Technology Offerings

High-grade textiles (e.g. Cashmere, Pashmina and other natural fibers) are nowadays often counterfeited. Cashmeres shawls labeled as „100% Pashmina” can be made out of almost 100% polyester or other synthetic fibers. For this reason, a tool to proof the fabric composition declared on the label is very desirable. The object of this invention is a reliable method to determine the type and the nature of a fiber. The characteristic diffraction pattern of the fiber, recorded with an USB camera, enables the determination of the thickness, the surface structure as well as the grade of transparency and eventually the internal structure of the fiber. On the base of this information a reliable identification of the fiber material is provided.

Monocrystalline solar cells that are produced using the relatively inexpensive CZ method (Czochralski method) display a noticeable drop in efficiency of more than 1% in absolute figures under sunlight within a few hours. This effect is called Light Induced Degradation (LID). Solar cells and modules are sold in relation to their performance. This is why elimination of light induced degradation holds tremendous economic potential. As early as 2006, a simple method for the regeneration of solar cells was developed at the University of Konstanz which proved to be very efficient at moderate temperatures and light intensity.
This well-known method has now been significantly enhanced and modified: the degradation of the Cz silicon solar cells can now be largely eliminated during the production process. The regeneration process is now carried out at much higher temperatures than before, using hydrogen that had diffused into silicon nitride. This makes the regeneration process a lot more efficient and faster. Ideally, this step follows the co-firing process during the production.

Cancer-immunotherapy is currently gaining interest thanks to novel genetic engineering technologies. The most promising approach is the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technique for redirecting hereby modified T cells against cancer-associated antigens. The herein presented CAR constitutes of a B cell-derived single chain antibody fragment (scFv) directed against TOSO. This ectodomain is fused with a co-stimulatory CD28 T cell activation domain, finally followed by a CD3ζ domain. The receptor is introduced into allogenic or autologous peripheral blood T cells by retroviral gene transfer.

Cell-based assays show high killing specificity of the anti-TOSO CAR T cells against CLL cells, whereas normal B cells remain intact. The discrimination is strongly improved in comparison to previously engineered anti-CD19 CAR T cells that are currently used in clinical studies.

The described anti-TOSO CAR T cells have a strongly improved selectivity of target cell killing. The reduction of adverse effects on normal cells provides a competitive advantage against all other CAR T cell approaches that are currently on the market.

On behalf of the University of Cologne, PROvendis offers a patent license as well as a research collaboration with licensing option.

The efficiency of solar cells can be increased simply and effectively by smoothing the back side through wet chemical etching. A smooth surface structure makes the back side highly reflective. During smoothing, the parasitic emitter on the back side is etched away as well, while a viscous paste protects the microscopic pyramidal structure on the front side. The process utilizes solely inexpensive and established technologies in industrial manufacturing of solar cells.

The recombinant peroxidase-protein G fusion protein is recombinantely produced at high yields in bioreactor cultivations of Pichia pastoris. The used process enables reproducible products of consistent high quality due to independence of varying enzyme isolates and chemical conjugation procedures.

Unevenly deposited swaths of green feed can cause an irregular flow in the forage harvester when crop is chopped in windrows. Thus, the energy consumption increases and a degradation of the quality of the chopped material is possible.

The described invention provides a remedy. One component of the invention are anticipatory sensors that detect the thickness or volume of the swath – not only directly on the machine, but also at a greater distance.