Florida International University

Other

Madhavan Nair

Arti Vashist

Andrea D Raymond

Ajeet Kaushik

Prem Chapagain

Carolyn D Runowicz

Ann Abraham

Upal Roy

Mickensone Andre

Li Liu

Vadym Drozd

Surendra Saxena

Shu W Li

Carlos L Krumdieck

Andriy Durygin

Oswaldo Castaneda

William J Koopman

Hitendra S Chand

Sneham Tiwari

Graciela Alarcon

Adriana Yndart Arias

Ratna Pati

Asahi Tomitaka

Zaohua Huang

Indira G Nair

Vidya Sagar

Hong Ding

Hitendra Chand

A method of treatment or prevention of HIV and other viral infection comprising the administration of a biopolymer-based hydrogel nanoparticles and/or microparticles. In preferred embodiments, the particles comprise chitosan, hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), and linseed oil polyol. These biopolymer-based hydrogel nanoparticles and/or microparticles are antiviral agents that can be employed alone or in combination with other drugs for treatment of the viral infection. Further, the pre-treatment with the particles is highly effective at inhibiting viruses. Therefore, this antiviral biopolymer-based hydrogel nanoparticles and/or microparticles may also be employed as a prophylactic.

Biotherapy for viral infections using biopolymer based micro/nanogels

The present invention is directed to a method of treatment or prevention of viral and/or bacterial infection comprising the administration of a polyol derived from a vegetable oil or its derivative. The vegetable oil is preferably linseed oil. The invention is also directed to a formulation comprising a vegetable oil-derived polyol.

Treatment and prevention of infections using vegetable oil-derived polyols

The present invention provides compositions and methods for selectively treating a cancer or tumor utilizing an effective amount of a vegetable oil-derived polyol or hydrogel particles comprising a vegetable oil-derived polyol. In some embodiments, the cancer is a gynecologic cancer, specifically an ovarian cancer. In other aspects, the present invention provides a method of targeting and imaging various tumors and/or tumor associated macrophages (TAMs).

Polyols and polyol-based hydrogels with anti-cancer activity

The subject invention provides compositions and methods for isolating exosomes from, for example, biological fluid samples, cell cultures and/or cultured medium. Provided are Absolute Precipitation of Exosomes (APEX) reagents and precipitation techniques to isolate exosomes from various EV subsets, cells, dead cells, and/or cell debris. Advantageously, APEX is a rapid, effortless, inexpensive, high-recovery method to extract exosomes. This method is also faster and purer at isolating exosomes from other precipitation techniques.

Absolute precipitation of exosomes (APEX) isolation

The subject invention provides methods, assays, and products for preventing and/or treating pulmonary diseases. The present invention provides methods for identifying inhibitors of lncRNAs, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such inhibitors, and method of using said inhibitors in preventing and/or treating pulmonary airway inflammation. The present invention also develop novel strategies to modulate the mucous response for preventing, intervening, diagnosing and treating pulmonary airway inflammation, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and Chronic mucus hypersecretion (CMH) pathogenesis.

Long noncoding RNAs in pulmonary airway inflammation

Materials and methods for synthesizing magnetic core/gold shell nanoparticles and magneto-plasmonic nanostars are provided. Formulations comprising nanoparticles optionally bound to or co-loaded with a therapeutic agent encapsulated within liposomes are provided. A method for treating diseases (e.g., brain diseases) in a subject by administering to the subject a formulation comprising the nanoparticle formulation is also provided. Further, a method is provided for imaging a target site of a subject following the administering of the nanoparticle formulations.

Stimuli-responsive magneto-plasmonic nanocarrier

An apparatus and methods of using the same for conducting photonic and optical treatments on biological samples with additional functions including temperature monitoring and real-time microscopic imaging are provided. The photonic and optical treatments can be conducted using light with wavelengths in the near-infrared region (NIR) on biological samples, including in-vitro brain cell cultures, in-vivo central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) tissue samples, and other body tissues. The apparatus and methods can be combined with magnetic nanoparticles treatment to accomplish non-invasive, on-demand drug targeting, brain cell specific gene delivery, and magnetized photo-biomodulation for treating various CNS disorders.

Near-infrared ray exposure system for biological studies

Hydrogel nanoparticles and microparticles are prepared by a water-in-oil method from natural polymers that are water miscible, a hydrophobic polyol and a crosslinking agent. The hydrogel nanoparticles are auto fluorescent and can be used for imaging of cells and a biological entity. The hydrogel nanoparticles and microparticles can include magnetic nanoparticles and carry desired bioactive entities. The hydrogel nanoparticles and microparticles are useful for diagnostics and as therapeutics purposes including drug delivery, imaging of drug migration, and selectivity by the tagging or binding of the hydrogel nanoparticles and microparticles with appropriate antibodies or antigens.

Micro/nano magnetic hydrogels with autofluorescence for therapeutic and diagnostic applications

The invention pertains to a formulation comprising magnetic nanoparticles (MENPs) conjugated to or mixed with a therapeutic cargo, the therapeutic cargo comprising an HIV inhibitor, an inhibitor of BACE-1 activity or expression, and a cocaine antagonist. In one embodiment, the formulation comprises WA, miR-107, and BD1063. The MENPs conjugated or mixed with the therapeutic cargo can be encapsulated within liposomes. The liposomes can be surface modified with an affinity ligand that targets the liposomes to the brain. The invention also pertains to a method of treating an HIV infection in a subject having cocaine addiction, by administering to the subject the formulation of the invention and applying to the subject magnetic forces to guide the MENPs across the blood brain barrier and into brain parenchyma and releasing the therapeutic cargo into the brain parenchyma by applying to the subject an alternating current.

Compositions and methods for treating HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders

The invention pertains to compositions and methods for identifying gRNAs that are effective in treating a latent HIV infection. An embodiment of the invention provides a cell having incorporated into its genome: a gene that expresses a CRISPR-Cas protein and an HIV pseudovirus genome, wherein the HIV pseudovirus genome has a first marker gene encoding a first marker protein under the control of HIV-1 LTR promoter and a second marker gene inserted into the nef gene of the HIV pseudovirus and encoding a second marker protein under the control of a constitutive promoter. Screening methods for identifying gRNAs that can treat a latent HIV infection are also provided. Further, compositions comprising a CRISPR-Cas protein and gRNAs that can treat a latent HIV infection are provided. Furthermore, a method for treating a latent HIV infection in a subject by administering the compositions of CRISPR-Cas protein and gRNAs are described.

Methods for screening and using CRISPR/Cas9 guidance RNA sequence from HIV provirus genome

The subject invention provides materials and methods for detecting Zika virus. Specific embodiments provide an electrochemical immunosensing device and the methods of making and using the same for detecting Zika virus with exceptionally low detection limit. In some embodiments, the immunosensing device is capable of detecting picomolar (pM) level of Zika virus present in a sample by employing immunosensors functionalized with Zika virus binding ligands such as monoclonal Zika virus antibodies and Zika non-structural proteins. In an exemplary embodiment, the immunosensing device can be integrated with microelectronics to be adopted as point-of-care sensing systems. Advantageously, technologies provided herein offer rapid, on-site biosensing methods for the accurate detection of diseases caused by Zika virus.

Growing community of inventors

Coral Gables, FL, United States of America

Madhavan Nair