Monoclonal antibodies developed in Life Sciences laboratory

  The integrins area family of cell-surface proteins involved in cell attachment. Dr. Steve J. Kennel of the Life Sciences Division Biochemistry and Biophysics Section has developed monoclonal antibodies (MAb) which recognize two members of the family and can be used to identify these proteins and their role in cellular functions. Although ORNL did not patent the MAb, Russ Miller of Technology Transfer developed a bailment transfer mechanism to "sell" the antibodies to companies so that they can be made available commercially. Three companies have acquired a total of four of these MAbs. PharMingen of San Diego, California, and SEROTEC of Oxford, England, signed agreements in 1994 and 1996, respectively. The latest of these a greements, completed in March, is with Southern Biotech of Birmingham, Alabama. In the last several years previous to these agreements, Kennel's laboratory has supplied over 300 samples of these reagents to other scientists.

Contact: Steve Kennel
Phone: 574-0825
E-mail: sj9@ornl.gov