MRC licensing opportunities – other technologies

The Medical Research Council (MRC) aims to make the valuable research tools and reagents generated by MRC scientists accessible to the wider scientific community. LifeArc manages these on behalf of the MRC for academic research use and commercial licensing.

For academic research, we can help get a standard Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) in place. For commercial purposes, materials are licensed on a non-exclusive basis for sale as catalogue reagents, in-house R&D purposes, and other commercial applications. Once a license or MTA is in place, materials will be released from our partner repositories or academics labs.

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Type

  • Stabilised SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein variants

    Submit Enquiry: Stabilised SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein variants

    Application

    The S protein variants of SARS-CoV-2 can be used as a reagent for diagnostic testing (ELISA or other antibody tests), as a component of vaccines or to isolate antibody producing B cells.

    Background

    The S protein undergoes conformational changes to interact with its receptor and to mediate fusion with the target cell. It is also unstable, and prone to denaturation resulting in changes to its structure and antigenic characteristics.

    Advantages

    These sequence variants can lead to the generation of proteins with increased stability and conformation which may give better performance in diagnostics or vaccines.

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  • Maintenance of inhalation anaesthesia in neonatal mice

    Submit Enquiry: Maintenance of inhalation anaesthesia in neonatal mice

    Application

    A novel platform that allows for constant maintenance of inhalation anaesthesia in neonatal mice. The device has been demonstrated to allow reliable manipulation of brain tissue for neuroscience research.

    Background

    For neonatal mice, inhalation anaesthesia is problematic due to a lack of appropriately sized platforms that can maintain anaesthesia during surgery.

    Advantages

    The device reduces the risk of damage to neonatal mice and so is more ethical than current methods. Furthermore, the design could be modified for use in an extended range of fields.

    Intellectual property

    European Design Numbers 007571286-0001, 007571286-0002, 007571286-0003, and 007571286-0004.

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  • Graphene support films for biological molecules

    Submit Enquiry: Graphene support films for biological molecules

    Application

    Novel graphene films for the deposition of biological molecules on to graphene for structure determination using electron cryo-microscopy.

    Background

    Graphene is not widely used as a sample support for biological electron microscopy because its hydrophobicity precludes reliable protein deposition.

    Advantages

    Partially hydrogenating graphene enables deposition of biological molecules onto graphene films for cryo-EM. These films allow for improved structural resolution of specimens due to reduced motion of specimens and reduced charge build-up on surface of specimens.

    Intellectual property

    Trademark (EUTM13496112) and patents/patent application (PCT ref. PCT/GB2014/052423) filed in IL, KR, ZA, EP, SG, US, CN, JP, CA and HK.

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  • Puffalot: A novel plunge freezer device for preparing cryo EM sample grids

    Submit Enquiry: Puffalot: A novel plunge freezer device for preparing cryo EM sample grids

    Application

    Puffalot is a cryo-EM sample preparation device that uses a puff of compressed gas to remove excess material from sample grids, leaving only a thin layer suitable for cryo-EM imaging, in a consistent, reproducible manner.

    Background

    Current methodologies for preparing cryo-EM samples rely on filter paper to blot away excess liquid from the cryo-EM grid, which can result in variation in the thickness of the protein sample and in compromised image quality.

    Advantages

    – Directionality, pressure and timing of the gas puff allows for control of sample thickness
    – High-resolution camera monitors the grid and the sample during preparation
    – Adverse interactions between macromolecule and filter paper and air-water interface are avoided

    Intellectual property

    This technology is the subject of patent application: PCT/EP2017/069240.

  • Polymerase 5D4 engineered for bi-sulphite sequencing

    Submit Enquiry: Polymerase 5D4 engineered for bi-sulphite sequencing

    Application

    Polymerase with enhanced ability to process bisulphite-treated DNA and hydrophobic base analogues, suitable for use in bi-sulphite sequencing.

    Background

    Polymerase 5D4 has utility in bi-sulphite sequencing and in processing of uracil-containing DNA templates. It was originally selected for its ability to process hydrophobic base analogues, so would have wider application in this field

    Advantages

    Polymerase 5D4 has enhanced DNA synthesis efficiency on bisulphite-treated DNA and enhanced bypass of dhU6S adducts in bisulphite-treated non-desulphonated DNA. It has improved sensitivity in PCR amplification of bisulphite-treated DNA or uracil-containing DNA templates.

    Intellectual property

    Mutations and splicing sites protected by WO05045015 and WO2009067743 (EP2215250), including granted patents EP2145956 and US9096835.

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  • Screening and evolution in emulsions

    Submit Enquiry: Screening and evolution in emulsions

    Application

    In vitro compartmentalisation for selection and evolution of phenotype

    Background

    Rights are available for the use of this estalished method for directed evolution of enzymes with desired characteristics.

    Advantages

    Water-in-oil emulsion links genotype to phenotype, allowing for high throughput screening of phenotype, e.g. screening for enzymes with desired characteristics.

    Intellectual property

    This method is protected by a patent portfolio including granted patents arising from WO/1999/02671, WO/2000/40712, WO/2003/044187, WO/2002/22869 and WO/2005/045072.

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  • Polymerase E10 for processing of CyDNA

    Submit Enquiry: Polymerase E10 for processing of CyDNA

    Application

    Polymerase with relaxed substrate specificity, capable of processing fluorescent dye-labelled nucleotides

    Background

    Polymerase E10 has utility in processing dye labelled nucleotides, of use with fluorescent probes in microarray and microfluidics applications.

    Advantages

    An engineered polymerase capable of processing dye labelled nucleotides, developed using a proprietary in vitro directed evolution technology, selected for ability to incorporate Cy3 and Cy5 dCTP.

    Intellectual property

    Granted patents that entered their respective national stage from PCT/GB2007/003254

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  • XNA polymerases

    Submit Enquiry: XNA polymerases

    Application

    Polymerase with relaxed substrate specificity, capable of processing fluorescent dye-labelled nucleotides

    Background

    Engineered variants of Tgo, the replicative DNA polymerase from Thermococcus gorgonarius, capable of synthesising RNAs and XNAs primed with a range of primer chemistries.

    Advantages

    These unique polymerases permit the templated synthesis of XNAs including ANA, FANA, CeNA, PNA and HNA.

    Intellectual property

    Granted patents and pending patent applications that entered their respective national stage from PCT/GB2011/000583 and PCT/GB2013/050991.

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