Bioartificial Liver

Hu, W.-S., Cerra, F.B., Nyberg, S.L., Scholz, M.T., Shatford, R.A. Bioreactor device with application as a bioartificial liver, Patent No. 5,605,835, February 25, 1997.

Hu, W.-S. and Cerra, F.B. Bioreactor device employing hepatocyte spheroids. Patent No. 5,595,909, January 21, 1997.

These inventions entail a new gel entrapment bioreactor for such applications as a liver assist device and production of biologics by mammalian cells. The patents have been licensed to Algenix, Inc. for clinical trials on fulminant liver failure patients.

Mammalian Cell Culture

Hu, W.-S. and Scholz, M.T., Two-compartment three-zone bioreactor for animal cell culture. Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota. European patent, Publication No. 0380610B1, March 29, 1995.

An invention using microbeads to induce aggregation formation of adherent cells allowing high cell density to be achieved with a very low microbead concentration. The cell concentration achieved is much higher than that in a conventional microcarrier culture.

Clapper, D.L. and Hu, W.-S., Cell culture support containing a cell adhesion factor and a positively-charged molecule. Patent No. 5,512,474, April 30, 1996.

By treating their surfaces with adhesion proteins and charged molecules, microcarriers become better supports for mammalian cell growth.

Hu, W.-S. and Europa, A., Process for Continuous Culture of Cells, U. S. and European Patent (approved April 2000)

This invention is about controlling cell metabolism to minimize toxic metabolite production. The method allows for more efficient use of medium and a high cell concentration in the reactor.

Secondary metabolite production

Hu, W.-S. and Goetghebeur, S., Method for aggregating cells with small microspheres, Patent No. 5,114,855, May 19, 1992.

The introduction of a gene encoding for a rate-limiting enzyme for precursor synthesis allows for higher productivity of a secondary metabolite.