JOAQUIN CORTIELLA, MD
Anesthesiologist Assistant at University Blvd, Galveston, TX

2009022, Sep 10, 2009

Feb 13, 2006

11/352924

Joan E. Nichols - Galveston TX, US
Joaquin Cortiella - Galveston TX, US
Ronald P. Mlcak - Bayou Vista TX, US
Jean A. Niles - Galveston TX, US

C12N 5/02, C12Q 1/02, C12N 5/08

435395, 435 29, 435366

A method for studying scaffold-based tissue engineering approaches in combination with the use of progenitor or stem cells to generate new lung tissue in an in vitro system. The engineered tissue system of this invention is used to monitor lung and immune system exposure of pathogen and/or toxins. The method involves growing engineered lung/immune tissue from progenitor cells in a bioreactor and then exposing the engineered lung/immune tissue to a pathogen and/or toxin. Once exposed, response of the engineered tissue is monitored to determine the effects of exposure to the immune component of the tissue and to lung component of the tissue. This invention also involves development of mixed engineered tissues including a first fully functional engineered tissue such as lung tissue and a second fully functional engineered tissued such as immune tissue from a single animal donor. The mixed systems can include more than two engineered tissues.

2009004, Feb 12, 2009

Aug 12, 2008

12/228419

Nicholas A. Kotov - Ypsilanti MI, US
Joaquin Cortiella - Galveston TX, US
Joan E. Nichols - Galveston TX, US

A61K 35/28, A61F 2/02, C12N 5/02, A61P 43/00, C12Q 1/02

424423, 435 29, 424 9371, 435374

An artificial bone marrow construct comprising a substrate having at least one well; a three dimensional biocompatible polymer matrix comprising a transparent polymer network containing microspherical voids, wherein the microspherical voids are each connected to at least one other void through inter-connecting pores; at least one LBL coating on a surface of at least one of the polymer network, voids and pores, a population of bone marrow cells comprising stem cells and stromal cells; and at least one bioactive agent. An artificial immune network comprising a polymer matrix with a population of immune cells comprising B-cells and T-cells is disclosed. Methods for testing the toxicity of drugs and other agents against bone marrow cells and methods for making universal blood using the artificial bone marrow constructs are also disclosed.

2011004, Feb 24, 2011

Jul 6, 2010

12/803774

Joaquin Cortiella - Galveston TX, US
Joan E. Nichols - Galveston TX, US
Jean A. Niles - Galveston TX, US

A61K 9/00, C12N 5/02, C12N 5/071, A61K 35/42, A61P 11/00

424422, 435395, 435377, 424 937

The present invention provides a process of producing a decellularized extracellular matrix DC lung from native lung tissue using rapid freeze/thaw cycling to induce cellular damage and the constant circulation of a detergent or peracetic acid and enzymatic digestion with DNAase/RNAase within a continuously rotating bioreactor. Also, provided are methods to produce a functional engineered lung tissue on the DC lung using endogenous lung progenitor cells. In addition, a composition comprising the DC lung and the endogenous lung progenitor cells seeded therein or thereon and an implantable composition comprising the functional engineered lung tissue which are useful in methods of treating a lung to restore at least some function thereto.

2009031, Dec 17, 2009

Apr 28, 2006

11/919527

Joaquin Cortiella - Galveston TX, US
Joan E. Nichols - Galveston TX, US
Jean A. Niles - Galveston TX, US
Eric Lee - Houston TX, US
Donald Prough - Galveston TX, US

A61K 35/12, C12N 5/08, A61K 38/20, A61K 9/14

424484, 435372, 424 937, 424 852

The present invention is directed to developing treatment for spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and neural disease using autologous somatic stem cells isolated from peripheral blood. The method identified in the present invention will generate functional neural cells/tissues in order to replace the diseased or damaged neural cells/tissues. In doing so, the cells will not only reverse the motor as well as cognitive dysfunction but will also stabilize the injury site, reduce inflammation and scaring, and halt progressive loss of functional tissue. Further, this method also holds a great promise since it is non-invasive, autologous and can be used acutely.