University of Iowa Research Foundation

University of California

Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.

Chiron Corporation

Paul B McCray, Jr

Beverly L Davidson

Patrick Sinn

Colleen Stein

Hong Peng Jia

Mark Aaron Behlke

Brian F Tack

Sateesh Krishnamurthy

Maureen D Donovan

Anthony J Fischer

Douglas J Jolly

Michael J Welsh

Robert I Lehrer

Daniel F Voytas

Michael A Apicella

Rama K Mallampalli

Mordechai Bodner

Brian C Schutte

Sue M Travis

Lokesh Gakhar

Junbiao Dai

Guoshun Wang

Aliye Uc

Subramanian Ramaswamy

Steven M Herrmann

Abhay Divekar

Jennifer Bartlett

The present invention relates to methods of reducing a level of a target mRNA in a well-differentiated airway epithelial cell by contacting the cell with a facilitating agent followed by contacting the cell with a therapeutic RNAi agent, wherein the facilitating agent comprises a Platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) ligand.

Methods of improving RNAi in well-differentiated airway epithelia

The present invention relates to methods of reducing a level of a target mRNA in a well-differentiated airway epithelial cell by contacting the cell with a sensitizing agent followed by contacting the cell with a therapeutic RNAi agent.

Methods to enhance RNAi oligonucleotide delivery to respiratory epithelial cells

The present invention relates to a safe and effective way to deliver and express therapeutic compositions (e.g., transgenes) to the pancreas and lungs of a mammal.

Method of delivering vectors to pancreas and lungs by cannulating the aorta

Embodiments include compositions and methods for lower the surface tension of a liquid-air interface by contacting such interface with all or part of a PLUNC polypeptide.

Methods and compositions related to PLUNC surfactant polypeptides

The present invention provides novel pseudotyped retroviral vectors that can transduce human and other cells. Vectors are provided that are packaged efficiently in packaging cells and cell lines to generate high titer recombinant virus stocks expressing novel envelope glycoproteins. The present invention further relates to compositions for gene therapy.

Methods for producing and using in vivo pseudotyped retroviruses using envelope glycoproteins from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)

The present invention is directed to small interfering RNA molecules targeted against a gene of interest in respiratory epithelial cells, and methods of using these RNA molecules.

RNA interference in respiratory epithelial cells

Embodiments of the invention include compositions comprising and methods utilizing a retroviral integrase complex comprising a recombinant integrase having a domain comprising a non-native protein binding site, and a DNA binding protein comprising a DNA binding domain and a peptide binding domain that binds the non-native protein binding site of the recombinant integrase.

Compositions and methods related to modified retroviral vectors for restricted, site specific integration

RNA interference in respiratory epitheial cells

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The present invention relates to the use of antimicrobial peptides in the inhibition of microbial growth and proliferation. Novel antimicrobial truncated peptides are disclosed which are based upon SMAP 29 and RCAP 18, but which contain a lesser number of amino acid residues yet still retain bactericidal activity. In addition, synthetic peptides based upon the SMAP 29 protein are disclosed which have fewer amino acid residues and include substitutions yet retain substantial activity. The invention also relates to a method of inhibiting microbial growth by administering an effective amount of a peptide in accordance with the invention, or by combining the peptides with other antimicrobial agents or antibiotics.

Alpha helical peptides with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity that are insensitive to salt

The present invention involves methods and compositions for increasing the susceptibility of target cells to transduction by gene transfer vectors. Specifically, it is proposed that increasing intracellular permeability in epithelial tissue increases the percentage of input vector that will transduce that target tissue. Specific examples show that receptors for retrovirus are preferentially accessible on the basolateral surface of airway epithelia, and permeabilizing such tissues results in greater infection with retrovirus. This has important implications in gene therapy, for example, to treat cystic fibrosis with the CFTR gene.

Methods and compositions for increasing the infectivity of gene transfer vectors

The present invention relates a novel antimicrobial peptide HBD-3 and derivatives thereof as well as the gene encoding the peptide. The invention further relates to methods of use of the HBD-3 peptide including a method of inhibiting microbial growth by administering an effective amount of the HBD-3 peptide alone or in combinination with other antimicrobial agents or antibiotics. In addition, the immunomodulatory properties of the HBD-3 peptide also facilitate the manipulation of the immune response, i.e., as a chemoattractant for immature dentritic cells or memory T cells.

Human beta-defensin-3 (HBD-3), a highly cationic beta-defensin antimicrobial peptide

Growing community of inventors

Iowa City, IA, United States of America

Paul B McCray, Jr