Novel therapeutic immunotherapy compositions comprising at least two vectors, each vector encoding a functional CAR, whereby the combination of vectors results in the expression of two or more non-identical binding domains, wherein each vector encoded binding domain(s) are covalently linked to a transmembrane domain and one or more non-identical intracellular signaling motifs are provided herein as well as are methods of use of same in a patient-specific immunotherapy that can be used to treat cancers and other diseases and conditions.

Four zebrafish gene promoters, which are skin specific, muscle specific, skeletal muscle specific and ubiquitously expressed respectively, were isolated and ligated to the 5′ end of the EGFP gene. When the resulting chimeric gene constructs were introduced into zebrafish, the transgenic zebrafish emit green fluorescence under a blue light or ultraviolet light according to the specificity of the promoters used. Thus, new varieties of ornamental fish of different fluorescence patterns, e.g., skin fluorescence, muscle fluorescence, skeletal muscle-specific and/or ubiquitous fluorescence, are developed.

Novel therapeutic immunotherapy compositions comprising at least two vectors, each vector encoding a functional CAR, whereby the combination of vectors results in the expression of two or more non-identical binding domains, wherein each vector encoded binding domain(s) are covalently linked to a transmembrane domain and one or more non-identical intracellular signaling motifs are provided herein as well as are methods of use of same in a patient-specific immunotherapy that can be used to treat cancers and other diseases and conditions.

The invention relates to the use of genetic constructs, expression cassettes and recombinant vectors comprising such constructs and cassettes for gene therapy and methods for treating neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). The constructs comprise a promoter operably linked to a first coding sequence, which encodes tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and a second coding sequence, which encodes GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GCH1). The second coding sequence is 3′ to the first coding sequence, and the first and second coding sequences are part of a single operon, wherein the genetic construct does not encode aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). The construct is delivered to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the subject.

The present invention relates to methods and systems for increasing the affinity of a T cell receptor (TCR) to its ligand by subjecting the TCR gene to somatic hypermutation. The present invention further relates to use of affinity maturated TCRs to create T cells reactive against a selected antigen.

The present disclosure is directed to transgenic animals (e.g., transgenic porcine animals) comprising multiple genetic modifications that advantageously render these animals suitable donors for xenotransplanation. The present disclosure extends to organs, organ fragments, tissues and cells derived from these animals and their therapeutic use. The present disclosure further extends to methods of making such animals. In certain embodiments, the transgenic animals (e.g., transgenic porcine animals) have reduced expression of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene or have impaired function of the GHR protein.

The present invention relates to methods and systems for increasing the affinity of a T cell receptor (TCR) to its ligand by subjecting the TCR gene to somatic hypermutation. The present invention further relates to use of affinity maturated TCRs to create T cells reactive against a selected antigen.

The present invention relates to the field of genetic engineering, in particular, to a transposon-based transfection kit suitable for transfection of primary cells, such as T cells, comprising mRNA encoding a transposase, or reagents for generating mRNA encoding said transposase, as well as minicircle DNA comprising the transposon. The invention also relates to a nucleic acid, preferably, a DNA minicircle, comprising a transposon, wherein the transposon encodes a protein and at least one miRNA, wherein the sequences encoding the miRNA are located in an intron and expression of the protein and the miRNA is regulated by the same promoter. The invention also provides a population of cells obtainable with the method of the invention. Methods of transfection are also provided, as well as medical use, e.g. in immunotherapy, in particular, in adoptive T cell therapy or T cell receptor (TCR) or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) gene therapy.

This disclosure provides modified recombinant retroviruses comprisings containing a 2A-peptide or peptide-like coding sequence operably linked to a heterologous polynucleotide. The disclosure further relates to cells and vector expressing or comprising such vectors and methods of using such modified vectors in the treatment of disease and disorders.

The present invention provides multicistronic reporter vectors, acceptor stem cells for receiving multicistronic reporter vectors, and multireporter cells for use in assays for profiling two or more polypeptides in live cells, wherein the vectors comprise a reporter polypeptide under the control of a lineage specific promoter to act as a barcode for a specific cell type. Methods of making multicistronic reporter vectors, acceptor cells for receiving multicistronic reporter vectors, and multireporter cells are provided. Libraries and kits comprising multicistronic reporter vectors, acceptor cells for receiving multicistronic reporter vectors, and multireporter cells are provided. Methods of profiling/assaying the multireporter cells and multireporter cell libraries are provided.