Mr. Eraldo Batista of Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil provided TechConnect with the following update on their IP.
Lead Inventor: Eraldo L. Batista, Jr.
Industry: Pharma & Biotech
Market: Biotechnology companies that produce diagnostic kits or standards.
Technology Contact: Marli Elizabeth Ritter dos Santos, Technology Transfer Office, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Molecular diagnostics has become an important tool in modern biological sciences and research. For instance, in medicine and food industry a key application of molecular technology is related to detection and quantification of microorganisms in biological fluids and food samples.
Researchers at QuatroG Research & Development, a company located at the TecnoPUC, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) in Brazil, have developed a technology that enables the production of synthetic nucleic acid standards for detection and absolute quantification of microorganisms that overcomes the risks and costs of culturing facilities. This technology provides a fast, reliable, safe and cost-effective means of synthesizing DNA sequences that can be used to trace and quantify microorganisms in biological samples, food and cosmetics in association with fluorescence-based PCR. The technique overcomes the need for culturing and manipulating biologically contaminated samples. The technology’s market impact is most notably in the U.S. biotechnology market, which had $46 billion in revenues in 2004.
Throughout the last year, we have been further implementing the applications of the IP and seeking for partnerships in order to make the technology commercially available to others.
