The University of Edinburgh

University of Southampton

Mark Bradley

Nikolaos Avlonitis

Neil Alexander McDonald

Kev Dhaliwal

Lars Eric Sundstrom

Hitoshi Mizomoto

Annamaria Helena Lilienkampf

Christopher Haslett

Ashley Ker Pringle

Kanwaldeep Dhaliwal

Chris Haslett

Manuelle Debunne

Tashfeen Walton

Fausto Iannotti

Marc Vendrell Escobar

Timothy Simon Walsh

Asier Unciti-Broceta

Sunay Vijaykumar Chankeshwara

Juan J Diaz-Mochon

Alicia Megia-Fernandez

Jean-Francois Thaburet

Aleksandra Liberska

Neil Mcdonald

A probe is provided comprising a label and a binding moiety, wherein the binding moiety is adapted to bind to gram-negative bacteria, and to substantially not bind to animal cells or gram-positive bacteria. A method of detecting the presence of bacteria in a target area is also provided, which allows the detection of bacteria generally, and the determination of whether that bacteria is gram negative or gram positive.

Molecular probes for detecting gram-negative bacteria in vitro and in vivo

A probe for detecting bacteria and/or fungi in vitro and in vivo is provided, the probe having a core and a plurality of probe elements; each probe element within the plurality of probe elements extending from the core and having a fluorophore and a binding moiety, wherein the binding moiety is a bacteria binding moiety and selectively binds to bacteria and/or to fungi and not to animal cells. Methods of use of the probe and kits comprising the probe are also provided.

Fluorescent polybranched probes for detecting bacteria and/or fungi in vitro and in vivo

An optical probe is presented comprising at least one fluorophore connected to at least one quencher by an enzyme cleavable peptide sequence; the or each fluorophore being substantially fluorescently quenched by the at least one quencher when connected to the enzyme cleavable peptide sequence; the or each fluorophore is separated from the at least one quencher when the enzyme cleavable peptide sequence of the at least one probe element is cleaved; and the enzyme cleavable peptide sequence is selectively cleavable by one or more matrix metalloproteinase (MMP). Methods of use of the optical probe are also presented.

Optical probes for matrix metalloproteinases

The present invention relates to methods of visualising cells especially although not exclusively in vivo using a dye, such as a dendrimer-dye molecule or polybranched-dye molecule which is internalised by the cells and thus permits subsequent visualisation by confocal fluorescence endomicroscopy or other optical detectors. There is also provided internally quenched probes for use in visualising cells especially although not exclusively in vivo by confocal fluorescence endomicroscopy and the use of internally quenched probes in combination with confocal fluorescence endomicroscopy, for visualising cells by virtue of internalisation and dequenching of a probe by the cells. In a particular embodiment the cells are activated neutrophils, such as within the lung of a subject.

Optical imaging probes

The present invention relates to methods of visualizing cells especially although not exclusively in vivo using a dye, such as a dendrimer-dye molecule or polybranched-dye molecule which is internalized by the cells and thus permits subsequent visualization by confocal fluorescence endomicroscopy or other optical detectors. There is also provided internally quenched probes for use in visualizing cells especially although not exclusively in vivo by confocal fluorescence endomicroscopy and the use of internally quenched probes in combination with confocal fluorescence endomicroscopy, for visualizing cells by virtue of internalization and dequenching of a probe by the cells. In a particular embodiment the cells are activated neutrophils, such as within the lung of a subject.

The invention provides a cationic lipid comprising:

Cationic lipids

The present invention provides modified nucleobase compounds, modified nucleic acid mimetic compounds and various uses thereof. In addition, the invention provides methods for nucleobase characterisation, SNP characterisation and nucleic acid sequencing.

Nucleobase characterisation

One object of the present invention is to provide polymers suitable for use as medical materials. The present invention provides a polymer useful as a medical material having the general formula-()-()&#x2014;()&#x2014;&#x2003;&#x2003;(I)in which A is derived from an alkoxyalkyl (alkyl)acrylate monomer;

Polymers useful as medical materials

In a method of measuring a temperature value associated with melting, softening or decomposition of sample substances, an array of samples is deposited onto a support tray. The support tray is placed onto a heating device provided with temperature sensing means, the support tray is illuminated, and the array of samples is observed by a imaging device. WNle varying the temperature of the heating device, the image data from the imaging device is fed to an image recording device and temperature values associated with each feed of image data are also recorded. The image data is reviewed to detect changes in the image, such as image intensity, at each or selected sample locations, and the temperature of the heating device at an image change associated with a change in state of a sample is logged. Image processing software may be used to detect changes in the image, for example in the intensity of the image, at each sample location. The method may be used as a means for rapidly obtaining a melting point value for comparison of the physical characteristics of the members of a library of samples, especially polymer samples.

Measurement of melting points of multiple samples

One object of the present invention is to provide polymers suitable for use as medical materials. The present invention provides a polymer useful as a medical material having the general formula-(A)-(B)-(C)-&#x2003;&#x2003;(I)in which

Compounds of formula (I) wherein: Q represents an amidino group, a cyano group or a group of formula XYN&#x2014;, (where X and Y are hydrogen or various groups); Rrepresents alkylene; Rand Reach represents alkylene, the total number of carbon atoms in said straight chains of Rand Rbeing 7); Rand Reach represents hydrogen, or a group of formula R, RCO&#x2014;, ROCO&#x2014;, or RNHCO&#x2014;, where R represents alkyl or aryl; the chiral carbon atom indicated by the asterisk is in the L configuration; Z is an aromatic amino acid residue; n is 0 or 1; Rrepresents hydrogen, alkyl or aryl; and W represents hydrogen, alkyl or aryl; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof have the ability to protect against the neuronal damage which may be caused by an ischemic event.

Neuroprotective agents

Compounds of formula (I) wherein: Q represents an amidino group, a cyano group or a group of formula XYN&mdash;, (where X and Y are hydrogen or various groups); R represents alkylene; R and R each represents alkylene, the total number of carbon atoms in said straight chains of R and R being 7); R and R each represents hydrogen, or a group of formula R, RCO&mdash;, ROCO&mdash;, or RNHCO&mdash;, where R represents alkyl or aryl; the chiral carbon atom indicated by the asterisk is in the L configuration; Z is an aromatic amino acid residue; n is 0 or 1; R represents hydrogen, alkyl or aryl; and W represents hydrogen, alkyl or aryl; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof have the ability to protect against the neuronal damage which may be caused by an ischemic event.

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Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Mark Bradley