US

[SINGH INDERPAL, DRAKE III DONALD, MISHKIN ERIC, MOSER JANICE, WARREN WILLIAM L, SONG HAIFENG, TEW JOHN G] US;US The present invention relates to methods for preparing an artificial immune system. The artificial immune system comprises a cell culture comprising T cells, B cells and antigen-primed dendritic cells. The artificial immune system of the present invention can be used for in vitro testing of vaccines, adjuvants, immunotherapy candidates, cosmetics, drugs, biologies and other chemicals.

US

[William L. Warren, Donald Drake, III, Janice Moser, Inderpal Singh, Haifeng Song, Eric Mishkin, John G. Tew] US FL Orlando The present invention relates to methods for preparing an artificial immune system. The artificial immune system comprises a cell culture comprising T cells, B cells and antigen-primed dendritic cells. The artificial immune system of the present invention can be used for in vitro testing of vaccines, adjuvants, immunotherapy candidates, cosmetics, drugs, biologics and other chemicals.

[MAHMOOD, Ayesha, HERBST-KRALOVETZ, Melissa M., WARREN, William] 2501 Discovery Drive, Suite 300 Orlando, Florida 32826;Box 873503 Tempe, Arizona 85287-3503;14718 Unbridled Drive Orlando, Florida 32826;26818 N. 24th Lane Phoenix, Arizona 85085;13632 Paytons Way Orlando, Florida 32828 The invention is directed to co-culture systems comprising (i) rotating wall vessel (RWV)-cultured epithelial or differentiated tissue attached to microcarrier beads and (ii) the peripheral tissue equivalent (PTE) module of the MIMIC® system, and to methods of using the co-culture systems for assessing chemical or biological (bacterial or viral) insults. The system models mucosal exposure to chemicals, pathogens or antigen at various sites in the human body. The microcarrier and MIMIC® co-culture approach provides an in vitro co-culture model that simultaneously demonstrates mucosa-mediated antigen presentation and immunogenic responses. Models of the present invention can be used, for example, in assessments of disease pathogenesis and in pharmaceutical development, reproductive physiology, and immunological and toxicological evaluations. Models of the present invention can generate patient-specific localized mucosal immunology using primary cells, resembling the human physiological situation.

[Ayesha MAHMOOD, Melissa M. HERBST-KRALOVETZ, William WARREN] US AZ Tempe The invention is directed to co-culture systems comprising (i) rotating wall vessel (RWV)-cultured epithelial or differentiated tissue attached to microcarrier beads and (ii) the peripheral tissue equivalent (PTE) module of the MIMIC® system, and to methods of using the co-culture systems for assessing chemical or biological (bacterial or viral) insults. The system models mucosal exposure to chemicals, pathogens or antigen at various sites in the human body. The microcarrier and MIMIC® co-culture approach provides an in vitro co-culture model that simultaneously demonstrates mucosa-mediated antigen presentation and immunogenic responses. Models of the present invention can be used, for example, in assessments of disease pathogenesis and in pharmaceutical development, reproductive physiology, and immunological and toxicological evaluations. Models of the present invention can generate patient-specific localized mucosal immunology using primary cells, resembling the human physiological situation.

[TAPIA TENEKUA] US The present invention comprises rugged, inexpensive, reliable, and sensitive laboratory assays of antibody-based viral neutralization activity and antibody-based viral adherence inhibition activity. The assays use inactivated, fluorescently-labeled virus, allowing the tests to be performed without extensive safety precautions. The interaction of the labeled virus with target cells is monitored using flow cytometric methods. A preferred embodiment uses simple and inexpensive flow cytometry methodologies and equipment, such as bead array readers used as simplified flow cytometers. The assays are rapid, taking no longer than a few hours and are readily conducted by a trained technician. The assays are sensitive because they use labeled viruses at low concentrations and determine neutralizing and blocking capacity of sera and antibody at low concentrations. The methods are appropriate for high-throughput screening of large panels of samples.

[EVAN GOMES, TIRUMALAI KAMALA, LUIS MOSQUERA, VAUGHAN WITTMAN, WILLIAM WARREN, JANICE MOSER, DONALD DRAKE] ;;;;;;;

[GOMES, Evan, KAMALA, Tirumalai, MOSQUERA, Luis, WITTMAN, Vaughan, WARREN, William, MOSER, Janice, DRAKE, Donald] 2501 Discovery Drive Suite 300, Orlando, Florida 32826, US