The Rogosin Institute

Other

The Rogo Institute

Barry H Smith

Albert L Rubin

Kanti Jain

Kurt Stenzel

Shirin Asina

Lawrence Gazda

Melissa Laramore

Timothy Hamilton

Jeffrey Brian Barber

James Christopher Weatherall

Duane Karns

Bryan Conn

An automated resonant waveguide cavity system for determining one or complex permittivity measurements of a sample is provided. The automated resonant waveguide cavity system includes a resonant cavity, a waveguide coupled to the resonant cavity, a programmable network analyzer (PNA) coupled to the waveguide, and a computing device. The computing device includes a memory storing processor executable code for a determination engine and a processor executing the processor executable code to cause the determination engine to obtain data from the PNA. The data is respective to the sample within the resonant cavity. The determination engine further integrates a plurality of analytical and modeling functions in determining the complex permittivity values of the sample from the data.

Automated resonant waveguide cavity system for complex permittivity measurements

The invention relates to an improved method for making agarose coated, agarose beads which contain cells. The method which is preferably automated, involves placing manufactured beads in a sample of mineral oil at a temperature gradient, such that the temperature drops as the bead moves through the oil. Preferably, a 'trumpet tool' and a 'straw tool' are employed in the method.

Method for manufacture of macrobeads

The invention relates to the use of encapsulates of cancer cells, in agarose coated, agarose containing beads, for isolating chemotherapeutic resistant cells which have at least one stem cell property, such as expression of OCT4. The cells thus isolated are also a feature of the invention, as is a method for screening for potential therapeutic agents.

Method for isolating a chemotherapeutic agent resistant cancer cell with stem cell properties

The invention describes the manufacture and use of secretory cell containing bead structures that are coated with agarose. The beads, which are preferably 4 mm-12 mm in diameter, and which preferably contain islets, are made of a particular agarose, i.eagarose which has a sulfate content of less than 0.2 wt % but greater than zero, a pyruvate content of 0-0.1 wt %, and a Kjeldahl nitrogen content of 0-0.04 wt %. The gels found from the agarose exhibit a gel strength of at least 1200 g/cm(1.0 wt % concentration), substantial absence of DNA binding in 0.07 M or less tris acetate buffer, and an EEO at 1.0 wt % agarose concentration of 0.05 or less.

Seakem gold agarose beads comprising islets and coated with agarose

The invention relates to the stem cells, embryonic stem cells in particular. It has been found that, when these stem cells are entrapped such that their proliferation is inhibited, they produce material which inhibits the proliferation of other, non-entrapped cells, including stem cells and neoplastic and/or hyperproliferative, but otherwise normal cells. It has also been found that entrapped cancer cells will produce material which inhibits the proliferation of stem cells. Further, it has been found that the entrapment of the stem cells inhibits their differentiation and thus the entrapment process can serve as a long-term storage device for maintaining the undifferentiated state of at least a portion of the entrapped cells.

Entrapped stem cells and uses thereof

Biological agents such as secretory cells are encapsulated in a hydrophilic gel made of agarose or collagen-agarose and gelatin sponge-agarose combinations. In a preferred embodiment, semi-solid beads are formed from a suspension containing collagen, agarose and secretory cells such as pancreatic islets, the collagen is polymerized to form solid, agarose-collagen beads and the solid beads are coated with agarose. Coating is preferably by rolling the solid beads in about 5-10% agarose, contacting the rolled beads with mineral oil and washing oil from the beads. Beads containing secretory cells can be transplanted into a mammal to treat a condition caused by impaired secretory cell function.

Preparation of agarose coated, solid agarose beads containing secretory cells

The invention relates to a method for evaluating a pancreas as a source of therapeutically useful islets. A scoring system is set forth whereby 5 criteria are listed. If three criteria are positive, then the pancreas is a suitable source of therapeutically useful islets.

Scoring method for determining pancreas suitability for islet isolation

Compositions of matter are described which contain restricted cancer cells. When so restricted, the cells produce an unexpectedly high amount of material which suppresses cancer cell proliferation. The phenomenon crosses cancer type and species lines. Processes for making these compositions, and their use, are also described.

Beads containing restricted cancer cells producing material suppressing cancer cell proliferation

Preparation of agarose coated, solid agarose-collagen beads containing secretory cells

Cancer cell-inhibiting culture medium produced by culturing restricted entrapped cancer cells

Cancer-cell proliferation-suppressing material produced by cancer cells restricted by entrapment

Agarose coated agarose beads containing cancer cells which produce cancer-cell proliferation-suppressing material

A material for suppressing proliferation of cancer cells is produced by entrapping cancer cells in a selectively-permeable structure such as a bead, and culturing the entrapped cells in a culture medium. Entrapment restricts growth of the cancel cells during culturing and causes the cells to produce in the culture medium a material having a molecular weight of at least about 30 kd as measured by filtration that suppresses proliferation of cancer cells. The material is separated from the culture medium by filtering the medium through a filter that separates material having a molecular weight of at least about 30 kd from material having a molecular weight of less than 30 kd. The structure that entraps the cells may contain 10,000 to 500,000 cells. The material or the structure containing the entrapped cells that produce the material can be administered to a subject to suppress cancer cell proliferation.

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New York, NY, United States of America

Barry H Smith