Available Technologies

Background:

A fire problem exists in gasoline and diesel powered equipment operated in environments in which volumes of organic dusts become aerosolized. Plant residues can be of sizes small enough to be suspended in the air. These particles can be deposited and build up on the surfaces of the equipment.

While the machines generally are equipped with some form of screen to prevent airborne residue from reaching the radiator system of the equipment, small particles can pass through this filter and be blown by the radiator fan across the surface of the engine. When the engine is heavily loaded and the dust particles are very dry, it is possible for dust deposits on hot surfaces to smolder and/or for some portion of the airborne dust particles to reach auto ignition temperature.

Description:

SDSU researchers have developed a Patent Pending system to prevent aerosol dusts from reaching the zone around the hottest exhaust system components. A specially crafted enclosure can be fitted to the engine to envelop the exhaust turbine and exhaust manifold against the engine block.

The design of the enclosures allow for a flow of dust-free air to be introduced by a fan or blower and filter in to the enclosure around the exhaust system while keeping a positive pressure differential across all parts of the enclosure.

Advantages:

The ability to keep the surface of the enclosure free of accumulated dust simultaneously reduces the temperature of the exhaust system can reduce engine fires in combines and other machines exposed to organic dusts. Many farmers that drive combines at suboptimal speeds in order to keep the heat of the exhaust system reduced will be able to use their combines to the fullest extent of the machine’s capability.

Additionally, the farmer will not have to constantly be stopping to check for possible exhaust ignitions of dust which can result in a combine fire if not spotted immediately. This system can allow for optimal harvesting results while giving the user a peace of mind during the harvest.

Background:

The biological control activity of a Bacillus endospore biological control agent (BCA) formulation for biocontrol of plant pathogens on Fusarium Head Blight has been observed under field conditions for some time at different field sites across the United States. BCA products containing Bacillus species often do not reliably germinate soon after being applied to a plant or soil surface. Promoting the germination of Bacillus endospores would facilitate better biological control activity against FHB due to the BCA’s rapid germination.

Description:

An adjuvant mix has been developed by SDSU researchers and the adjuvant has been refined and tested for the ability of the adjuvant to accelerate the germination and growth of Bacillus endospores in BCA formulations.

Advantages:

The application of the adjuvant before use of the BCA will allow for endospore germination and bacterial growth within 12 hours after the addition of the adjuvant.

Background:

The ability to capture water in a competitive environment and transport the water to areas of need within the plant can enhance drought tolerance in plants. An increase in the number of water-transporting cells will increase the overall water transport capacity of the plant and make it more competitive in a water-limited environment.

Description:

SDSU researchers have recently reported on the discovery of a regulatory RNA and a regulatory protein that can be over-expressed in the roots of soybeans to increase the number of water-transporting xylem cells. This over-expression also changes the composition of two different xylem cell types in the root.

Advantages:

Current approaches have focused primarily on limiting the damage due to drought. An increase in water transport capacity will allow for sustaining growth under limited water conditions and will not compromise yield under water-sufficient conditions.

Background:

Perennial corn could greatly reduce tillage and maintain more plant residues at the soil surface. Perennial corn could also put down deeper, bulkier root systems which would lead to more efficiency in both holding the soil in place and absorbing nutrients and water. Previous efforts of making perennial field corn have focused at transferring perennialism from the wild perennial teosinte into field corn.

Description:

Current perennial materials cannot survive the harsh winter of most areas where corn is grown. The establishment of a perennial field corn germplasm can increase the useful range of perennial corn using conventional breeding, mutagenesis and genetic transformation of winter-hardiness genes. The selection of only a very few domesticated wild corn to field corn require minimum disturbance to perennialism. Selections have been made in both the F2 and BC1 generations by positively selecting field corn alleles of genes of interest while negatively selecting their flanking markers. Hybrid-derivatives have been identified that can regrow after completing the growth-seed setting-senescence cycle and also have improved plant and ear morphology.

Advantages:

Perennial crops have several advantages that could increase both yield potential and economic return relative to annual crops. These perennials can take advantage of a longer growing season. Additionally, resources will not be needed to completely rebuild the root system each year. Perennials are also more drought-tolerant than annuals, can capture, retain and utilize more precipitation and have access to soil nutrient and water deeper within the soil.

Background:

Many current and potential crops are unable to fix nitrogen through the traditional symbiotic relationship with rhizobia bacteria. Therefore expensive fixed nitrogen fertilizers must be applied to these crops. Endophytes are bacteria and fungi that grow within plants without causing disease symptoms, and in many cases can have beneficial effects on plant health and/or growth. Nitrogen fixing bacterial endophytes would be an economic and self-sustainable vehicle to provide fixed nitrogen nutrient to crops.

Description:

SDSU researchers have discovered that certain crops harbor bacteria containing genes capable of catalyzing the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which can then be absorbed by plant for its growth. About 10 such endophytes have been isolated and identified. SDSU researchers are actively working on characterization of those endophytes and development of large scale inoculation methods for commercial application.

Advantages:

Nitrogen-fixing endophytes are an efficient, economical and environment-friendly approach to provide nitrogen nutrient to crops. Nitrogen fixed by endophytes is almost 100% available to the plant they grow within, therefore greatly reducing the possibility of fixed nitrogen being washed off plant and polluting water bodies. This nitrogen would be produced and available throughout the growing season, therefore reducing or eliminating the need of expensive chemically synthesized nitrogen.

Moreover, endophytes have also been shown to provide other health benefits to their host plant.

Background:

White mold disease or cottony rot affects over 450 species of plants including many important cash crops. It is caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a fungus that is commonly found in the soil on farms. It is capable of infecting plants at any stage of growth including harvested produce and seeds in storage. Historically, fungal infections of cash crops have caused drastic losses in crop yields in U.S.A. until the discovery of fungicides in the 1900s. Currently, farmers rely on fungicides to prevent outbreak of diseases like white mold on their farms.

However, the increasing use of fungicides have generated concerns over their long term effect on human health. Moreover, some fungicides such as chlorothalonil is harmful to aquatic life whilst others such as triazole can only be used at specific growth stages of plants. Farmers engaged in organic agriculture use copper and sulfur as a natural fungicide, however, overexposure to these chemicals could have some negative impact on human health.

In view of these challenges, researchers at SDSU have been working on an environmentally friendly approach to control the spread of fungus on farms.

Description:

This technology describes the use of a unique mycovirus of S. sclerotiorum to block growth and infectivity of the fungus on seeds and plants. It constitutes a proprietary infectious clone of ssHADV-1 (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum hypovirulence associated DNA virus) capable of replication in the fungal host. Researchers have shown that infection of fungi by the mycovirus suppresses the fungi’s ability to form infectious lesions on plants thereby inhibiting fungal growth. This is an environmentally friendly approach in which ssHADV-1 could be used as a biopesticide spray or seed coating to suppress white mold disease caused by S. sclerotiorum on a large scale.

Advantages:

ssHADV-1 is a naturally occurring mycovirus and strains have been isolated from dragonfly and damselfly in USA. Infection by ssHADV-1 is highly specific to S. sclerotiorum and has no negative impact on plant, animal and human health.

The use of ssHADV-1 mediated fungal control as a biopesticide spray or seed coating will help farmers to cut cost of fungicides and minimize the negative side effects associated with the use of synthetic chemicals.

Background:

Biochar is a primary co-product produced in the manufacturing of biofuels. Converting this waste product into something useable would greatly improve the economic sustainability and viability of the biofuel production process. One potential conversion is activated carbons.

All of the current activation processes are expensive and not capable of producing high-quality activated carbons because of high ash content in the starting feedstock.

Description:

This technology provides materials and methods for the production of activated carbons from biochar, where such activated carbons have specific area and pore volume characteristics. The activated carbons may be used for any purpose necessitating the need for them, such as water purification, air-cleaning, solvent recovery, catalyst supports and as an energy storage form. They may also be useful in the production of a super anode for a super capacitor or battery.

Advantages:

This technology is directed to improve methods for producing high-quality activated carbons from biochar. This technology also provides materials and methods for creation of activated carbons useful for purification of water, adsorption of gases or vapors and catalyst supports.

The methods include ash modification, physical activation, the addition of a catalyst, chemical activation and removal and/or recycling of the catalyst.

Description:

Research at SDSU has developed a preparation methods for producing functional carbon composites from biochar, an abundant byproduct from biofuel production. The carbon composites have shown to possess smart nano-gate properties to achieve electro-field stimuli-responsive control of ions and electrons transfer, which prevents leakage after charging as well as enables a smart control for charging and discharging of supercapacitors or superbatteries.

To produce functional carbon composite with smart nano-gate, stimuli-responsive polymers or inorganic materials such as silicon or silica will form a coating film on the surface of carbon particles as well as in porous surface of carbonaceous materials. To immobilize polymers and inorganic materials, surface of carbonaceous materials will be modified with oxidization, reduction or other modification to form functional groups containing oxygen, nitrogen, metal ions or other doped elements. Polymers to form stimuli-responsive nano-gate can be immobilized on carbon surface with covalent bond or weak interaction such as H bond or hydrophobic interaction after mixing and posttreatment. Polymers can also be formed by in-situ polymerization on carbonaceous materials surface. Inorganic materials to form stimuli-responsive nano-gate can be immobilized on carbon surface with covalent bond or weak interaction such as a hydrogen bond or hydrophobic interaction after mixing and post-treatment. Inorganic materials film can also be formed by in-situ deposition on carbonaceous materials surface through chemical vapor deposition or precipitation in liquid phase.

Advantages:

The Smart Nano-Gate Super-Carbon composite for a supercapacitor or battery have the potential to achieve the following:

• High capacitance
• Excellent energy and power density
• Good potential stability and low internal resistance
• Excellent recycle capacity
• Long idle energy storage time without leakage or self-discharge
• Controllable charging and discharging speed by controlling electro-field or manganic field or other stimulus in battery or capacitors

Description:

Research at SDSU has shown that the use of biochar (BC) or biochar based activated carbon (BAC) can adsorb individual chemicals or mixtures of chemicals from either liquid or gaseous streams. Biochar is a readily available byproduct of biofuel production.

Various biochemical and thermochemical technologies result in solutions that contain different levels of several types of products, typically in a solvent such as water. These chemicals may include long chain alcohols, alkenes, alkanes, aromatics and other organic chemical products. Following adsorption, the specific chemical(s) can be de-adsorbed by various mechanisms, such as temperatures or pressure swing, resulting in a liquid solution containing higher concentrations of the target chemicals. If the concentration of these chemicals is greater than their solubility, they can be separated from residual water by low cost phase separation.

For many types of biochemical or thermochemical technologies, the chemical product of interest is present in the bulk process liquid, which is often water. This aqueous solution could itself be passed through the BC or BAC to adsorb the chemical. Alternatively, the aqueous solution could be volatilized by heating, with the gas phase passing through the BC or BAC. Another option would be the use of gas or steam stripping to volatilize the chemicals, while minimizing the amount of water vapor generated. In biochemical technologies such as microalgae or cyanobacteria cultures, CO2 enriched air is passed through the culture vessel to supply CO2 and this gas can volatilize certain chemical products, so that the exhaust gas would pass through the BC or BAC.

Advantages:

The majority of biochemical and thermochemical processes to produce biofuels result in dilute mixtures of many compounds. Efficient and low cost recovery is crucially needed to achieve economic feasibility. In many cases the various chemicals present in these mixtures are difficult to economically separate. For example, butanol production processes typically also generate low levels of acetone and ethanol. The proposed BC or BAC process would separate these chemicals into individual columns based on adsorption and temperature. The cyanofactory process being developed to produce third generation biofuels from CO2 results in volatilization of water and the specific chemical in the gas phase that passes through the photobioreactor. The BC or BAC columns would adsorb the water and chemical from the gas phase, and following desorption and condensation, the concentration of the chemical should be sufficient to allow low cost phase separation.

Background:

Currently there are no simple methods of removing pollutants from agricultural drainage water or fracking water. Wastewater from other sources is typically treated by expensive biological and/or chemical methods that also may have high energy requirements. SDSU anticipates that this invention will solve currently un-addressed problems with agricultural drainage water and fracking water in a low cost and low energy input process.

Description:

This method is simple, easily scalable, readily deployable and will use a widely available, biodegradable raw material as the substrate. These same advantages should allow this technology to compete with currently used methods of treating agricultural, municipal and industrial wastewater. For cleanup of sub-surface agricultural drainage water a box containing biochar (BC) or biochar based activated biochar (BAC) could be placed on the end of the drainage lines so that as the drainage water passes through the BC or BAC the chemicals in the water would be trapped

A simple companion test could be developed to determine when the BC or BAC was saturated with chemicals and needed to be changed out, such as a simple colorimetric nitrogen test. The biochar could then be placed into the soil to slowly release the nutrients for plant growth. The biochar itself would aid in building soil carbon. For treatment of fracking water, a similar type of system could be developed. The ultimate use of the fully adsorbed biochar would likely be different. Due to the petrochemicals adsorbed, it would be more environmentally sound to combust the used biochar to recover energy, while releasing CO2 and water vapor.

Advantages:

A broad range of applications could be exploited by this technology for the purpose of cleansing water of pollutants.

• Agricultural drainage water from tiling is known to contain nutrients and in some cases herbicides and pesticides. This agricultural runoff is known to cause the "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico, and a solution to cleanse this drainage water before it enters streams would be valuable.
• Fracking is a process in which water mixed with certain chemicals is pumped underground under high pressures to fracture the oil-bearing substratum and push out the oil. Fracking water thus contains both the chemicals added to is, along with components from the oil and substratum.
  Use of fracking is rapidly expanding, but adverse effects are now being noted. In fact, many localities are now considering regulation of this industry, as it pollutes surface and ground waters. Biochar may also find application of cleanup of other types of agricultural, municipal or industrial wastewater.

Background:

Predicting grain dryer performance and throughput have traditionally been based on experimental tests of drying systems, basic Excel models derived from experimental tests and rules of thumb based on correlations developed over 50 years ago. Although theoretical models from predicting grain drying have been developed, none have brought all the drying phenomena together in a single, easy to use computer program. The ideal grain dryer is able to provide high corn drying throughput, maintain uniform and high quality grain, use minimal energy resources and operate in a reliable manner with minimal downtime.

Description:

South Dakota State University researchers have developed a software application with significant potential for grain dryer manufactures and installers. A computer application written in MATLAB that enables the user to predict the drying performance of a grain dryer for a variety of incoming corn moistures and dryer operating conditions.

A graphical user interface allows the user to easily specify the relevant test parameters and the programs solves systems of numerically-based algorithms based upon the input and coupled partial differential equations representing the conversation of mass, energy and moisture release rates. Outputs are a series of graphical plots and predicted performance conditions including air temperature, grain temperature and grain moisture content within the drying column. Additional outputs are predicted drying time, dryer throughput and energy requirements necessary to dry the grain.

Advantages:

The software application can be a useful tool for grain drying design which can guide the manufacturers and construction companies in capacity, operating and performance expectations of a particular grain dryer configuration. The practical applications of this invention include having additional insight for fine-tuning a grain drying system to improve corn drying throughput while reducing energy requirements and maintaining uniform grain quality.

Background:

Distillers Dried Grains (DDGs) originating from various ethanol plants are varied in chemical and nutritional composition. Processes for ethanol production are varied according to the company and this invariably leads to differences in the end product, namely DDG. While this is acceptable for feed applications for livestock, DDGs intended for the food market are not acceptable when they vary widely in quality and nutrient content. The chemical and nutritional compositions also have an effect on food functionality (i.e. how the ingredient actually assists in improving food quality traits such as texture, mouth-feel, flow-ability, etc.).

Description:

SDSU has developed processing schemes to minimize DDG variability and to ensure uniform food functionality traits. This invention is solely devoted to the production of in-house food grade DDGs from commercially available DDGS (with solubles). DDGS obtained from known sources were subjected to repeated washings using a variety of food-friendly solvents prior to moisture removal, heat treatment and ultra-grinding to a selected particle size.

Advantages:

There is no food grade DDG currently in the market. DDGs can be substituted for a portion of the flour used to prepare baked goods, biscuits, cookies and batters. It enhances the fiber and protein content of the food product.

Background:

Health-conscious consumers desire the benefits of low-fat diets; however, acceptable flavors and textures have not been acceptable. Cheese with reduced fat is usually rubber, grainy, dry, and elastic.

Description:

A unique highly ropy strain of Lactococcus lactis ssp cremoris (JFR) has been isolated and used at SDSU to make low-fat cheeses with superior functional properties. The produced cheese has textural characteristics similar to those in the full-fat counterpart. EPS has the ability to bind water and increase the viscosity of the aqueous phase. Among all ropy cultures tested, JFR produced the highest water-holding capacity, yield stress, consistency coefficient, and viscoelastic moduli.

Advantages:

Research has been performed to improve the texture of reduced and low-fat cheeses. This allowed certain microbial cultures to replace fat in cheese. The above-mentioned strain produced 33 and 50% reduced-fat cheddar cheeses with similar textural characteristics to those in the full-fat counterpart. Numerous EPS-producing cultures have been tested in reduced-fat cheeses in our laboratory. None of them showed the same level of improvement in the texture of reduced-fat cheeses as did JFR.

Background:

One of the main needs of new formulations of dough products is to find the expansion of the dough under optimal conditions. Current dough rheology systems are only effective about 50% of the time in estimating loaf volume and require elaborate and expensive instrumentation and training.

Description:

SDSU researchers have devised a system to determine the proper dough-forming parameters and then the expansion of the dough to determine the potential of the experimental wheat varieties to produce bread. The dough can be mixed to optimal conditions, expanded and the volume of the dough is then correlated to loaf volume achieved using a scientific baking procedure. The system can provide valuable information of the ability of the flour to form a gluten network and for the network to retain the expanding gasses during baking.

Advantages:

Loaf volume and the predictability of loaf volume is a holy grail in the baking industry. No single test currently is able to estimate it adequately. This system accomplishes these goals by simply adding water to flour, mixing the two, and subjecting the mixture to vacuum treatment. The apparatus and technique will significantly reduce the time spent in determining end-use applications. The only currently available alternative to test baking potential is to take the flour through baking trials and to measure bread characteristics. This apparatus and technique can greatly speed up the dough quality evaluations and reduce the cost of quality assurance.

Background:

Yogurts are fermented products that are produced by the lactic fermentation of heated milk. Proteins are the structural building blocks of fermented food like yogurts. The texture and viscosity of yogurt can be manipulated in a variety of ways.

Description:

SDSU researchers have reported a new process technology for preparation of set or stirred yogurt using one or both of the following treatment, which includes treatment of use of milk proteins with carbon dioxide, referred to as functional milk proteins (FMP). The treatment may consist either or both of the following:

• Treatment of milk protein with carbon dioxide followed by membrane filtration and/or
• Partial replacement of the total milk protein in the yogurt milk with carbon dioxide treated FMP to formulate the yogurt milk which is followed by heat treatment and acidification of yogurt milk using either lactic acid bacteria or chemical acidulants to a pH necessary for gelation of milks and turn into yogurt.

Advantages:

Yogurt made from carbon dioxide treated milk proteins (FMP) has several advantages over various processes currently practiced in the yogurt industry. Use of this technology yields the yogurts with significantly higher G’, better firmness, viscosity, body and texture compared to non-treated milk. The milk proteins treated using carbon dioxide are more functional and help to reduce the need for stabilizers and hydrocolloids. Thus, this process will provide clean label products at low cost without compromising the taste or texture of yogurt.

The process can also decrease the time required for gelation of yogurt milk and increase the gelation pH required for yogurt milk resulting in increased efficiency in manufacturing to produce yogurt with a longer shelf life and less acidic taste. The treatment can also change the buffering capacity of yogurt milk which can decrease the fermentation time during manufacturing, which will help to increase the throughput of the plant.

Background:

Food Grade Distillers Dried Grains (DDGS) have great potential for food applications. Currently only the livestock and aquaculture industry use DDGS as a nutrient and fiber source and there is no Food Grade DDGS in the market. DDGS originating from various ethanol plants are varied in chemical and nutritional composition. Processes for ethanol production are varied leading to differences in DDGS. DDGS intended for the food market must be uniform in quality and nutrient content.

Description:

SDSU researchers have developed a method to process and treat Food Grade DDGS. The DDGS are subjected to multiple washings using a variety of food-friendly solvents employed in a specific sequence prior to moisture removal, heat treatment and ultra-grinding to a selected particle range. Processed DDG is solvent treated and transferred by gravitation feed and the residue is then washed with an aqueous solvent and then dried prior to a supercritical CO2 extraction.

Advantages:

A Food Grade DDG will have food applications and bring new products to the market. Good manufacturing process employed in the processing of DDGS will lead to a product with uniform quality and nutrient content. The outcome is a high quality starting material for subsequent use by food companies.

DDGS can provide an ingredient with 38% protein and 40% dietary fiber with enormous applications as a protein and fiber enrichment agent.

Background:

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the top male-diagnosed cancer in the United States. The androgen receptor (AR) controls the functions of androgens within the prostate and is a major factor in PCa development.

A strong correlation between cancer and inflammation has been shown. Inflammation creates a microenvironment that is favorable to the development and progression of cancer. Natural cucurbitacins are recognized as a result of their anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and hepatoprotective properties.

The multi-faceted binding of the cucurbitacins make them potential drug candidates to treat prostate cancer.

Description:

Several estrone and cucurbitane analogs have been identified through molecular modeling to target the androgen receptor and therefore may be applicable in the treatment of prostate cancer. In vitro and in vivo results showed several analogs performing better than the standard nilutamide.

Further evidence of androgen receptor binding has been generated through an androgen receptor competitive assay. Several estrone and cucurbitacin analogs showed stronger or similar binding to the AR than nilutamide.

Advantages:

The potential of cucurbitacins and their analogs as lead drug candidates for the treatment of prostate cancer. The compounds developed have the potential to reduce cancer resistance through stronger androgen receptor binding as well as perform better than the current treatments in the marketplace and lower hepatotoxicity.

Cucurbitacins have more potential as multifaceted drugs as they reduce inflammation due to carcinogenicity and play an important role in controlling Hsp90.

Background:

Curcumin is a natural product found in turmeric, a plant native to southwest India and often hailed as “the spice of life." Curcumin is often used as a supplement for its various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

It has beneficial effects in preventing many chronic diseases including, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. It could be added as an adjuvant to other established drugs or food products. Its market was estimated at $59 million in 2009 and is anticipated to grow to $94 million by 2022.

However, many potential applications of curcumin have been limited because of its poor oral bioavailability, due to low aqueous solubility and stability and rapid metabolism. Current industrial approaches have come short of these issues to effectively increase the oral bioavailability of curcumin.

Description:

SDSU researchers have invented a curcumin formulation (Ora-curcumin) with high oral bioavailability through enhancing its aqueous solubility, and improving its stability in aqueous buffers. The aqueous solubility of curcumin was increased by over 20,000 times compared to unformulated curcumin.

In addition, with this innovative technology, the solubility of the curcumin could also be engineered to dissolve at desired pHs of GIT. The formulation is stable at various gastrointestinal pHs unlike unformulated curcumin. Importantly, the bioavailability was also enhanced by 20 times in animal studies.

Competitive Advantages:

This technology is highly effective, practical and easy to scale up and adapt for large scale production. Importantly, all the ingredients are FDA approved for oral use and cost effective for daily supplemental application. It is compatible with current industrial formulations to increase their efficiency.

By increasing the bioavailability, this technology would allow much lower dosage of curcumin than currently needed and therefore greatly increase the profit margin for the manufacturer and open up many new opportunities for curcumin in both animal and human health care business.

Patent Pending

Background:

Most solid tumors are characterized by aerobic glycolysis in which pyruvate is converted to lactate by the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase in cytosol. Oxamate produces its cancer growth inhibition by inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase. The inhibition leads to accumulation of pyruvate. Dichloroacetate (DCA) inhibits cancer growth through an inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase which allows for more pyruvate dehydrogenase available for mitochondria pyruvate oxidation. A combination of oxamate and DCA is expected to block aerobic glycolysis and facilitate mitochondria oxidation of pyruvate. Therefore, the combination is expected to inhibit cancer growth more effectively than either alone.

Description:

SDSU researchers have designed and synthesized prodrug candidates which combine DCA and oxamate using a nontoxic polyalcohol. These prodrugs have shown an increased ability to inhibit tumor formation in mice than DCA or oxamate either given alone or together.

Advantages:

A combination of oxamate and DCA should effectively inhibit cancer growth through blocking pyruvate conversion to lactate, and pushing pyruvate to mitochondria for oxidative oxidation. The prodrugs are showing an increase in tumor inhibition in comparison to giving oxamate and DCA alone or together to mice.

Patent Pending

Background:

Flaxseed oil is a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). It contains up to 57% of linolenic acid (omega-3 fatty acid) and up to 17% of linoleic acid. Due to such high content of PUFA, it is a potential skin permeation enhancer. Moreover, it has anti-proliferative activity against breast cancer.

Tamoxifen is an anti-cancer agent that binds to estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells and inhibits cell proliferation. However the systemic administration of tamoxifen is associated with severe side effects including endometrial cancer. To this end the topical delivery of tamoxifen to the breast tissue is a promising strategy for localized therapy. The topical delivery of tamoxifen is limited by its poor skin penetration characteristics.

Description:

We have developed a formulation that can harness the multifunctional properties of multiple therapeutic agents. Several oil in water emulsion formulations (nano and micro emulsions) were developed using alpha santalol or flaxseed oil as the oil phase. Alpha santalol is known to have anti-cancer properties (skin, breast and prostate cancers, among others). It also has skin penetration enhancing properties. Alpha santalol or sandalwood oil can be used as the oil phase of the emulsion.

Flaxseed oil is a rich source of PUFA and is known to have beneficial effects in prevention and treatment of cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes and inflammatory disorders. The components of PUFA (i.e., linolenic acid and linoleic acid) are known to have skin penetration enhancing properties. Further, the flaxseed oil can be used as the oil phase in the emulsion.

In a further modification of the formulation, both alpha santalol (or sandalwood oil) and PUFA were used as the oil phase in the emulsion. This formulation in addition to synergistically increasing the skin penetration may also lead to enhanced anti-cancer or anti-inflammatory activity. Further, it can be used to deliver other therapeutic agents.

Advantages:

The multifunctional property of sandalwood oil/santalol and flaxseed oil offers a number of unique advantages for the delivery of drugs for prevention and treatment of cancer and other diseases.

Background:

Cancer metastasis is the cause of cancer proliferation and treatment failure. Methods to treat metastatic cancer are needed, as few are available. SDSU has developed a liposome glutathione disulfide (GSSG) that can deliver GSSG into cells. GSSG, which cannot normally pass through the cell membrane, is an endogenous compound and an indicator for cellular oxidative stress.

Description:

The developed GSSG liposomes are not only able to deliver the GSSG into the cells, but also able to inhibit cancer metastasis. Results demonstrate that the GSSG liposomes can inhibit metastasis of all four human cancer cell lines tested (lung cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer and colon cancer). The GSSG liposomes have demonstrated the potential for treating metastatic cancer.

The GSSG liposomes can also be used as a tool to deliver GSSG into cells to study the impact of GSSG on cellular functions that are not well studied due to a lack of a method to deliver GSSG into the cell.

Advantages:

GSSG is normally not able to pass through the cell membrane and, therefore, normally acts upon the cell membrane through interactions with the cell surface. The GSSG liposomes can effectively deliver GSSG into the cells. Early studies have shown the GSSG within the cells can produce anti-metastatic and anti-cancer effects.

Further, the GSSG liposomes can be utilized to study the effect of GSSG on cellular functions.

Patent Pending

Background:

Melanoma is the most lethal type among skin cancers, causing about 75% of all skin cancer deaths. Inhibition of the Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Pathway (MAPK) signaling at any level can assist in the treatment of melanoma. Minor modifications of the estrange structure can result in extensive changes in biological activity.

Description:

SDSU researchers have designed and synthesized analogs based on the estrone skeleton by employing a computer aided drug design approach followed by the biological evaluation for the synthesized analogs. These analogs have shown potential activity as a drug candidate targeting melanoma. Second generation estrone analogs can be a viable route for obtaining non-ATP competitive inhibitors.

Advantages:

The analogs offer a novel and potential scaffolds towards the treatment of melanoma while offering new strategies towards the treatment of melanoma.

Background:

There are around more than 170 million people infected with HCV. HCV infection is responsible for 8000 deaths annually in the US. Natural products have been known as a valuable source for drug discovery for decades.

Cucurbitacin is one of the natural active constituents that can be found in the members of family Cucurbitaceae. Cucurbitacins have been validated to possess multi-faceted effect targeting different molecular targets showing clinical efficiency towards treatment of different clinical problems comprising hepatoprotective, antiinflammatory, anti-proliferative and anti-cancer activity.

Description:

Cucurbitacins are known for its inhibitory activity towards Signal Transduction activator and Transcription (STAT3). Also, there is a strong correlation between STAT3 and Protease Inhibition. Subsequently, Protease inhibitors can have anti-viral activity towards HCV.

Initially, we tested the efficacy of cucurbitacins towards reducing the levels of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) as an introductory model for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), this study showed the promising activity of cucurbitacins. Based on that, we decided to evaluate the efficiency of cucurbitacin to eradicate HCV.

We discovered the novel promising activity of different members of cucurbitacins towards reducing the levels of Hepatitis-C virus up to 90-95%.

Advantages:

SDSU researchers are developing a novel source for the treatment of HCV and BVDV. This treatment has the potential for low cost and non-toxicity compared to the current treatment regimens with better efficiency compared to current HCV treatments.

Cucurbitacins showed a remarkable potent anti-HCV inhibition. In addition to their multifaceted drug like activity to support the anti-HCV such as hepatoprotective activity, antiinflammatory, anti--STAT3-protease linked activity.

Background:

Natural products have been known as a valuable source for drug discovery for decades, with plant extracts being used for centuries as traditional medicine. Cucurbitacin is one of the natural active constituents that can be found in the members of the family Cucurbitaceae. Cucurbitacins have been validated to possess a multi-faceted effect by targeting different molecular targets, allowing for the treatment of different clinical problems by exhibiting hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and anti-cancer activity.

However, the broad spectrum of biological activity of cucurbitacins via targeting multiple molecular targets exemplifies their lack of specificity and selectivity. Therefore, it could be beneficial for structural modification of a steroidal scaffold to form a cucurbitacin-like skeleton.

Description:

SDSU researchers have adopted a molecular hybrid strategy and a series of novel compounds were developed.

Patent Pending

Background:

Recent advancements in nanotechnology have created novel opportunities in targeted therapeutics and medical imaging. Encapsulation of active molecules in polymeric nanoparticles offers many advantages including sustained release of the encapsulated drug, protection from degradation in circulation, and active or passive targeting to target tissues such as brain, liver or cancer tissue.

In addition, polymeric nanoparticles by parenteral route, especially through intravenous route poses major challenges mainly due to the rapid clearance of particles from circulation. Many particles are cleared within a matter of minutes from circulation before reaching the target site, and as a result, their applicability is heavily dependent upon their ability to remain in the circulation for a reasonable period of time.

Current technology to prolong the circulation of nanoparticles utilizes surface modification. This is an expensive, cumbersome process that also increases the hydrostatic diameter of the particles that can interfere with passive targeting of nanoparticles in cancer treatment.

Description:

SDSU researchers have developed a novel approach to enhance the circulation time of polymeric nanoparticles by modifying them to attach to the surface of Red Blood Cells in-situ. This interaction is non-covalent and reversible and the nanoparticles were found to exhibit enhanced circulation time greater than that of poly-ethylene glycol modified nanoparticles.

Advantages:

The novel approach has a longer circulation time than PEGylation, a lower cost of the technology, simplicity of the technology and no immune response. This platform technology can be used in nanotherapeutics for cancer, nanodiagnostics and nanotechnology for brain delivery.

Additionally, the approach can be applied to any particulate delivery systems such as liposomes, micelles, dendrimers, metal particles and protein particles.

Background:

The main drawbacks of cisplatin treatment are its dose dependent side effects. The side effects of cisplatin chemotherapy include general cell damaging effects such as nausea and vomiting, bone marrow suppression, immunosuppression, acute kidney damage and hearing loss.

Description:

SDSU researchers have developed a novel platinum-based drug that is more efficient than cisplatin and less toxic. The drug design is uses novel derivatives of anti-cancer drugs by conjugating with an amino acid.

Advantages:

The synthesized derivatives have the potential to increase the specificity to cancer cells through nutrition transporters. They may also lower systemic toxicity, improve the quality of life of the patient and reduce health care costs and have simple synthetic procedures and scale-up.

Background:

Many viruses remain latent in infected cells by depositing their genetic information with the host-cell’s genome. These viruses can reactivate at a later point in time leading to viral replication and disease progression.

Description:

SDSU researchers have are developing system utilized specific targeting RNA that could then be delivered to cells infected with latent viruses with a endonuclease to be released into the cytoplasm, recognize the viral genome and cleave it at one or more sites as defined by the RNAs thereby destroying the latent viral genome and curing the cell.

Advantages:

Specific variations could target the episomal DNA viruses such as HPV and HSV. Other alterations could cleave the viral DNA integrated in the host-cell genome without minimal perturbation of the host cell-genome, thereby mitigating risks of incidental oncogenic mutations.

The technology could further be used to alter host cell lines for specific DNA deletions for the creation of precise genetically modified cell lines for future research.

Background:

CDK2 (Cyclin dependent Kinase 2) is an enzyme essential to the regulation of cell growth and division. Cyclin A2, an activator of CDK2, is often overexpressed in cancer cells, which is believed to promote carcinogenesis and is often associated with poor prognosis of cancer patients. Targeting CDK2 and other CDKs in cancer therapy has long been a focus for many researchers in both academia and industry, while no CDK inhibitor has been successfully tested in clinical trials to date.

Therefore an effective Cyclin A2/CDK2 inhibitor with a new working mechanism would open up many new opportunities for cancer therapeutics development.

Description:

SDSU researchers have found and tested a lead compound which allosterically inhibits the activation of CDK2 by Cyclin A2. Upon binding, this compound changes the confirmation of CDK2, therefore inhibiting the enzymatic activity that is required in cell division.

Experimental data has proved the allosteric nature of the binding. SDSU researchers are working on solving the structure of the compound-CDK2 complex and designing new compounds based on the structure of the lead compound to improve its efficacy. These compounds will become a new class of cancer therapeutic drugs and have a great commercialization potential.

Advantages:

This is a novel mechanism that regulates a well-known cancer related target molecule, which could lead to discovery of a new class of targeted cancer therapeutics. The allosteric regulation mechanism could provide greater selectivity and better modulatory control of the target.

The lead compound has simple structure and was approved for human application, which would make the manufacturing cost low and the chance of FDA approval high.

Background:

Cornea forms the front outermost part of the eye. It acts as a physical barrier to protect the rest of the eye from germs and other potentially harmful particles in the environment. It focuses about 65-75% of the light reaching the eyes. The combined focusing power of the cornea and lens is required for clear and accurate vision.

Cornea can be damaged by an injury or cornea dystrophy. In many cases, the patient may require a cornea transplant to restore proper vision. The transplant procedure has become quite common with about 44,000 transplants performed in the U.S each year.

However, transplants are mostly performed using tissue from deceased organ donors thereby limiting the amount of possible corneal transplants that could be performed on patients who need them. Moreover, the patient can experience tissue rejection and may require another transplant to avoid further complications.

Researchers at SDSU are working on biomaterials that can be used to generate viable corneal tissue in the lab; this will enable doctors to perform more corneal transplants. Furthermore, the procedure will enable scientists to generate healthy corneal tissue using a patient’s corneal cells thereby minimizing the potential for tissue rejection and other immunogenic complications.

Currently, material that contains an exact composition of corneal tissue components is not available in the market and it is difficult to make by supplementing with various commercially available exogenous chemicals. Use of non-native materials to treat ocular injuries may produce toxic or immunogenic reactions.

Description:

SDSU researchers have generated biomaterial utilizing liquefied corneal tissue that is adaptable to various clinical uses involving cornea as well as other tissues. The tissue contains all the necessary components including extracellular matrix proteins (ECM) and carbohydrates required for proper functioning and growth of the cornea cells.

Called “liquid cornea ECMIX”, this biomaterial is ideal for the treatment of various cornea-related clinical disorders that require the generation of new corneal cells for the cure. This material is well suited for this purpose as it contains all the components native to the cornea and meshes well with the tissue when employed.

Advantages:

The product can be used to treat a wide range of cornea associated clinical conditions (corneal dystrophies, recurrent corneal epithelial erosions) that arise due to impairment in the regeneration and/or attachment of cells on the surface or inside of the cornea or to provide tensile strength and structural support.

The material is also useful in the treatment of non-ocular disorders where there is a requirement for the presence of environment rich in healthy extracellular matrix (to repair a torn ligament, or for treating war inflicted wounds in military soldiers, burn patients or for treating atrial septal defects in the heart).

Patent Pending

Background:

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy of liver cells caused by factors including liver infections, excessive alcohol use and cirrhosis. It is commonly found in Asia and Africa where liver infections such as hepatitis B and C predispose people to the disease.

According to Cancer Statistics Center new cases of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer in U.S.A is estimated to reach 40,710 with an estimated 28,920 deaths in 2017. Progression of the disease is linked to overexpression and aberrant function of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). EGFR is a single-pass transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor required for differentiation, growth and survival of cells. Moreover, malfunction of the receptor is linked to progression of other malignancies including ovarian, breast and prostate cancers.

Current treatment strategies for HCC include local ablation therapy, surgical resection and liver transplantation. As part of the global effort to combat HCC, researchers at SDSU are developing estrone analogs as potential chemotherapeutic agents. Estrone is a naturally occurring steroid found in both males and females. The design is based on the structure and function of cucurbitacins (CUCs), which are natural product compounds found in plants belonging to the cucurbitaceae family including gourds and pumpkins. CUCs have a core structure similar to estrone and they are known to possess anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties.

Current chemotherapeutic strategies for treating HCC are usually hampered by tumor resistance amid other negative side effects. The motivation for this work is to increase the pool of therapeutic agents available for treating HCC and to develop potent drugs with minimal side effects on patient health during chemotherapy and overcome drug resistance.

Description:

Researchers designed cucurbitacin inspired-estrone analogs (CIEAs) by exploiting the structural similarity between estrone and CUCs. In silicon drug design strategies were used to extensively study binding and inhibitory properties of CIEAs on EGFR kinase activity. A number of novel candidates with efficient binding properties to the kinase domain have been synthesized. MMA 132, one of the synthesized CIEAs, has shown remarkable inhibition of HCC cell line HepG2 at IC50 value of 2 µM, at least 12 times the inhibitory effect of standard Erlotinib (with IC50 of 25 µM). Further studies has confirmed binding of MMA 132 to the kinase domain of EGFR and concomitant inhibition of about 90% of its phosphorylase activity.

In addition, MM132 significantly inhibit phosphorylation of BRAF, ERK, MEK signal domain, arrest HCC at G1 phase and inhibit cell migration respectively. Phosphorylation of specific tyrosine residues in the EGFR kinase domain is required for activation of the receptor to trigger signaling cascades that promote growth and survival of cells. Thus unregulated signaling from an activated receptor promotes the growth and progression of tumor cells.

Therefore MMA 132 is a promising inhibitor of aberrant EGFR kinase activity making it a great candidate for therapeutic intervention of HCC.

Advantages:

MMA 132 and its novel counterpart analogs will increase the pool of therapeutic agents for developing efficient treatment strategies for HCC patients. The mechanism of action of MMA 132 makes it a suitable candidate for development as a multikinase inhibitor, which will extend its application to other types of cancers including colon, breast, ovarian and skin cancers.

Background:

Chemotherapy is a critical treatment strategy for cancer. Decades of research has produced numerous therapeutic agents with different efficacies and mechanisms of action against a broad spectrum of cancer types. The therapeutic effects of many anti-cancer drugs are derived from active compounds formed during metabolism in the liver. Active compounds are transported to target tissues where they exert cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. One of the major drawbacks of anticancer drug metabolism in the liver is that the active agent or by-products of metabolism exert cytotoxic effect on healthy liver cells thereby limiting the effective dosage required for treatment. During treatment of some cancer patients, physicians may have no choice but to alter treatment strategies or stop administration of certain drugs due to liver toxicity. There is a need to develop chemotherapeutic agents which will adequately protect the liver from dose-associated toxicity during chemotherapy whilst enabling clinicians to safely administer higher and more effective doses of cancer therapeutics.

Description:

Researchers at the College of Pharmacy have developed chemoprotective nanoparticles which are precisely targeted to the liver to prevent dosage-induced liver toxicity during chemotherapy. Moreover, the nanoparticles are designed to have a controlled release mechanism of action, thereby enhancing sustained liver protection over longer periods of time compared to current chemoprotective agents on the market. Therefore these nanoparticles will enable high concentrations of chemotherapeutic agents to be used (increasing the therapeutic effect) while reducing off target cytotoxicity in the liver.

Advantages:

For the first time, a chemoprotective agent specifically designed to protect the liver from systemic drug treatment is being designed to minimize the risk of liver failure among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Due to its liver specificity and controlled release mechanism of action, it will be more effective at lower doses unlike current state of the art chemoprotective agents which are relatively less effective due to systemic distribution including tissues being targeted for cancer eradication.

Moreover, this invention has great potential for prevention of alcohol-induced liver toxicity.

Patent Pending

Background:

Breath analysis has the potential for early stage detection and monitoring/sensing of acetone in diabetic patients and ethanol in alcoholics. The investigation of human breath samples, with traditional analytical methods have shown a correlation of erratic compounds with the occurrence of specific illness.

The appearance of those specific compounds, (“biomarkers”) can provide an indication to physiological breakdown and therefore, aid in the diagnosis of sickness. Breathing sensor systems promises quite a good number of advantages, but most commercially produced sensors are not good in real time measurement, due to moisture, CO2 and other kinds of air particles.

Description:

Graphene based Breathing sensors with significant selectivity for acetone and ethanol to diabetic and alcoholic patients, using molecular imprinted filter layers, have been developed. In comparison to the commercially produced diabetes and alcohol sensors, these designed prototypes are indeed very much reliable with short detection and moderate recuperation time.

These sensors will detect the acetone and ethanol molecules, with the aid of the molecular imprinted layer, which in fact acts like a filter, only permitting acetone molecules for acetone sensing and ethanol molecules for alcohol sensing. This sensing principle is on the bases of graphene adsorption (adhesion of atoms, ions or molecules from a gas, liquid, or dissolved solid to a surface.) phenomena.

Advantages:

• These designed sensors can detect 0 – 10 ppm (Parts per million) acetone, 130 to 208 ppm ethanol and even more range.
• Quick response time in 3 seconds, and recuperation time on average of 20 – 40 seconds
• The acetone/ethanol sensitivity of the sensor, is reliable (90-95%) with longevity of 40 days. Plus, it has very good sensitivity in ambient environment.

Background:

Research to produce vaccines for viral infections are laborious and requires huge financial and technical investment from governmental organizations and the private sector. A vaccine sensitizes the host’s immune system to prepare for efficient clearance of an invading virus or pathogen.

Moreover, vaccine production involves assessment of the candidate viral strain or immunogen for stability and side effects upon administration in humans or animals. A case in point is the yearly production of flu vaccines supervised by FDA. The ideal immunogen or viral strain must have high yield, maintain biochemical stability during production/storage and should elicit the appropriate immune response with minimal side effects.

The effectiveness of most flu vaccines is hampered by unwanted mutations or changes in protein stability during egg-based production or storage. Non-egg-based vaccines namely cell-based and recombinant flu vaccines are being developed to curb challenges of lengthy production time, allergic reactions and inefficient immune responses.

However, these setbacks persist and represent key challenges for research scientists and pharmaceutical companies involved in vaccine production. At SDSU, researchers have developed a vector platform capable of producing highly stable and immunocompetent vaccines for flu and other pathogenic infections.

Description:

Researchers at SDSU have developed a versatile vector platform based on novel influenza D, for the production of highly stable and immunocompetent vaccines for flu.

Moreover, it can be used for foreign immunogen or antibody delivery to protect humans from pathogenic infections such as HIV and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) because humans and pigs are naïve to influenza D. The vector system is capable of efficient replication in mammalian cells or in eggs for vaccine production with no obvious side effects to animals.

Advantages:

This novel system will produce highly stable and immunocompetent vaccines that pose little health concerns to humans and farm animals. Due to the versatile nature of the platform, it can be adapted for therapeutic delivery to cure both communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Background:

Tuberculosis (TB) is a respiratory disease that spreads by droplet infection and currently affects over 2 billion people worldwide. TB is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) and primarily affects the lungs but can spread to the spine, brain and kidneys. The bacteria has a latent infection period where it can reside in the lungs of healthy individuals for years without manifesting any symptoms of the disease.

However, the symptoms surface during moments of decreased or compromised immunity such as an acute infection or progression of a chronic disease like HIV/AIDS. During latent infection, the bacterium primarily resides in aveolar macrophages making this cell line an important target for therapeutic interventions. Aveolar macrophages are important immune cells responsible for protecting the lungs against pathogen invasion. Cases of multidrug resistant TB are common due to factors such as mismanagement of treatment regimens and exposure of healthy individuals to drug resistant strains of M.tb.

At SDSU, researchers have successfully designed a drug delivery system to effectively eradicate latent and active M. tb using a proprietary formulation of drug loaded particles.

Description:

For the first time in TB therapy, researchers at SDSU have successfully designed a delivery system that mimics both the shape and surface chemistry of M.tb with high drug payloads. The particles are capable of co-localizing with M.tb in macrophages making it more effective in targeting efficiency.

The delivery system enables new therapeutic mechanisms for which M.tb cannot develop resistance and that all current resistant strains are susceptible to eradicate latent and active M.tb.

Advantages:

The particles are biodegradable and nontoxic with high drug payloads, which makes them suitable for pulmonary delivery. Moreover, they are capable of colocalization with M.tb in macrophages making them precise in targeting M.tb within macrophages.

The formulation enables three new therapeutic mechanisms that are effective against all M.tb strains and circumvents the potential of resistance development.

Background:

Thiol groups play a significant role in various cellular functions. Cellular thiol concentrations can be affected by various physiological or pathological factors. A fluorescence imaging agent that can effectively and specifically image and quantify thiols in live cells through fluorescence microscopy is desirable for live cell thiol monitoring.

Description:

This technology provides benzofurazan compounds, including benzofurazans that are fluorogenic agents, benzofurazans that are fluorescent agents, and benzofurazan thiol conjugates. The benzofurazans can be, for example, benzofurazan thioethers. The benzofurazans can be benzofurazan sulfide compounds that are "thiol-specific" fluorogenic agents.

This invention describes the design, synthesis and determination of specificity, sensitivity and stability of novel thiol-specific Benzofurazan fluorogenic and fluorescent agents.

Advantages:

There is high demand for a thiol specific fluorogenic agent as a research tool or a potential diagnostic tool. There are only a few thiol specific agents which can be used to determine thiols through fluorescence microscopy in live cells; none of these can quickly and completely determine thiols and be used for thiol quantification in live cells. Our compound can specifically, instantaneously and completely react with a thiol to form a strong fluorescent adduct. Our compound can also be used to image and quantify thiols in live cells through fluorescence microscopy. Quantification of thiols in live cells can provide extremely valuable information on thiol-related cellular functions in real-time. It also reduces the experimental time, as well as potential artifacts associated with thiol sample isolation and processing. Our compounds can also be potentially used for determination of thiols on cell surface or in subcellular organelles.

Patent

United States provisional patent application 61/649,167

Li Y, et al., “Benzofurazan Sulfides for Thiol Imaging and Quantification in Live Cells through Fluorescence Microscopy”, Anal Chem. 2012 Aug 7;84(15):6877-83. Epub 2012 Jul 26.

Background:

Bioimaging can visualize the location, size or shape of targets by recording the fluorescence of an optical probe using confocal fluorescence microscopes. Complexes of lanthanide ions, such as ytterbium (III) have been proposed as alternative and improved optical probes, however, the key challenge for their applications in bioimaging is the need of a suitable chromophore that is capable of sensitizing lanthanide emission efficiently under long wavelength excitation.

Description:

In chemical and bioassay applications the lanthanide complexes can be employed as luminescent probes. SDSU has produced a lanthanide ion complex coordinated by one or more organic liquids and methods for using the lanthanide complexes in lanthanide-based binding assays.

The lanthanide complexes are characterized by excitation wavelengths in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, emission wavelengths in the near infrared (NIR) and/or visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, high fluorescence quantum yields and long fluorescence lifetimes. The lanthanide complexes are characterized by photophysical properties that render them well-suited for use in lanthanide-based fluorescence spectroscopy.

The resulting complexes are capable of fluorescing in the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum when excited with radiation in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum with a fluorescence quantum yield of at least 1% and a fluorescence decay lifetime of at least 20 μsec.

Advantages:

At present, commercial optical probes offer imaging windows in the visible region. As a result, probe sensitivity can be compromised by strong backgrounds signals such as autofluorescence of biosubstrates in this window. This is a major barrier for optical probes needing to achieve high sensitivity.

Additionally, short wavelength excitation is usually required for obtaining strong signals from those optical probes, which can cause severe photobleaching of biosubstrates. SDSU’s lanthanide ion complexes and methods of use can overcome the obstacles presented by the current art. The complexes provide very high emission efficiency to increase detection sensitivity with long wavelength light excitation to reduce photobleaching.

United States provisional patent application #61/620,777

Background:

Satellite images are taken for a variety of reasons, but the use of the images remains limited due to differences residing in different images from various satellites. The ability to use the images for impactful data collection in various fields including agriculture could provide value in an already existing technology.

Description:

SDSU researchers have developed a suite of algorithms and data originally designed for the cross-calibration of satellite imaging systems to “reverse-engineer” satellite imagery from multiple sensor so that the imagery is consistent between sensors.

Additionally, the difference in the atmosphere as the imagery was recorded can be accounted for resulting in high temporal resolution image data sets of the Earth’s surface by combining observations from multiple sensors.

Advantages:

The algorithms include a spectral band adjustment and atmospheric correction. The use of this proprietary data allows a user to have a consistent image from satellite imagery regardless of the source of the image or the time of day taken.

Background:

Carbon capture technologies are only as good as their ability to prevent leaking of carbon dioxide back into the environment. Utilities that invest in advanced coal plants with carbon capture technologies need to prove that the carbon stays where it is stored. The mixing of carbon dioxide from biofuel production also requires monitoring.

Description:

Air sampling equipment can push large volumes of air though a filter that will trap carbon. A fraction of the carbon that is captured will have Carbon-14 instead of Carbon-12 and the decays of Carbon-14 can be counted in a liquid scintillation counter. A comparison is made to natural background levels.

Advantages:

Nuclear counting can be performed to remove the current need for chemical assay. The methodology can find inefficiencies in current carbon capture technologies so those technologies can be repaired or optimized. Additionally, carbon storage facilities will need the ability to test for leaks of the underground storage that is available due to this technology.

Background:

Ultratrace (≤ low pg/mL concentrations) analysis of analytes is useful in many applications, but is currently difficult. For example, monitoring of drinking water for toxic chemicals (e.g., nitrosodimethyl amine) at ultralow, but still harmful, concentrations is extremely important for human health. An applicable ultratrace analysis technology would have applications in both laboratory and commercial settings.

Description:

SDSU researchers have invented a technology that could achieve routine ultratrace analysis. It combines the power of two conventional analytical technologies and achieves a sensitivity that is greater than either individually or predicted when combined.

A prototype instrument has already been built to test the theory and was able to detect analytes in the pg/mL range within a short time frame using only minimal instrument setup. This instrument can be easily scaled to achieve much more sensitive analysis. The technology is easy to adopt and implement and the result is very reliable.

Advantages:

This technology combines the strength of two conventional technologies and overcomes their limitations. It’s simple to understand and easy to adopt. It’s fully customizable, can be easily scaled up or down depending on the needs of customer.

The researchers are currently working on instrumentation to decrease the analysis time and allow analysis of multiple samples at once, allowing a customer the ability to test multiple samples in a rapid fashion. The final product could be used in any setting in which aqueous samples, including multiple samples, need ultratrace analysis.

Background:

The drug transporters P-gp and MRP2 significantly affect the absorption, distribution and excretion of many drugs. The FDA has recommended that pharmaceutical companies test all drugs for their interactions with these drug transporters. P-gp and MRP2 protein biosensors are being developed for the purpose of profiling drug libraries and other natural small molecule libraries for interaction with these drug transporter proteins to support drug discovery and improve the developmental process, the efficacy and to reduce the toxicity of many important drugs.

However, P-gp and MRP2 drug transporters have multiple drug binding pockets. Currently available transport activity based assays utilize fluorescent substrates which have limited reporting spectrums as they cannot report interactions at multiple distinct drug binding pockets.

Description:

SDSU researchers have developed a P-gp and MRP2 biosensor with the ability to identify substrates, inhibitors and/or activators for P-gp and MRP2 proteins in live cells regardless of which binding pocket the test compound interacts. The biosensors can be used in a stable cell line with unlimited scalability and at low cost. Florescence plate readers can be utilized to create high-throughput screening of drug candidate libraries.

Advantages:

The biosensor is potentially sensitive to both allosteric regulators and transportable substrates. The biosensor screening approach has unique advantages over the standard Caco-2 or MDCK monolayer assays that require long culturing period and involve laborious steps. The biosensor may provide for a cost efficient approach for comprehensive profiling of drug interactions with P-gp and MRP2.

Furthermore, standard fluorescent substrate efflux assays cannot detect substrate drugs that interact with the transporter but do not compete with fluorescent substrate binding site. In contrast, biosensor approach is capable of detecting all substrate drug interactions regardless of the binding site.

Finally, biosensor can be used for in vivo studies in animals for drug bioavailability and toxicity.

Background:

The current state of the art DSSCs are based on Pt counter electrodes, which are very expensive. In addition to lower cost, the carbon nanofibers have demonstrated lower charge transfer resistance and faster reaction rates as counter electrode for DSSCs. This innovation is expected to significantly decrease the cost of dye sensitized solar cells.

Description:

Composite of carbon nanofibers with carbon nanoparticles and platinum nanoparticles can be introduced in DSCs, PECs and fuel cells as new higher efficiency and lower cost electrodes. Such composites can introduce large surface area and hence exhibit more efficient electro-catalytic performance than traditional ones such as Pt. Large surface area and faster reaction rate than conventional electrodes can lead to reduced overall series resistance and thus improved performance.

Advantages:

The current electrodes such as pure Pt or carbon nanoparticles for DSSCs are limited by high cost for Pt, low conductivity and small surface area. The new developed composite electrodes can reduce cost, increase conductivity and surface area with lower charge and transfer resistance, and faster reaction rates as an electrode for DSSCs.

Patent Pending

Background:

Modern farming practices take full advantage of modern technology in to gather all available data in order to increase yields and decrease workload. The ability to sample real-time, accurate soil information can be a valuable source of information for the user.

Description:

SDSU researchers are developing a new Solar Cell Energy Harvesting Wireless Sensor Network (SC-EHWSN) system to provide real-time and accurate soil information. The SC-EHWSN system can be used in many environmental monitoring situations such as precision farming and using low cost solar cells and high performance software algorithms has the ability to be cost efficient and long lasting.

Advantages:

The SC-EHWSN system uses the solar cell as the power provider for the wireless sensor devices which will reduce the soil pollution of battery usage while intelligent algorithms to manage solar power harvesting can prolong the lifetime of the system.

Background:

The utilization of Photovoltaic (PV) systems is increasing rapidly in diesel based remote microgrids to reduce diesel fuel consumption which contributes to the primary cost of microgrid operation. However, load does not always correlate with the PV power availability. In addition, PV systems have challenges of uncertainty and variation. Due to the variation, a large reserve is required to compensate fluctuation and improve reliability. This causes an increment in the operational cost as the generators are now forced to operate in a lower efficiency region to provide the required reserve margin. Solar irradiance forecasting and PV power forecasting would greatly reduce the reserve requirement and improve PV energy utilization.

Moreover, with PV forecast, energy management system can better manage dispatchable resources and improve energy efficiency. Most of the solar irradiance forecasting techniques require information like weather and satellite data which may not be readily available in remote areas or would require additional sensors. A new solar irradiance forecasting method that makes use of locally available data is proposed.

This technique is well suited for remote microgrids, since it does not require any additional data besides historical solar irradiance data to forecast PV irradiance.

Description:

This solar irradiance forecasting method based on the Markov Switching Model considers past solar irradiance data, clear sky irradiance and Fourier basis functions to create linear models for three regimes or states: high, medium and low energy regimes for a day corresponding to sunny, mildly cloudy and extremely cloudy days, respectively. Fourier basis functions are used for representing daily and yearly periodic variation of solar irradiance. The best model is selected using Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC).

A case study for Brookings, SD, resulted in an average Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of 31.8% for 2001 to 2005 with higher errors during summer months than during winter months. Similarly a case studied for the same location resulted in Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 79.4 W/m2 and MAPE of 21.7 % for July 24, 2012.

Advantages:

• This solar irradiance forecasting method simply uses publicly and freely available historical solar irradiance data for forecasting irradiance for a location.
• This method does not need information like weather and satellite data.
• This method is suitable for remote locations which do not have any communication infrastructure.

Background:

Biomass to fuel conversion is the future of sustainable clean energy. However, the most common biomass to fuel conversion processes, such as fast pyrolysis, require high temperature or expensive catalyst material or both, which makes the cost of biofuel production prohibitive. They are also often inefficient and produce fuel product of inferior quality.

Description:

Dr. Cheng Zhang, an organic chemistry professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, South Dakota State University, has made a breakthrough discovery in biomass valorization. His invention uses a novel reductive catalytic system that converts biomass into gasoline-type o0f liquid transportation fuels in one step under relatively low temperature (200-260 degree C).

The material used in the catalytic system is not only cheaper than commonly used catalysts but also recyclable. The catalytic system has been applied to different feedstocks such as corn stover, switchgrass, pine sawdust and alkaline lignin to breakdown/liquefy all components of biomass into small molecules and reduce them into largely saturated hydrocarbon molecules.

The end product contains high content of branched hydrocarbons which are good for use as jet fuels and gasoline as well. Preliminary cost analysis estimates the cost of biofuel production by this procedure at 15%-50% of alternative technology.

Advantages:

This novel system works under relatively low temperature and removes most of the oxygen (up to 95%) in one step. It does not use expensive materials for catalyst and recycles every chemical used in the process. It’s free of common problems like catalyst deactivation over time and excessive char and gas formation. Dr. Zhang is actively working on the possibility of the system working without adding ethanol solvent and operating under normal pressure, which, once realized, would further reduce the cost greatly and improve the safety of the facility.

Background:

About 17% of global population lack access to electricity and around 80% of them are in remote areas. One of the solutions to this problem could be remote microgrids, which are a small-scale power supply network designed to power small communities within clearly defined electrical boundaries. The reduction in the cost of electricity in such microgrids can make electricity accessible in remote locations.

Renewable energy integration and use of batteries in diesel-based microgrids have been effective in the reduction of fuel consumption. A battery can enhance generator or load in microgrid operation to ensure full load operation. Moreover, battery improves photovoltaic (PV) utilization by storing extra energy.

However, due to low lifetime of batteries, the operational cost increases. In addition, batteries have limited energy throughput. Hence, a balance between fuel consumption and battery lifetime throughput is required to lower the operational cost.

Description:

A two-layer coordinated control approach for power management can be used for remote microgrids. These two layers are schedule and dispatch layers. Power set points of dispatchable energy resources are calculated in the schedule layer and these scheduled set points are dispatched in real time in the dispatch layer. A novel algorithm considering battery lifetime is proposed to reduce the operational cost of the microgrid. This method can help to reduce battery wear cost and fuel cost.

The effectiveness of this method was evaluated through a simulation study of PV-diesel hybrid microgrid, which consists of a 27 kW PV system, 30 kW and 75 kW diesel generators, 170 kWh lead acid battery bank and residential load with annual peak demand of 64 kW. The results from the simulation showed improvement of battery lifetime from 1.42 to 5.28 years and reduction in the operational cost by 9%.

Advantages:

• Prolongs battery life
• Reduces operational cost of the remote microgrid system

Background:

Microgrids are viable option to the remote areas or far islands where extension of the main grid is either impossible or uneconomical. Microgrid are generally comprised of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) with interconnected loads, storages and controllers. DERs may be renewable or nonrenewable energy sources.

Renewable sources like solar and wind are uncertain sources providing intermittent power output. Energy storage systems such as batteries are used to increase the utilization of photovoltaic by storing excess energy for use when production is lower than demand. Another alternative is to supplement renewable sources with non-renewable sources of energy.

However, it introduces additional costs for fuel and transportation. Batteries, therefore, are often beneficial to microgrids for maintaining reliability and power quality. A proper energy management algorithm with Controllable Area Network (CAN) can be used to control the operation of battery for the efficient operation of the microgrid.

Description:

A hybrid inverter/charger and battery management system in microgrid system can be controlled though CAN protocol. Control commands can be sent using CAN bus as physical layer of communication. CAN transmits data in terms of sequences and packages. It is an advanced differential two line serial communication network which supports real-time control.

CAN was used as communication medium from central controller to hybrid inverter/charger in the microgrid testbed at Microgrid Research Laboratory in South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD. The charge and inverter modes of the hybrid inverter/charger were changed via CAN bus. Similarly, charge rate and maximum sell ampere were set and SOC of the battery was monitored through CAN bus.

Advantages:

• The control of hybrid inverter/charger via CAN bus is well suited and economical for commercial microgrids.
• CAN bus control of COTS inverter/charger is an economical design procedure replacing expensive custom power equipment in any microgrids.

Background:

Silver nanowire electrodes are a necessary component in a good number of devices such as touch screens, cell phones, solar cells, display screens, sensors, organic light-emitting diodes, etc. Recent studies have indicated that, when silver nanowire electrodes conduct current at high levels encountered in organic solar cells, the electrodes fail in as little as 48 hours, as a result of constant electrical stress due to joule heating and sulfur corrosion.

Electrode failure is caused by Joule heating, which causes the nanowires to breakup and thus create an electrical discontinuity in the nanowire film. More heat is created, and thus failure occurs sooner, in more resistive electrodes and at higher current. However, UV-treatment (Ultraviolet light therapy) have been improvised, as an elementary way to improve the stability and longevity of a silver nanowire electrode.

Description:

UV-treatment (Ultraviolet light therapy) is primarily a form of treatment for certain skin disorders. This UV-treatment or (Ultraviolet phototherapy) is a noncomplex way to ameliorate the silver nanowire electrode stability, by forming a protective oxide layer directly on the surface of the nanowires, just like tanning beds are used both in dermatology practices for the treatment of cosmetic skin conditions (such as psoriasis, acne, eczema and vitiligo) and also indoor tanning salons for cosmetic tanning. There are no other real, viable alternatives. However, there are other solutions provided, such as imbedding silver nanowires in a metal oxide, graphene oxide, plastics, salts, polymers, PDMS, PET, PVP, PMMA etc. These solutions, have not been practically tested for stability under compounded electrical stress.

Advantages:

• This UV- treatment method has been proofed to improve silver nanowire electrode longevity under electrical stress for additional 53- 57 hours over non- treated electrodes
• With improved stability using UV-treatment, silver nanowire electrodes can compete against indium tin oxide (ITO) at the markets. Technological devices may last longer with more stable silver nanowire electrodes.

Background:

The significance of developing new types of energy conversion and storage systems is apparent by the ever-increasing human reliance on energy-based appliances, the speedily diminishing fossil fuels and the continuously growing environmental concerns. Solar cells offers a captivating option for directly photo-charging lithium-ion batteries. Currently, the photo-charging of batteries using solar cells, is unviable due to design complexity, and high cost associated to it.

Description:

An efficient photo-charging approach, where a solar cell effectively charge a battery using a DC-DC voltage boost converter have been developed. Interestingly, the converter boosts the low input voltage of the solar cell to charge the battery and further offers advantages including, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) of solar photovoltaics and battery overvoltage/undervoltage protection. For this, there were two approaches; Discrete and integrated charging. As far as for discrete charging, highest reported overall efficiency of 9.36% and average storage efficiency of 77.2% at 0.5 C discharge, was achieved for tested device.

As for integrated charging, a solar cell-battery integrated device was developed and charged using the MPPT-based DC-DC voltage boost converter. Overall efficiency as high as 4.2% with storage efficiency as high as 81.5% was achieved for tested device.

Advantages:

• This invention, potentially offers a cost-effective solution due to its lower complexity in design.
• With improved lifetime stability, this photo-charging solution can be employed in low powered portable electronics, which can appreciably enhance its reliability.
• It also has the potential to be used in sensor network applications, where continuous working is required without further monitoring.

Background:

Atomic force microscopy is undoubtedly the most adaptable and powerful microscopy technology used in studying samples at nanoscale (10−9). It is adaptable because, an atomic force microscope can not only image in three dimensional topography, but it also provides several types of surface measurements to the immediate need of scientists and engineers. It is a powerful tool that can generate images at atomic resolution with angstrom scale resolution height information and with minimum sample prep.

Description:

An atomic force microscope (AFM) based instrumentation, integrated with bias modulated hardware to probe local carrier dynamics in nanostructured and disordered materials, with high spatial resolution, have been developed. This integrated measurement system will probe charge carrier dynamics and map carrier density transport/recombination lifetimes, diffusion length, mobility and recombination rates in a wide variety of photovoltaic materials and devices based on a Conductive (C-AFM) scanner head integrated with modulated bias hardware (function generator, frequency response analyzer, high bandwidth oscilloscope and modulated laser sources).

In addition, the experimental setup of photo-CELIV measurements, using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) tool that allow measurement of charge carrier mobility and carrier concentration at different locations of the film surface, was designed too.

Advantages:

• This instrumentation based on conductive AFM approach, will enable researchers to vividly understand and quantify local charge transport parameters in various organic semiconductors, inorganic nanostructures and their hybrids in nanoscale resolution for the first time.
• This technology will aid in understanding problems related to thin film materials in nanoscale regime and the system is powerful in analyzing local charge carrier problems to make highly efficient thin film devices.

Background:

Cyanobacteria represent one of the most productive life forms on the planet due to their physical robustness, efficient nutrient uptake systems, metabolic diversity and rapid growth rates. Cyanobacteria are mixotrophic and as such can grow both heterotrophically and photosynthetically.

Description:

SDSU researchers have engineered cyanobacteria to produce an artificial peptide containing only essential amino acids that are limiting in current animal feedstuffs while at the same time cleansing the wastewater of nitrogen. Producing a protein high in limiting amino acids can be used in livestock and aquaculture applications while converting the unutilized nutrients in wastewaters can convert the negative value nutrients currently in wastewaters into a high value feed component.

Advantages:

Typically wastewaters must be treated by physical and/or biological means to remove these nutrients, while also reducing biological oxygen demand. Current options have high associated costs and do not provide any significant economic returns from the valuable nutrients entering the process.

In fact, many systems incorporate a denitrification process that converts valuable nitrogen sources into nitrogen gas that is released back into the atmosphere. At best, some systems recover energy in the form of methane, as well as nutrients that are returned to the soil, but these returns do not offset the high costs of treatment.

Background:

Water is critical to survival of life on earth; maintaining balance in the water cycle in ecosystems is important to ensure the safety and continuity of both human and animal life. Increased contamination of water bodies has attracted a lot of attention due to ramifications on human health, environment and the economy.

According to EPA, phosphorus and nitrogen contamination from farming activities represent one of the major forms of water pollution in United States. Excessive nitrogen and phosphorus in water bodies cause algal blooms resulting in decreased oxygen content and increased levels of toxins. Such conditions are harmful to aquatic plants and fish. Water contamination has been linked to stomach, liver and neurological disorders. Nutrient polluted water can cause blue baby syndrome, a condition in which a baby’s hemoglobin has reduced oxygen capacity; this could cause death if not promptly treated. Several strategies have been employed to curtail nutrient pollution.

However, while many water management systems control the amount of run-off water released into water bodies and improve plant yield; they do not eliminate nutrient contaminants. Water treatment systems used to remove these nutrients and provide potable water are capital intensive and require highly trained personnel. At SDSU, researchers are designing alternative water treatment systems that minimize cost of purification, enable farmers and industries to efficiently remove nutrients from water and reuse the extracted nutrients for agricultural activities.

Description:

Researchers have adapted polysaccharide beads to maximize extraction of nitrogen and phosphorus in contaminated water. The approach capitalizes the presence of charged groups in a unique formulation of polysaccharide resin to capture nitrogen and phosphorus. This technology can be integrated into EPA’s Drainage Water Management System to ensure efficient capture of nutrients from run-off water. This will ensure drastic reduction of nutrient content of farm run-off water thereby preventing water pollution.

Moreover, the technology can be used for purification of storm water and can be integrated into purification systems used in urban water management systems.

Advantages:

This invention adopts the concept of ‘2Rs’ namely Remove and Reuse; farmers will have the ability to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from run-off water and reuse the beads as supplementary fertilizer. The system enables simultaneous capture of nitrogen and phosphorus, which cannot be done with current purification systems that require stepwise extraction of nutrients.