US Patent Issued to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Governors of the University of Alberta on June 17 for "Channelrhodopsins for optical control of cells" (American, Canadian Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 19 -- United States Patent no. 12,331,089, issued on June 17, was assigned to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, Mass.) and The Governors of the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada).

"Channelrhodopsins for optical control of cells" was invented by Nathan Klapoetke (Ashburn, Va.), Brian Yichiun Chow (Cherry Hill, N.J.), Edward Boyden (Chestnut Hill, Mass.), Gane Ka-Shu Wong (Edmonton, Canada) and Yongku Peter Cho (Vernon, Conn.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The invention, in some aspects relates to compositions and methods for altering cell activity and function and the introduction and use of light-activated ion channels."

The patent was filed on Feb...