University of Virginia Patent Foundation

Kenneth Brayman

Joel M Linden

Gail W Sullivan

Gordon W Laurie

Nathan Swami

Walter Varhue

Thomas R Gadek

Cassandra L Fraser

Edward A Botchwey, Iii

Preeti Chhabra

Linda W Langman

Shayn Peirce-Cottler

Mingyang Ma

Daniel Bowers

Karina Teixeira

Compositions and methods for regenerating pancreatic islet viability and/or cell proliferation in vitro, ex vivo, and/or in vivo; and/or for regenerating glucose-stimulated insulin secretion; and/or for regenerating viability and/or cell proliferation of a transplanted pancreatic islets; and/or for preventing and/or inhibiting rejection of a transplanted islets; and/or for pancreatic islet transplantation; and/or for treating a symptom of a condition, disorder, or disease associated with abnormal insulin responsiveness to glucose are provided. In some embodiments, the compositions include a peptide and/or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and/or a biologically active fragment, analog, or derivative thereof, wherein the peptide, the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and/or the biologically active fragment, analog, or derivative thereof has an amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NOs: 1-60, or any combination thereof.

Compositions and methods for promoting islet viability and enhancing insulin secretion

A microfluidic device can include an upstream passage, a sample passage, a bifurcating passage, and a combining passage. The upstream passage can be configured to provide a focusing stream. The sample passage can be configured to provide a sample stream. The bifurcating passage can include a specified bifurcating flow resistance. The combining passage can be configured to create a combined stream from the focusing stream and the sample stream, where the focusing stream can direct the sample stream away from the upstream passage and toward the bifurcating passage. A first portion of the combined stream can be discharged through the bifurcating passage. The main discharge can be configured to discharge a second portion of the combined stream. The main discharge can include a main discharge resistance that is selectable to vary the main discharge resistance relative to the bifurcating flow resistance.

Methods for isolating pancreatic islets

To address the need for scaffold-based oxygen concentration monitoring, a single-component, self-referenced oxygen sensor was made into nanofibers. Electrospinning process parameters were tuned to produce a biomaterial scaffold with specific morphological features. The ratio of an oxygen sensitive phosphorescence signal to an oxygen insensitive fluorescence signal was calculated at each image pixel to determine an oxygenation value. A single component boron dye-polymer conjugate was chosen for additional investigation due to improved resistance to degradation in aqueous media compared to a dye polymer blend. Standardization curves show that in fully supplemented media, the fibers are responsive to dissolved oxygen concentrations less than 15 parts per million. Spatial and temporal ratiometric gradients were observed in vitro radiating outward from the center of a dense adherent cell grouping. Sensor activation in ischemia and cell transplant models in vivo show oxygenation decreases on the scale of minutes.

Compositions and methods for making and using oxygen sensing nanofibers and scaffolds

The present invention provides a therapeutic method for treating biological diseases that includes the administration of an effective amount of a suitable antibiotic agent, antifungal agent or antiviral agent in conjunction with an Aadenosine receptor agonist. If no anti-pathogenic agent is known the Aagonist can be used alone to reduce inflammation, as may occur during infection with antibiotic resistant bacteria, or certain viruses such as those that cause SARS or Ebola. Optionally, the method includes administration of a type IV PDE inhibitor.

Method to reduce inflammatory response in transplanted tissue

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Charlottesville, VA, United States of America

Kenneth Brayman