The University of Pittsburgh announced that Pitt innovators were issued 7 U.S. patents in May 2021.
Featured Patent: 11,014,285 “Extrusion Printing of Liquid Crystal Elastomers”
Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are soft polymers that undergo shape change in response to a variety of stimuli, including heat and light. Pitt innovators led by M. Ravi Shankar, professor of industrial engineering, mechanical engineering and materials science, have developed Direct-write printing can then be used to print structures capable of being triggered to morph from one state to another. This is a scalable technique that produces 3D structures capable of reversible, untethered, and low-hysteresis shape change, enabling 4D printed materials to operate as autonomous morphing structures capable of reacting to stimuli. This technology can be applied to transducing thermal, chemical, magnetic or light energy into mechanical work, soft robots, morphing medical devices, such as artificial muscles, and more.
For more information on this innovation, including licensing, contact George Coulston at gcoulston@innovation.pitt.edu.
Below is a list of patents issued to Pitt innovators in May 2021. You can also search the complete database of all Pitt innovations available for licensing.
Patent Number |
Title | Inventor(s) | Licensing Manager | Status | |||
10,995,061 | Spark Kinase Inhibitors As Neuroprotective Agents | Mohammad Bhuiyan; Dandan Sun; Xianming Deng; Jinwei Zhang; Bradley Molyneaux | Maria Vanegas | Available for Licensing | |||
11,004,543 | Methods For Modeling Hepatic Inflammation | Yoram Vodovotz; Kari Nejak-Bowen; Qi Mi; Joyeeta Dutta-Moscato; Liang Kang | Maria Vanegas | Available for Licensing | |||
11,001,890 | Mitochondrial Health Parameters As Clinical Predictors of Parkinson’s Disease | Laurie Andolina; John Greenamyre; Sruti Shiva | Maria Vanegas | Available for Licensing | |||
D918,911 | Computer Pointing Device | Aaron Anderson; Rory Cooper; Garrett Grindle; Zachary Anzelone | George Coulston | Available for Licensing | |||
11,008,624 | Methods for Predicting Prostate Cancer Relapse | Jianhua Luo; Yanping Yu; Chien-Cheng Tseng; Shuchang Liu; George Michalopoulos; Joel Nelson | Andrew Remes | Available for Licensing | |||
11,014,285 | Extrusion Printing of Liquid Crystal Elastomers | M. Ravi Shankar; Taylor Ware; Cedric Ambulo; Jennifer Boothby; Julia Burroughs; Mohand Saed | George Coulston | Available for Licensing | |||
11,013,724 | Glutaminase Inhibitors | Lee McDermott; Prema Chandrasekhar Iyer; Richard Cerione; William Katt | Abhishek Sangal | Available for Licensing | |||