Patents Examined by Teresa Strzelecka
  • Patent number: 9885076
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods, compositions, kits, systems and apparatus that are useful for multiplex PCR of one or more nucleic acids present in a sample. In particular, various target-specific primers are provided that allow for the selective amplification of one or more target sequences. In one aspect, the invention relates to target-specific primers useful for the selective amplification of one or more target sequences associated with cancer or inherited disease. In some aspects, amplified target sequences obtained using the disclosed methods, kits, systems and apparatuses can be used in various downstream processes including nucleic acid sequencing and used to detect the presence of genetic variants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John Leamon, Mark Andersen, Michael Thornton
  • Patent number: 9862990
    Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for the use of enzymes composed of nucleic acid and/or protein enzymes to generate and amplify a signal indicative of the presence of a target. More particularly, the invention relates to compositions comprising nucleic acid structures that serve as partial or complete enzyme substrates and methods for using these structures to facilitate detection of targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: SPEEDX PTY LTD
    Inventors: Alison Velyian Todd, Evelyn Meiria Linardy, Elisa Mokany, Dina Lonergan
  • Patent number: 9845496
    Abstract: Digital assay system, including methods, apparatus, and compositions, for performing target assays in partitions each containing a generic reporter and a specific reporter for target amplification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Regan, Svilen S. Tzonev, Yann Jouvenot, Claudia Litterst, Dianna Maar, Geoff McDermott
  • Patent number: 9840741
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods for the diagnosis, or management of liver diseases, e.g. hepatocellular carcinoma, using profiles of the miRNAs determined from cellular or acellular body fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INVESTMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kevin Qu, Ke Zhang, Maher Albitar
  • Patent number: 9822408
    Abstract: Described herein are improved methods, compositions and kits for next generation sequencing (NGS). The methods, compositions and kits described herein enable phasing of two or more nucleic acid sequences in a sample, i.e. determining whether the nucleic acid sequences (which can comprise regions of sequence variation) are located on the same chromosome and/or the same chromosomal fragment. Phasing information can be obtained by performing multiple, successive sequencing reactions from the same immobilized nucleic acid template. The methods, compositions and kits provided herein can be useful, for example, for haplotyping, SNP phasing, or for determining downstream exons in RNA-seq.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Nugen Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Doug Amorese, Benjamin G. Schroeder, Jonathan Scolnick
  • Patent number: 9803250
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for detecting a fungal pathogen in a patient sample, involving isolating the sample, carrying out a PCR reaction on the sample to generate an amplicon that includes a region of the fungal 28S ribosomal RNA gene, and detecting the PCR amplicon. Also disclosed are sequences of primers for specifically detecting a broad range of fungal pathogens in the presence of human ribosomal DNA. In certain embodiments, the amplicon is detected by sequencing or by two-dimensional melt-curve analysis. In yet other embodiments, more than one fungal pathogen is detected in a sample using the methods disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
    Inventors: David N. Fredricks, Prasanna D. Khot, Daisy L. Ko
  • Patent number: 9777333
    Abstract: The disclosure provides gene fusion variants and novel associations with disease states, as well as kits, probes, and methods of using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Rhodes, Seth Sadis, Peter Wyngaard, Armand Bankhead, Dinesh Cyanam, Nikolay Khazanov
  • Patent number: 9771610
    Abstract: Methods and kits are provided for nucleic acid analysis. In an illustrative method a target nucleic acid is amplified using a first primer and a second primer, wherein the first primer comprises a probe element specific for a locus of the target nucleic acid and a template-specific primer region, and the probe element is 5? of the template-specific primer region, subsequently allowing the probe element to hybridize to the locus to form a hairpin, generating a melting curve for the probe element by measuring fluorescence from a dsDNA binding dye as the mixture is heated, wherein the dye is not covalently bound to the first primer, and analyzing the shape of the melting curve. Kits may include one or more of the first and second primers, the dsDNA binding dye, a polymerase, and dNTPs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignees: University of Utah Research Foundation, BioFire Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Carl T. Wittwer, Luming Zhou, Mark Aaron Poritz
  • Patent number: 9758812
    Abstract: The present invention is in the fields of molecular biology. The present invention is directed to novel compositions, methods and kits useful for the generation of nucleic acids from an RNA template and further nucleic acid replication. Specifically, the invention is directed to the generation and amplification of nucleic acids by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Qiagen GmbH
    Inventors: Nan Fang, Andreas Missel
  • Patent number: 9758780
    Abstract: The present invention relates to innovative means of generating sequence-linked DNA fragments and subsequent uses of such linked DNA fragments for de novo haplotype-resolved whole genome mapping and massively parallel sequencing. In various embodiments described herein, the methods of the invention relate to methods of generating paired-end nucleic acid fragment sharing common linker nucleic acid sequences using a nicking endonuclease, a T7 endonuclease, a restriction enzyme, or a transposase, methods of analyzing the nucleotides sequences from the linked-paired-end sequenced fragments, and methods of de novo whole genome mapping. Thus, the methods of this invention allow establishing sequence contiguity across the whole genome, and achieving high-quality, low-cost de novo assembly of complex genomes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Drexel University
    Inventors: Ming Xiao, Justin Sibert
  • Patent number: 9752201
    Abstract: Nucleic acid oligomers specific for human parvovirus genomic DNA are disclosed. An assay for amplifying and detecting human parvovirus genotypes 1, 2 and 3 nucleic acid in biological specimens is disclosed. Compositions for amplifying and detecting the presence of human parvovirus genotypes 1, 2 and 3 genomic DNA in human biological specimens are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kui Gao, Jeffrey M. Linnen, Kurt Craft Norton, Patricia C. Gordon, Dat Do, Tan N. Le
  • Patent number: 9752172
    Abstract: Methods and kits are provided for performing multiple rounds of sense RNA synthesis. The sense RNA molecules can be used in various research and diagnostic applications, such as gene expression studies involving nucleic acid microarrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Genisphere, LLC
    Inventors: Robert C. Getts, Kelly Sensinger, James Kadushin
  • Patent number: 9752188
    Abstract: Next Generation DNA sequencing promises to revolutionize clinical medicine and basic research. However, while this technology has the capacity to generate hundreds of billions of nucleotides of DNA sequence in a single experiment, the error rate of approximately 1% results in hundreds of millions of sequencing mistakes. These scattered errors can be tolerated in some applications but become extremely problematic when “deep sequencing” genetically heterogeneous mixtures, such as tumors or mixed microbial populations. To overcome limitations in sequencing accuracy, a method Duplex Consensus Sequencing (DCS) is provided. This approach greatly reduces errors by independently tagging and sequencing each of the two strands of a DNA duplex. As the two strands are complementary, true mutations are found at the same position in both strands. In contrast, PCR or sequencing errors will result in errors in only one strand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON THROUGH ITS CENTER FOR COMMERCIALIZATION
    Inventors: Michael Schmitt, Jesse Salk, Lawrence A. Loeb
  • Patent number: 9752173
    Abstract: The present invention realtes to systems and methods for amplifying nucleic acid. In particular, systems and methods are provided for inhibiting polymerase based terminal transferase activity within a polynucleotide amplification setting (e.g., polymerase chain reaction). In addition, systems and methods are provided for generating amplified products generated with polynucleotide amplification techniques having reduced 3? non-templated nucleotide addition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: IBIS BIOSCIENCES, INC.
    Inventors: Sherilynn Manalili Wheeler, James C. Hannis, Steven A. Hofstadler
  • Patent number: 9732386
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods of determining whether a subject is a suitable candidate for an anti-depressant treatment to alleviate a mood disorder by measuring telomere length and telomerase activity. The present invention also provides methods of assessing the efficacy of an anti-depressant treatment to alleviate a mood disorder and of predicting whether a subject is at risk of developing depression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Owen M. Wolkowitz, Synthia H. Mellon, Elissa S. Epel, Jue Lin, Elizabeth H. Blackburn
  • Patent number: 9708662
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for evaluating the epidermal homeostasis of the skin of a subject, comprising differential analysis of the expression of a gene, preferably of two genes, selected from the group of genes consisting of KRT6B, KRT16, ESRRA, CBX3, MAP3K5, TRIO, PIK3CD, TCRB, PRRG2, ICP22BP, GPX3, GBA, BPGM, NID1, SMT3H2, LGALS2, DOC1, PRKCG, S100A8, S100A9, S100A2, S100A7, K15, SPRR1B and GSN in response to a physical or chemical challenge of the stratum corneum. It also concerns various methods for diagnosing the state of the epidermis of an individual and methods for detecting and screening products or procedures which can improve epidermal homeostasis. The invention also pertains to kits and arrays which can be used in these various methods and processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventors: Peggy Sextius, Bruno Bernard, Françoise Bernerd, Claire Marionnet
  • Patent number: 9702000
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of analyzing airborne nucleic acid molecules using a device for the filtering and/or collecting of said molecules using an air sampling system, isolating the nucleic acids, and subsequent analysis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: biotec GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Bermpohl
  • Patent number: 9677119
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, the present invention provides amplification methods in which nucleotide tag(s) and, optionally, a barcode nucleotide sequence are added to target nucleotide sequences. In other embodiments, the present invention provides a microfluidic device that includes a plurality of first input lines and a plurality of second input lines. The microfluidic device also includes a plurality of sets of first chambers and a plurality of sets of second chambers. Each set of first chambers is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of first input lines. Each set of second chambers is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of second input lines. The microfluidic device further includes a plurality of first pump elements in fluid communication with a first portion of the plurality of second input lines and a plurality of second pump elements in fluid communication with a second portion of the plurality of second input lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Fluidigm Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew May, Peilin Chen, Jun Wang, Fiona Kaper, Megan Anderson
  • Patent number: 9670540
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for capturing, amplifying and identifying one or more of a plurality of target nucleotide sequences in a sample. The present invention is further directed to a device comprising a solid support having a plurality of wells or pillars and a plurality of oligonucleotides attached to the wells or pillars. Other aspects of the invention are directed to methods of making such devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignees: Cornell University, Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
    Inventors: Francis A. Barany, Steven A. Soper, George Grills, Yu-wei Cheng, Jianmin Huang, Hong Wang, Malgorzata A. Witek, Daniel Sang-won Park, Michael C. Murphy, Robin Lindsey McCarley, Mateusz L. Hupert
  • Patent number: 9663829
    Abstract: Disclosed are nucleic acid oligomers, including amplification oligomers, capture probes, and detection probes, for detection of a 16S rRNA or its encoding gene from bacterial species associated with bacterial vaginosis. Also disclosed are methods of specific nucleic acid amplification and detection using the disclosed oligomers, as well as corresponding reaction mixtures and kits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Damon Kittredge Getman, Paul M. Darby