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Carilion Biomedical Institute and Virginia Tech Collaborators Receive Patent |
Carilion Biomedical Institute and Virginia Tech Collaborators Receive Patent
Patented method will use E.coli bacteria to deliver photoactive drug to cancer cells without harming normal tissue Media Contact: Sam English, Ph.D. Roanoke VA Researchers from Virginia Tech and the Carilion Biomedical Institute have patented a method to deliver photoactive medicines to cancer cells by binding drugs to a protein that recognizes a unique receptor on a cancer cell. The researchers determined that a non-toxic portion of a protein created by E. coli bacteria could be exploited as the mechanism to transport medicine because it attaches to cancer cells and causes the cells to consume the lethal medicine without damaging healthy tissue. The medicine is stimulated into action by a light source through a process known as phototherapy. Research collaborators include Sam English, Manager of Research Projects at the Carilion Biomedical Institute, Brian Storrie, former professor of Biochemistry at Virginia Tech and now professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Arkansas Medical School and Maria Teresa Tarrago-Trani, a Virginia Tech research scientist in the Department of Biochemistry. Dr. English states, “This exciting research conducted at Virginia Tech demonstrates the benefits of collaboration between Virginia Tech and the Carilion Biomedical Institute. We are fortunate to work with world-class faculty and researchers like Brian Storrie and Maria Teresa Tarrago-Trani. My hope is that someday in the near future this technology will be used to efficiently deliver drugs for cancer treatment while minimizing harmful side effects.” The patent number is 6,631,283 for "B/B-like fragment targeting for the purposes of photodynamic therapy and medical imaging.” Other applications for the technology include cell imaging. ### |