TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: Bacterial Lipid Nanodiscs Platform
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is offering a TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY for its Bacterial Lipid Nanodiscs Platform. This platform provides a novel and safer method for studying entire bacterial membranes in a controlled, nanoscale format, derived directly from native lipid extracts. This is not a call for external services for technology development, but an invitation for companies to license the patented or patent-pending invention. Interested parties should contact LANL by December 16, 2026.
Technology Overview
The Bacterial Lipid Nanodiscs Platform enables researchers to study bacterial membrane components that are typically difficult to isolate or stabilize. It creates uniform, stable nanodiscs (approx. 10 nm wide) from total lipid extracts, encased by membrane scaffold protein MSP1D1. This method retains the full complement of native bacterial lipids in a membrane-like environment, supporting realistic biological interactions without requiring synthetic lipids or live cells. The approach has been demonstrated using Yersinia pestis to characterize lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and immunogenic lipids, offering a safer alternative to handling high-risk pathogens.
Advantages & Applications
Key advantages include:
- Provides membrane-like structures using native bacterial lipids.
- Avoids safety challenges of handling live pathogens.
- Offers a broader and more realistic lipid environment than synthetic nanodiscs.
- Enables improved assessment of membrane antigens and immune responses.
- Supports analysis of diverse bacterial species using a unified workflow.
- Creates consistent nanoscale particles for R&D settings.
Market applications span:
- Life Sciences Research (membrane biology, immunology)
- Vaccine Development (bacterial antigen discovery)
- Drug Discovery (membrane-associated targets)
- Diagnostics (lipid biomarker exploration)
- Biodefense Research (safe pathogen characterization)
Licensing Details
- Development Status: Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3
- Intellectual Property: U.S. Patent pending (LA-UR-26-24920)
- Licensing Model: Exclusive and non-exclusive licensing agreements are available for patented and patent-pending inventions and copyrighted software.
Opportunity Details
- Opportunity Type: Special Notice (Technology Licensing Opportunity)
- Agency: Department of Energy, TRIAD - DOE CONTRACTOR (Los Alamos National Laboratory)
- Product Service Code: AJ11 (General Science And Technology R&D Services; Basic Research)
- Place of Performance: Los Alamos, NM
- Set-Aside: None specified
- Response Date: December 16, 2026
- Published Date: June 15, 2026
Contact Information
For specific discussions regarding licensing, please contact Caleb Ledgerwood or Lindsay Augustyn at licensing@lanl.gov.