Acne.org Products
chuckstonchew, here's a link to a PDF document that goes over the parameters of the International Patent Cooperation Union.
http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/pct/en/texts/pdf/pct.pdf
So, what I gather from it is that a group of countries agreed to form this union in order to protect their patents in the participating countries/patent offices. But in reading some of the articles it seems like even countries participating have a lot of leeway when it comes to honoring the process. They basically can accept applications to their own patent office and make a decision about the patentability and uniqueness of the invention that runs counter to the Patent Union. And that's not even taking into account countries that don't participate. I know China has gotten a lot of flak in recent years for stealing IPs from other countries.
wentworthwhile, that was my fear exactly. If the university and two of the three researchers involved are all filing for patents that cannot be good news. Although, maybe that's more normal than I think. Also, has anyone tried to get in touch with the third inventor listed on the patent; Yu-I Shen? It would be good to know their level of involvement at this point as well.
Designated States:
AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KM, KN, KP, KR, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, RU, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW.
African Regional Intellectual Property Org. (ARIPO) (BW, GH, GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW)
Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO) (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM)
European Patent Office (EPO) (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR)
African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
So if we can find a country that's not listed, then the patent isn't valid there...?
http://sustainablesources.com/resources/country-abbreviations/
So, what I gather from it is that a group of countries agreed to form this union in order to protect their patents in the participating countries/patent offices. But in reading some of the articles it seems like even countries participating have a lot of leeway when it comes to honoring the process. They basically can accept applications to their own patent office and make a decision about the patentability and uniqueness of the invention that runs counter to the Patent Union. And that's not even taking into account countries that don't participate. I know China has gotten a lot of flak in recent years for stealing IPs from other countries.
Or if we get a country to okay our small little pursuit. Which may work since we're not trying to sell it or make a profit or anything. Just fix up a few scars right quick! 
Here is a well known report that is called 'Global Competitiveness Report' that is published by 'World Economic Forum':
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2012-13.pdf
On page 389 you can find a ranking of 144 countries around the world by intellectual property protection (Finland has the strongest procetion of intelectual property - value 6.3 and Haiti has the weakest protection of intellectual property - value 1.6)
im thinking of starting a facebook page to get more support. What do you guys think? And if so, what should i call it? Dextran Hydrogel? Dextran Hydrogel-Full Thickness skin regeneration? Hmm i dunno.
Its not the patent holding them up is it, its the funding right? Maybe through the facebook page and with info from Gerechts team we could do this. Or is this just childs play? Sometimes i feel like just a dreamer. But im sure there are so many people out there with not only acne scars, but burns, birthmarks, keloid scars who would do anything to see this happen. Maybe some of them rich!!!??? Or Maybe with the know how to get this happening through other channels. Strength in numbers right!
im thinking of starting a facebook page to get more support. What do you guys think? And if so, what should i call it? Dextran Hydrogel? Dextran Hydrogel-Full Thickness skin regeneration? Hmm i dunno.
Its not the patent holding them up is it, its the funding right? Maybe through the facebook page and with info from Gerechts team we could do this. Or is this just childs play? Sometimes i feel like just a dreamer. But im sure there are so many people out there with not only acne scars, but burns, birthmarks, keloid scars who would do anything to see this happen. Maybe some of them rich!!!??? Or Maybe with the know how to get this happening through other channels. Strength in numbers right!
That to me is a great idea.
im thinking of starting a facebook page to get more support. What do you guys think? And if so, what should i call it? Dextran Hydrogel? Dextran Hydrogel-Full Thickness skin regeneration? Hmm i dunno.
Its not the patent holding them up is it, its the funding right? Maybe through the facebook page and with info from Gerechts team we could do this. Or is this just childs play? Sometimes i feel like just a dreamer. But im sure there are so many people out there with not only acne scars, but burns, birthmarks, keloid scars who would do anything to see this happen. Maybe some of them rich!!!??? Or Maybe with the know how to get this happening through other channels. Strength in numbers right!
A great idea indeed. This is something we've always wanted to do - facebook page, talking to media, spreading the word like crazy, crowd funding, everything we could possibly do to light a fire under this thing and demand its progress. It's just hard to do these things without the consent, connection and communication with the Johns Hopkins researchers...
how much funding do they require have they said? i still dont understand why funding is required to move from tests on rats to tests on pigs? or maybe theyve already done that?
They have not said how much is needed. But it costs quite a bit of money for the trials, even though they are just on pigs. And as of early/mid November 2012, they had not done this... Not sure as of now. Doubtful as everything tends to move at snails pace, as we know. Maybe though!
I don't think it really matters how much it would cost though - I think we could get it. If we had Johns Hopkins on our side and could start a full blown movement and bring this to the attention of a lot of people, no doubt in my mind it'd take off. FULL THICKNESS SKIN REGENERATION. This is highly desired and people would put up cash for it. And you're right - all it would take would be one scarred person with a fat wallet. Unfortunately, as it stands currently, the researchers don't seem to see the value in our help... Or they're just extremely busy with everything, too busy to get back to us. I did discuss the possibility of this movement with Dr Harmon (not the specific details of it though) last year and he initially seemed quite interested.
yes i really should get consent, but if i get no answer ill still put something up as i want to spread awareness of the possibility.
maybe the name will have to be different.
chuckstonchew im unable to find anything of Dr Harmon was it? from Gerechts lab. Theres a Katherine Herman?
I would like to email all 3 of them, Gerecht, Shen, Harmon/Herman?. Also Guomings face/name is back on the page?
oh and was the name of that site/organisation for public funding?
yes i really should get consent, but if i get no answer ill still put something up as i want to spread awareness of the possibility.
maybe the name will have to be different.
chuckstonchew im unable to find anything of Dr Harmon was it? from Gerechts lab. Theres a Katherine Herman?
I would like to email all 3 of them, Gerecht, Shen, Harmon/Herman?. Also Guomings face/name is back on the page?
oh and was the name of that site/organisation for public funding?
Dr. John Harmon. He's a professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins and is also involved with developing the dextran hydrogel. I discussed our groups potential involvement with their team on a few occasions last year. He was interested but said he wasn't sure if his group was. I sent him and email in December and one a couple of days ago - neither of which have gotten a response yet. I'm not sure if I'd recommend sending him another email or not regarding the same thing... we don't want to overdo it or beat a dead horse. I don't know though, what does everyone else think? We want to appear organized and as a group and not just send them a flux of emails from various people... Or do we? Lol.
I don't think Dr. Sun's name and face were ever removed from Gerecht's lab page.
There's several different crowd funding websites. We never really decided on one in particular...
Also... Have you emailed Gerecht yet? I was thinking about possibly sending her one as a follow up to my conversation with Dr. Harmon since I can't seem to reach him. Again though, I don't think I want to overdo it!
I agree with you on not sending them emails from a lot of different people. Im sure they would find it annoying starting from square 1 and repeating themselves with each of us. I emailed Gerecht months ago and never heard back. But perhaps the same email sent to all parties involved would get us further, rather than one of them passing on info to the others only if they could be bothered.
Perhaps we should ask all the questions in 1 hit without waiting for reply emails as the to and fro could take months. If we are lucky to get 1 reply it would be good to hit all the nails on the head at once.
We should ask:
1. Whats holding the research up? Have they tested on the larger animals yet? Why not?
2. If funding is holding up the research, why & how much?
3. Is public funding of any interest to them?
4. If so can we start a facebook page using the name "Dextran Hydrogel" to gain support/funding
point out that we are/will be a mixed group, ie acne scars, birthmarks, surgery scars, wounds, burns etc
What do you think? And chuckstonchew im happy for you to continue contact if you prefer or vice versa
chuckstonstew sorry just saw the second part of your previous reply (about funding & pigs) which answers some of the things in my post. writing from the phone again!
we need to get John Hopkins on side!
if we cant start a page using the actual product name then we should still start one and just leave the brand out of the name
wentworthwhile -
Yeah, let me attempt to contact Gerecht one last time since I had several conversations with Harmon regarding this already so I can reference those conversations and she'll hopefully know who I am since Harmon did bring up our conversation to her and the other members of the team.
If I don't hear anything back from either Gerecht or Harmon in a couple weeks, then you can go for it and send them one as well!
Regarding the facebook page, I suppose we could start one with the goal of simply raising awareness. Couldn't hurt.
And just to fill you in, they've been waiting for a response from the US Department of Defense regarding funding. They filled out an application several months ago and last we heard (in November) they never heard back from them. That's the reason for the hold up.
ok great, in the process of starting up a page now. Will let you all know the details.
im thinking rich bald men might be interested too! no offence to bald men 
and then its starts becoming more and more cosmetic. But hey doesnt matter how its used, thats what will make it popular and worthwhile, the endless uses.
Hey Sharon Gerecht and Guoming Sun have their FB profiles, I've just checked it, would it be smart for us to invite them to join our FB group? Or maybe not now but when we have more members?
And I think maybe you should add this link to that FB group:
Excellent! Congratulations! 
Just a few suggestions: in the title add 'scar free healing', in the first sentence add 'University' after Johns Hopkins, remove sweat glands because sweat glands are not mentioned in their paper and don't use capital letters where it is not necessary.
Also we need to find some message boards where are people who are diabetic, war veterans and people who are bald and to invite them to like our group.
I sent him and email in December and one a couple of days ago - neither of which have gotten a response yet. I'm not sure if I'd recommend sending him another email or not regarding the same thing... we don't want to overdo it or beat a dead horse. I don't know though, what does everyone else think? We want to appear organized and as a group and not just send them a flux of emails from various people... Or do we? Lol.
Also... Have you emailed Gerecht yet? I was thinking about possibly sending her one as a follow up to my conversation with Dr. Harmon since I can't seem to reach him. Again though, I don't think I want to overdo it!
I've sent Sharon a very polite e-mail some time last year as well and she hasn't responded to me either. I think she's just annoyed by people asking her about things. Which may be an indication of how much she cares about us.
Anyway, you need to be careful with sending them e-mails at this point seeing they haven't responded on their own for a while. I'd say the ball is in their court (and I wouldn't be surprised if they took it and threw it in the bin).
ok heres the facebook link guys:
http://www.facebook....320446228073161
ive sent out a friend request to j.r martinez (soldier burn survivor)
any other high profiles you can think of?
and facebook suggested if i put a link to the actual dextran hydrogel then i wasnt imitating by using the name so i did
lol That's cool. I wonder how many people will join. Nice salamander pic, by the way. I'd join but I don't have Facebook. I actually hate how everything is Facebookized. But that's a subject for another thread. 
Excellent! Congratulations!
Just a few suggestions: in the title add 'scar free healing', in the first sentence add 'University' after Johns Hopkins, remove sweat glands because sweat glands are not mentioned in their paper and don't use capital letters where it is not necessary.
Also we need to find some message boards where are people who are diabetic, war veterans and people who are bald and to invite them to like our group.
Your search for keywords in facebook as scar, etc, and there to find people, especially keloids kind word, the Chinese spend much money on treatment for keloids and can be allies to hydrogel.
good job people
Another interesting FB group:
http://www.facebook....ps/10667387788/
Burn victim survivers
This is an attempt to reach out to burn survivors in Canada and all over the world. No matter what your age, we all have something in common and I think we should be connected. This group is also a support system for ANYONE who has been affected by burns.
For those who aren't survivors, please send this to all of your friends because they may know a survivor!
Feel free to join the discussions with us.
Definitely we should invite them to join our group.
And the best title of our group would be something like 'scar free healing and complete skin regeneration with dextran hydrogel'
Well be creative, insert somewhere a sentence that the research paper was published in PNAS magazine and that all research papers in PNAS magazine are peer reviewed. And maybe you should emphasize it was edited by Robert Langer, he is very well known scientist in the United States but I'm still not sure whether it's necessary or not.
http://en.wikipedia....obert_S._Langer
Also it is very important to emphasize somewhere that the dextran hydrogel is structurally very similar to the natural ECM (extracellular matrix), and that it is non toxic material and that it is easily digested by the neutophils (white blood cells), people will not understand what is it if they don't have some basic technical data and if they don't realize that the structure of it is similar to the ECM.
And I would change 'a wound treatment method' to 'a material for a wound treatment' or to 'a scaffold for a wound treatment' or something like that. And I would remove 'called Dextran Hydrogel'.