFICITY
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Proteolytic enzymes (proteases)are useful therapeutic targets, since altered activity is correlatedwith diseases such as hypertension, osteoarthritis, chronic degenerativedisorders, cancer, and thrombotic disorders. When information isknown about a protease’s substrate-binding site, proteasemodulators can be developed to alter function of specific proteasesand thus provide clinicians with b...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC TARGETS TO TREAT INFLAMMATION
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Inflammation is a componentof the pathogenesis of a number of human diseases. The inflammatoryresponse is initiated by the recruitment of leukocytes from thecirculation to the site of inflammation. Although it is importantto mount such response when needed, it is crucial to avoid it inorder to limit the excessive deleterious immune activity undersome situations. Most of the research on the factor...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL SMALL MOLECULES FOR THE TREATMENT OF PARASITIC DISEASES:TRICHOMONIASIS, MALARIA, CHAGAS DISEASE
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Background:
Parasiticdiseases, such as malaria, African sleeping sickness, Chagas diseaseand trichomoniasis, are major worldwide health problems for which newchemotherapy is desperately needed. For example, an estimated five millioncases of the sexually transmitted disease trichomoniasis occur eachyear in the United States alone. Malaria kills over a million peoplea year worldwide and is s...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL THERAPEUTIC APPLICATION FOR SPECIFIC CLASS OF COMPOUNDS: TRAUMATIC BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD INJURY
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UCSF researchers havediscovered that a class of small molecule compounds may provide a noveltherapy for central nervous system injuries. Each year, approximately10,000 patients are faced with traumatic spinal cord injury, and 500,000more experience moderate to severe brain trauma. Both types of injurycommonly result in severe functional losses for patients, including paralysis,loss of sensation, ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL TREATMENT FOR SKINDISORDERS
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Skin disorders affect millions of people and cause agreat deal of discomfort, disability, and at times, social isolation whenthe dermatosis is visible. These skin disorders range from less severeforms of eczema to generalized inflammatory dermatoses, such as severeforms of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. While no cure has been discoveredfor these chronic skin disorders, current treatment forms pr...
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University of California, San Francisco
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Novel Treatment for Trichomonas vaginalis
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Trichomonas vaginalis, a parasitic protozoan, isthe etiologic agent of trichomoniasis - one of the most prevalentforms of sexually transmitted disease worldwide. Trichomoniasis isassociated with many perinatal complications, male and female genitourinarytract infections, and an increased incidence of HIV transmission.In the U.S. alone, an estimated 5 million new cases are reported annually.Althoug...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL TREATMENT/PREVENTATIVE FOR AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES, SUCH AS TYPE 1 DIABETES
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Although gene therapyhas the potential to significantly impact modern medicine, currentapproaches to gene therapy face numerous limitations. For example,currently available therapy vectors have not been able to safely andconsistently provide in vivo expression of the desired protein productin a manner that efficiently transduces the desired cell type, whilealso providing high expression levels th...
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University of California, San Francisco
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NOVEL VEGF-ACTIVATED PROTIEN
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BACKGROUND:
Angiogenesis and the formation of new blood vessels areessential for normal tissue growth and repair. However, when unchecked,angiogenesis contributes to pathologies such as proliferative retinopathy,rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile hemangioma, and tumor growth and metastasis.Cancer is currently the leading cause of death in the U.S. in people under85, with over one million diagno...
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University of California, San Francisco
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PARATHYROIDHORMONE ANALOGUES USEFUL FOR TREATMENT OF OSTEOPOROSIS
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Advancedosteoporosis affects millions of women worldwide, resulting in frailbones that can lead to severe injury and chronic pain. The NationalInstitutes of Health estimates that the health care costs resultingfrom osteoporotic fractures were $13.8 billion in 1995, and arerising annually. This figure does not take into account the costsassociated with lost productivity. While there is great expens...
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University of California, San Francisco
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PHOTOCHEMICAL INHIBITIONOF IONOTROPIC GLUTAMATE RECEPTORS
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BACKGROUND:
Glutamate is the principal neurotransmitter releasedat excitatory synapses of the central nervous system (CNS). This neurotransmitterbinds to ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors, which mediatevarious functions in the CNS. Ionotropic receptors are classified accordingto their agonists and include the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA), alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxaz...
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University of California, San Francisco
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PHYSIOLOGICALLY RELEVANT MOUSE MODELS OF BREAST CANCER(SF05-077)
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BACKGROUND: Mouse models for breast cancer have provided unparalleledinsights into cellular aspects of neoplastic transformation and tumorigenesis.However, mouse models are still being criticized by many for notbeing authentic enough in their representation of the human disease.Existing mouse models of breast cancer exhibit significant differencesin pathology and metastatic properties from the hum...
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University of California, San Francisco
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PRECISION MEMS MICRO-CUTTING DEVICE FOR CELLULAR MICROSURGERY(SF03-013)
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Current devices for cellular microsurgery, such as conventionalrazor blades, glass micropipettes, or focused laser ablation systems,are cumbersome and expensive to use in basic biological research.To provide an alternative to these traditional methods, UCSF investigatorshavefabricatedan easy-to-use, inexpensive, and robust MEMS micro-cutting devicethat performs precise and highly reproducible cutt...
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University of California, San Francisco
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PROTEOME-WIDE PHOSPHOPEPTIDE MAPPING BY SITE-SPECIFIC PROTEOLYSIS
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Protein phosphorylationis one of the dominant mechanisms by which signals are transducedin cells. It has been estimated that one-third of all cellular proteinscontain covalently bound phosphate. The availability of facile methodsfor mapping sites of protein phosphorylation would accelerate effortsto unravel the details of signaling events. To this end, UCSF investigatorshave developed two strateg...
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University of California, San Francisco
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Pseudomonas AERUGINOSA VACCINE
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BACKGROUND:
Pseudomonas aeruginosais an opportunistic bacterialpathogen responsible for 10% of all nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections,a leading cause of nosocomial pneumonia in general patient populations,and the leading cause in intensive care patient populations. Since Pseudomonas is often resistant to antibiotics, an infection is life-threatening forcompromised individuals such as...
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University of California, Davis
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Quantitative Imaging of Soft Tissue
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Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have developed a novel medical imaging technique based on polarization-modified second harmonic generation scanning. This technique is a nonlinear optical imaging system that is capable of quantifying structural derangements in soft tissue architecture at a resolution of one micron. Under certain conditions some key biological macromolecules will...
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University of California, San Francisco
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RAPID AND SENSITIVE METHOD FOR DETERMINING SEX OF PRE-IMPLANTATIONEMBRYO (SF2004-076)
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In order to reduce the risk of sex linked geneticdisorders or to obtain family balance, it can be of great benefitto prospective parents to establish the sex of an embryo prior toimplantation when using in vitro fertilization. Current methods ofsex determination may result in diminished implantation success dueto the biopsy, in which a single cell is removed from the embryo,or due to the extended ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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RECOMBINANT HUMAN PROTEIN THAT PROMOTES NEURITE GROWTH IN VITRO
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UCSFresearchers have produced a recombinant chimeric humanprotein that promotes neurite growth in vitro andthat can be used as an alternative to the widely usedcell adhesion molecule laminin, for cell attachment,neurite outgrowth studies, as well as other cell biologyand immunology applications.
Thetechnology involves the recombinant form of a cell adhesionmolecule that plays a critical ro...
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University of California, San Francisco
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REGULATION OF THE SOLUBILITY AND SUBCELLULAR LOCALIZATION OF POLYGLUTAMINE PROTEINS
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Thepolyglutamine expansion diseases include spinobular muscular atrophy(SBMA), Huntington's disease (HD), dentatorubro-pallidoluysioanatrophy(DRPLA), and several spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs). Remarkably,each is caused by CAG codon expansion within a particular gene thatproduces polyglutamine tract enlargement in the protein. Each suchmutant protein causes selective neurodegeneration within the C...
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University of California, San Francisco
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RESOLUTION ENHANCEMENTOF MRI AND MEDICAL SPECTROSCOPIC/IMAGING METHODS
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BACKGROUND:
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques provide apowerful method of monitoring and mapping different characteristics ofthe human body. Structural MRI (sMRI) is a standard method for the diagnosisof soft tissue damage and is used in mapping the anatomical features ofthe brain and other internal areas of the body. Alternative MRI techniquesinclude Perfusion Weighted Imaging fo...
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University of California, San Francisco
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RNAi-BASED ANTI-INFLAMMATORY TREATMENT FOR IRRITABLE BOWELSYNDROME
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BACKGROUND:
Stress-related functional bowel disease, includingirritable bowel syndrome, irritable colon syndrome, spastic colonand irritable colon,is a common, often incapacitating gastrointestinal disorder inhumans. It is the most common chronic gastrointestinal disorderin adults andranks equally with the common cold as the leading cause of illness-relatedabsenteeism from the work place. T...
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University of California, San Francisco
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saRNA-DIRECTEDTRANSCRIPTIONAL ACTIVATION
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BACKGROUND:
Currently, there is no dependable and generalizable methodfor the targeted activation of endogenous genes. Efforts in gene therapyhave been forestalled by problems of gene mutagenesis and oncogene activation,resulting in cancer. Yet the pursuit of a method for gene activation remainsan important goal because the ability to selectively upregulate genes actingagainst a diseased st...
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University of California, San Francisco
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SIMULTANEOUSDETERMINATION OF BLOOD GROUPS AND SERUM ANTIBODIES BY FLOW CYTOMETRY
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This technologycomprises novel flow cytometric methods for the simultaneous detectionof ABO and Rh(D) antigens in human red blood cells, isoantibodies to erythrocyteantigens A and B in serum/plasma, and clinically important alloimmune antibodiesto blood group antigens in serum/plasma. The methods include a unique combinationof fluorescently labeled antibodies to A, B, and Rh(d) antigens, different...
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University of California, San Francisco
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SMALL MOLECULE INHIBITORSOF THE INTERACTION OF THYROID HORMONE RECEPTORS WITH TRANSCRIPTIONALREGULATORS
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BACKGROUND:
Thyroid hormone (T3) regulates a multitude of physiologicaleffects ranging from embryonic development to maintenance of adult homeostasis.In adults, T3 regulates basal metabolic rate, heart rate and contractility,fat deposition, and other phenomena. The effects of T3 are mediated bythe thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) and controls expression of T3-regulatedtarget genes. Successfu...
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University of California, San Francisco
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SMALL MOLECULE POTENTIATOROF HORMONAL THERAPY FOR BREAST CANCER
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BACKGROUND:
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deathsin women with every woman having a one in eight chance of developingthe disease over her lifetime. Since their U.S. introduction in 1977, antiestrogenssuch as tamoxifen have been used to treat pre- and post-menopausalwomenwith Estrogen Receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer. More recentlyaromatase inhibitors, which prevent...
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University of California, San Francisco
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SPIN-LOCK MAGNETIC RESONANCE ANGIOGRAPHIC AND PERFUSIONIMAGING METHOD(UC Case No. SF2004-031)
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Magnetic resonance angiography and arterial spin label perfusiontechniques are currently used for imaging the vasculature and hemodynamicstate of the brain. These techniques have important applications inthe detection and treatment of various diseases such as stroke, tumors,vascular malformations, Alzheimers, and epilepsy. However, currenttechniques require background suppression methods to increa...
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University of California, San Francisco
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TARGET FOR ENHANCEMENT OF THE ANTITUMOR ACTIVITY OF ANGIOGENESIS INHIBITORS
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Mosttumors must develop the capacity to stimulate angiogenesis beforethey become life-threatening cancers. Inhibitors of angiogenesishave shown promising antitumor activities in mouse model systems,however the efficacy of some of these inhibitors has been calledinto question. Agents that might improve the killing of cancerouscells by anti-angiogenesis treatment are likely to improve the successof ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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TARGETED CYTOTOXIC GENE THERAPY FOR HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS INFECTION
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Human papillomavirus(HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world,particularly among young adults. As many as 24 to 40 million menand women are infected with HPV in the U.S. alone and 0.5 to 1 millionnew HPV infections occur each year. HPV infects the epithelial surfacesof skin or mucosa leading to genital warts and squamous epitheliallesions. A persistent HPV infection can ...
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University of California, San Francisco
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TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR FOR CONTROL OF CARDIAC GENE EXPRESSION
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The transcription factor TEF-1 is a key regulator of gene expression, especiallywith muscle-specific promoters found in cardiac and skeletal muscle cells. Certaintargets of TEF-1 regulation are involved in various cardiovascular disorders,including myocardial hypertrophy, an increase in the mass of the heart. Researchersat UCSF have identified isoforms of TEF-1 that differentially regulate transcr...
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University of California, San Francisco
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USE OF STREPTOCOCCUS THERMOPHILUS lacZ AS A VERSATILE REPORTER GENE FOR CANDIDAALBICANS
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The beta-galactosidase-encodinggene from E. coli, lacZ, has proved to be a highlyversatile reporter of gene expression in the yeast Saccharomycescerevisiae, having been used to study many aspects of signaltransduction pathways, gene regulation and other cellular processes.However, the expression of this and other reporter genes in thehuman pathogen, Candida albicans, has been complicated bythe alt...
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University of California, San Francisco
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VACCUUM ACTUATED SURGICAL RETRACTORS
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Retractionof tissues or organs during surgical procedures can be complicatedby trauma or damage to the tissue as a result of the rigid orsharp devices used in the process. This can result in complicationssuch as bleeding or other fluid and tissue leakage. In order toaddress this concern, inventors at UCSF have developed set ofnew surgical devices, vacuum actuated surgical retractors, whichatraumat...
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