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A Biosensor Engineering Strategy for Improved Cell-based Therapy
NU 2016-174
Inventors
Joshua N. Leonard*
Kelly A. Schwarz
Rachel M. Dudek
Short Description
A sophisticated multiplexed biosensor system that can activate a downstream promoter to effect diverse custom biological functions. #therapeutics #cellsignaling #healthcare #diagnostictool
Background
The market for cell-based therapeutics has gained wide...
Published: 5/12/2026
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Updated: 5/12/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Biotechnology, Cell therapy, Research tool, Sensors, Synthetic biology
Category(s): Life Sciences > Biomarkers & Biomedical Research Tools
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Northwestern Startup: Syenex, Inc.
Northwestern Inventor:
Joshua Leonard
McCormick School of Engineering
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Syenex builds bioengineering technologies to unlock the future of human health. Leveraging the power of synthetic biology, we design scalable, precision-engineered components, empowering cell and gene therapy developers to cure disease and build...
Published: 5/5/2026
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Updated: 5/5/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Biologic, Biomedical, Drug delivery, Gene therapy, Platform technology, Research tool, Startup with Northwestern IP, Synthetic biology, Therapeutics, Vector/Plasmid
Category(s): Life Sciences > Biomarkers & Biomedical Research Tools, Life Sciences > Therapeutics
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Responsive Probiotic Therapy for Local Detection and Treatment of IBD Flares
SHORT DESCRIPTION
An engineered probiotic that senses intestinal inflammation via calprotectin and locally releases therapeutic antibodies in the gastrointestinal tract only during inflammatory flares.
INVENTORS
Arthur Prindle*
McCormick School of Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Jonathan...
Published: 5/11/2026
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Updated: 4/14/2026
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Autoimmune disease, Biologic, Cell therapy, Diagnostics, Gastrointestinal and Hepatic disease, IBD - Inflammatory bowel disease, Immunology, Immunotherapy, Inflammation, Synthetic biology, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Therapeutics
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Engineered Lipid Tags for Extracellular Vesicle Loading
NU 2022-178
INVENTORS
Neha Kamat*
Joshua Leonard*
Justin Alexander Peruzzi
Taylor Gunnels
SHORT DESCRIPTION
This technology enhances the loading of protein cargo into extracellular vesicles (EVs) by directing protein association with membrane lipid rafts, utilizing engineered lipid tags for targeted delivery.
BACKGROUND
Extracellular...
Published: 4/13/2026
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Updated: 2/28/2025
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Biotechnology, Drug delivery, Nanomaterials, Nanoparticle, Nanotechnology, Synthetic biology, Targeted therapy, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Biomarkers & Biomedical Research Tools
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Leveraging Lipid-Protein Interactions to Engineer Spatial Organization in Cell-free Systems
NU 2021-231
INVENTORS
Neha Kamat*
Justin Alexander Peruzzi
Jan Steinkuehler
SHORT DESCRIPTION
This innovative method enables the control of membrane protein location and distribution in synthetic lipid membranes using lipid-protein interactions, without chemical conjugation, facilitating the development of advanced cell-free systems.
BACKGROUND
Spatially...
Published: 4/9/2026
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Updated: 2/28/2025
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Drug delivery, Nanomaterials, Nanoparticle, Nanotechnology, Research tool, Synthetic biology, Targeted therapy, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Biomarkers & Biomedical Research Tools, Physical Sciences > Engineering & Technology
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Genetic circuits for engineering hypoxia-responsive cellular functions
NU 2021-259
INVENTORS
Joshua Leonard*
Patrick Donahue
SHORT DESCRIPTION
A customizable DNA based biosensor for detecting hypoxic environments
BACKGROUND
Cell-based therapies have been successful in treating many malignancies, leading to substantial increases in patient survival. However, translating these successes to the treatment of solid...
Published: 4/9/2026
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Updated: 1/28/2025
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Biosensors, Cancer/Oncology, CVA - Cerebrovascular Accident, Regenerative medicine, Research tool, Synthetic biology
Category(s): Life Sciences > Biomarkers & Biomedical Research Tools
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Membrane Encapsulation of a Transcriptionally Regulated Cell-Free Biosensor
NU 2022-162
INVENTORS
Neha P. Kamat*
Julius B. Lucks*
Margrethe Boyd
Walter M. Thavarajah
BACKGROUND
Cell-free systems allow biochemical processes traditionally performed by cells to be reproduced independent of cells in a cost-effective, distributable, and highly tunable manner. Specifically, cell-free biosensors have enabled...
Published: 4/13/2026
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Updated: 10/17/2024
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Biosensors, Nanoparticle, Nanotechnology, Synthetic biology
Category(s): Life Sciences > Biomarkers & Biomedical Research Tools
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Assembly of Vaccines Using Cell-Free Integration of Viral Membrane Proteins into Liposomes
NU 2022-192
INVENTORS
Neha P. Kamat*
Vivian Hu
BACKGROUND
Virus infection posts a recurring global health challenge, and vaccines remain an effective protective against virus threats. However, many current vaccines face limitations including potential conversion of inactivated virus into pathogenic virus, immunogenicity of recombinant...
Published: 4/10/2026
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Updated: 10/17/2024
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Immunology, Infectious disease, Nanomaterials, Nanoparticle, Nanotechnology, Synthetic biology, Vaccine
Category(s): Life Sciences > Biomarkers & Biomedical Research Tools
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Modular Extracellular Sensors for Cell-based Biosensors
NU 2011-109B
Inventors
Joshua Leonard*
Rachel Dudek
Nichole Daringer
Short Description
Engineered receptors designed to control gene expression.
Background
Engineering mammalian cell-based devices that monitor and therapeutically modulate human physiology is a promising and emerging frontier in clinical synthetic biology. However,...
Published: 5/14/2026
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Updated: 10/14/2019
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Inventor(s):
Keywords(s): Animal Model, Diagnostics, Research tool, Sensors, Synthetic biology, Therapeutics
Category(s): Life Sciences > Biomarkers & Biomedical Research Tools
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