Leland Stanford Junior University

John Ramunas

John P Cooke

Helen M Blau

Eduard Yakubov

Juan G Santiago

Viktor Shkolnikov

David P Fenning

Compounds and compositions for the transient expression of exogenous telomerase activity in a cell are provided. The compounds and compositions, which relate to a ribonucleic acid coding for a telomerase reverse transcriptase, are useful in the extension of telomeres in cells needing such treatment. Such cells include, for example, cells that contain shortened telomeres and cells from subjects that may benefit from telomere extension, for example subjects that suffer from, or are at risk of suffering from, age-related or other illnesses. Also provided are methods of extending telomeres through the administration of the provided compounds and compositions to animal cells, either in vitro or in vivo, and kits including the compounds or compositions and instructions for use.

Compounds, compositions, methods, and kits relating to telomere extension

In a pump, a flexible tube passes through the pump and is held 'normally closed' at an output constriction. The pump includes a pump body and a pump member that can perform two functions by their relative motion. The first function is to open and close an input constriction of the flexible tube. The second function is to compress the section of flexible tube between the input constriction and the output constriction. This section of tube acts as the pump chamber. When closed, the input constriction provides a greater impediment to fluid flow than the output constriction. Therefore, when the input constriction is closed and the pump chamber is compressed, fluid flows out of the pump past the output constriction. When the input constriction is open and compression of the pump chamber is removed, the output constriction closes and fluid can enter the pump by flowing past the location of the input constriction.

Peristaltic pump with constrictions at fixed locations

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

John Ramunas