Lenoir Scientist Wins Major International Scientific Competition with CRISPR and Nanocapsules

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - June 25, 2018 - PRLog -- -- Joyce Mann, CEO of Lenoir-based RMANNCO, Inc., announced today that, "RMANNCO's new Cannabis-based biocide formulation, branded as "Mussel-Buster", has been selected as the major competition prize winner in an international scientific technology search".  In December, 2017 the US Bureau of Land Management, BLM, and the Bureau of Reclamation, BR, issued "The Grand Challenge" in an effort to find new technologies that could be used to eradicate zebra and quagga mussels known to have invaded at least 29 of the lower 48 states in North America.  In response to the RFI Dr. Joseph A. Resnick, RMANNCO's Emeritus Chief Scientist, submitted a White Paper detailing a novel delivery system he designed specifically to address problems with the present methods and to present a novel approach that included the use of next-generation Nanotechnology and the CRISPR DNA algorithms.

The Bureau of Reclamation's 'Grand Challenge' ended abruptly the week of May 5, 2018 without any winners being named.  According to Sherri Pucherelli, Administrator of the invasive species eradication initiative at the Bureau of Reclamation, "BR has no plans to move into Phase II".  Dr. Resnick's submission can be viewed at NASA's Invent the Future Contest page at https://t.co/gptYOrv0JE .

In March, 2018, a technical challenge was posted on Innocentive.com's web portal at www.innocentive.com/ar/challenge/9934049 entitled, "Novel Methods for Controlling Non-native Marine Species".  The Australian Species Challenge was issued by The National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, Ltd., (NIWA); Australian Government Department of Agriculture & Water Resources (DAWA) and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Western Australia (DPIRD).  The challenge was jointly sponsored by the governments of Australia and New Zealand. Joyce Mann said that Dr. Resnick responded to the Australian Species Challenge in mid-March, 2018.

According to Ms. Mann, Dr. Resnick received notification from the staff at Innocentive .com on Tuesday, June 19, 2018 that his proposal had been chosen by the Sponsors of the Australian Non-Native Species Challenge as the grand prize winner.  Subsequently, Mann said that Dr. Resnick informed Ms. Pucherelli of BR that his proposal, which was similar to that submitted to BLM/BR, had been designated  the grand prize winner.  Ms. Pucharelli was quick to offer congratulations in an email to Dr. Resnick and his team.

In the interim, Ms. Mann said that plans are in motion to finalize the development, certification and testing of the new bioremediation products starting in September 2018 at Washington State University's Puyallup Conservation Center, in Puyallup, WA, the Pullman Research Center in Olympia, WA and at the University of Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina.  Additional studies and field trials will be carried out under the direction of Mr. Andrej' Gajic, M.S., Director of the Shark Lab located on the island of Malta.  Field trials are slated to be carried out over a three-month period in the Adriatic, the Aegean and the Mediterranean Seas.  Dr. Resnick said, "We'll be doing the bulk of the genetic work to finalize the formulation of what I call, 'the magic bullet' at the Puyallup, and Pullman facilities at WSU.  The 'magic bullet' is a nanocapsule carrying a specific DNA snippet to accomplish 'transfection' in vivo.   I'll be working directly with Dr. John Stark in the Department of Ecotoxicology and will coordinate efforts between the respective entities, e.g., with the Shark Lab and Mr. Gajic, while functioning as a Visiting Professor of Marine Biotechnology in the Institute for Veterinary Sciences at the University of Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina…while moving back and forth between the various locations and institutions."

Mann said, "The initial R&D for all the products was carried out at RMANNCO's HQ and lab in Lenoir, NC and that Cannabinoids are permitted for use as a bioremediation agent as listed in the Bureau of Reclamation's Technical Memorandum, No. MERL-2011-46.

Dr. Resnick, who holds a Ph.D. in the areas of Bioremedation and Biodefense, recognized the significance of utilizing cannabinoids as a 'green sustainable technology' and undertook development of the new class of bioremediation products in early 2016 after leaving his position as Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of Marine Biotechnology at University Malaysia Terrengganu and returning to the USA.

In the late 1980's while working with NASA, Dr. Resnick invented a way to create tiny balls, called, 'microspheres' in space see: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2016/ee_9.html.  Dr. Resnick said, "Using cannabidiol as the basic component in a new class of 'heavier-than-water' bioremediation tools is an exciting new use for hemp and will help to grow the hemp/cannabis industry".  Resnick's micro-carriers deliver cannabinoids along with other biocides and genetic material utilizing the same microscopic-sized carrier ~  nanocapsules.  The nanocapsules have numerous wall matrixes, or layers.  By creating multiple matrixes during manufacture Resnick discovered that he could enrobe genetic material, e.g., genetically-altered mussel stem cells, viruses or clustered, regularly interspaced DNA-snippets, or palindromic repeats, to accomplish the additional feature of transfection in addition to delivering the lethal necrotic agents.  The patent application calls this new feature, 'delivering the kill-shot with the magic-bullet'.

Mann concluded stating that RMANNCO looks forward to facilitating technology transfers with stakeholders in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Canada and Japan.  Mann said, "RMANNCO is in the process of filing additional US and Foreign Patents regarding the technology and welcomes inquiries from potential collaborators or potential licensees.'

For additional information contact Joyce Mann at RMANNCO, Inc.