The University of Massachusetts Amherst

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Nanopore Tweezer System for Protein Kinase Allosteric Drug Screening
Protein kinases are enzymes that catalyze the phosphorylation of substrate proteins, regulating a wide range of cellular pathways. Aberrant kinase activities are implicated in various human diseases, making the kinases essential drug targets. This invention provides a nanopore-tweezer-based compound screening platform for the identification of allosteric drugs that can bind to allosteric sites on protein kinases and overcome drug resistance.
Published: 8/3/2023   |   Inventor(s): Min Chen, Fanjun Li
Category(s): Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Research tools
Nanopore-based Sensors for Antibody Screening Applications
This invention provides OmpG nanopore-based sensors for antibody screening applications. Each OmpG nanopore is engineered to contain a heterologous peptide sequence in one or more flexible loops of the nanopore, allowing for target-specific binding and detection.
Published: 6/26/2023   |   Inventor(s): Min Chen, Joshua Foster, Minji Kim, Matthew Moore
Category(s): Devices & sensors, Life Sciences, Research tools
A New Class of Nanopore Sensors for Rapid Detection of Bioanalytes
Protein nanopores have been used to detect small molecule analytes by monitoring changes in ionic current upon analyte binding in the nanopore lumen. The fixed inner diameter of the nanopore lumen, however, presents challenges for detection of proteins and other large bioanalytes. This invention provides a new class of protein nanopore sensors capable of detecting large bioanalytes without the need for such bioanalytes to enter the nanopore lumen. The nanopore is genetically engineered or chemically modified to contain a target-binding ligand in a flexible loop region at one end of the nanopore lumen. The dynamic movement of the flexible loop creates a distinct grating pattern when ionic current passes through the nanopore lumen. The nanopore-target analyte Interactions outside the pore lumen result in an instantaneous change in the gating pattern of the flexible loop, enabling rapid detection of the target analyte. This invention not only provides the ability to distinguish between protein homologues within an analyte mixture but also allows for the detection of target proteins in the presence of serum.
Published: 8/3/2023   |   Inventor(s): Min Chen, Christina Chisholm, Monifa Fahie
Category(s): Devices & sensors, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Diagnostic technology, Life Sciences, Research tools