Patents by Inventor Esther Amstad

Esther Amstad has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230099063
    Abstract: The present invention relates to self-healing shells incorporating amphiphilic molecules having metal-coordinating group(s) reversibly cross-linked with metal cations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Gianluca Etienne, Esther Amstad
  • Patent number: 10876688
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the production of fluidic droplets. Certain aspects of the invention are generally directed to systems and methods for creating droplets by flowing a fluid from a first channel to a second channel through a plurality of side channels. The fluid exiting the side channels into the second channel may form a plurality of droplets, and in some embodiments, at very high droplet production rates. In addition, in some aspects, double or higher-order multiple emulsions may also be formed. In some embodiments, this may be achieved by forming multiple emulsions through a direct, synchronized production method and/or through the formation of a single emulsion that is collected and re-injected into a second microfluidic device to form double emulsions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: David A. Weitz, Esther Amstad
  • Publication number: 20200360569
    Abstract: A polymeric structure comprising a plurality of spherical or polyhedral polymeric cells bound through their sidewalls via a connection element, wherein the polymeric cells and the connection element have a different Young's modulus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Esther Amstad, Huachuan Du
  • Publication number: 20200085753
    Abstract: The invention relates to microparticles comprising a crosslinked gel and methods for making and using same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: David A. Weitz, Stefanie Utech, Esther Amstad, Raluca Ostafe, Angelo S. Mao, David J. Mooney, Connie Chang Wilking, Huanan Wang, Radivoje Prodanovich
  • Patent number: 10471016
    Abstract: The invention relates to microparticles comprising a crosslinked gel and methods for making and using same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: David J. Mooney, David A. Weitz, Stefanie Utech, Radivoje Prodanovich, Esther Amstad, Raluca Ostafe, Angelo S. Mao, Connie Chang Wilking, Huanan Wang
  • Publication number: 20190086034
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the production of fluidic droplets. Certain aspects of the invention are generally directed to systems and methods for creating droplets by flowing a fluid from a first channel to a second channel through a plurality of side channels. The fluid exiting the side channels into the second channel may form a plurality of droplets, and in some embodiments, at very high droplet production rates. In addition, in some aspects, double or higher-order multiple emulsions may also be formed. In some embodiments, this may be achieved by forming multiple emulsions through a direct, synchronized production method and/or through the formation of a single emulsion that is collected and re-injected into a second microfluidic device to form double emulsions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: David A. Weitz, Esther Amstad
  • Patent number: 10151429
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the production of fluidic droplets. Certain aspects of the invention are generally directed to systems and methods for creating droplets by flowing a fluid from a first channel to a second channel through a plurality of side channels. The fluid exiting the side channels into the second channel may form a plurality of droplets, and in some embodiments, at very high droplet production rates. In addition, in some aspects, double or higher-order multiple emulsions may also be formed. In some embodiments, this may be achieved by forming multiple emulsions through a direct, synchronized production method and/or through the formation of a single emulsion that is collected and re-injected into a second microfluidic device to form double emulsions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: David A. Weitz, Esther Amstad
  • Publication number: 20180214385
    Abstract: The invention relates to microparticles comprising a crosslinked gel and methods for making and using same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: David J. Mooney, David A. Weitz, Stefanie Utech, Radivoje Prodanovich, Esther Amstad, Raluca Ostafe, Angelo S. Mao, Connie Chang Wilking, Wang Huanan
  • Publication number: 20160279068
    Abstract: The invention relates to microparticles comprising a crosslinked gel and methods for making and using same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Stefanie Utech, Radivoje Prodanovic, Esther Amstad, Raluca Ostafe, David A. Weitz, Angelo S. Mao, David J. Mooney, Connie Chang Wilking, Wang Huanan
  • Publication number: 20160271513
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to microfluidics, and to spray drying and other drying techniques. Various embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems and methods for drying fluids contained within a channel such as a microfluidic channel. For example, a fluid may be partially or completely dried within a microfluidic channel, prior to being sprayed into a collection region. In some embodiments, the fluids may be dried relatively rapidly, resulting in spray-dried particles that are partially or completely amorphous. For instance, the fluid may contain salts, drugs, small molecules, ceramics, inorganic species, metals, sugars, polymers, etc., which may be dried to form partially or completely amorphous nanoparticles containing these species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: David A. Weitz, Esther Amstad, Frans Spaepen
  • Publication number: 20160091145
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the production of fluidic droplets. Certain aspects of the invention are generally directed to systems and methods for creating droplets by flowing a fluid from a first channel to a second channel through a plurality of side channels. The fluid exiting the side channels into the second channel may form a plurality of droplets, and in some embodiments, at very high droplet production rates. In addition, in some aspects, double or higher-order multiple emulsions may also be formed. In some embodiments, this may be achieved by forming multiple emulsions through a direct, synchronized production method and/or through the formation of a single emulsion that is collected and re-injected into a second microfluidic device to form double emulsions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: David A. Weitz, Esther Amstad
  • Publication number: 20160008778
    Abstract: Devices and methods for dividing droplets are generally described. In some embodiments, an article may comprise a fluidic channel comprising an array of obstructions. In certain embodiments, the arrangement of obstructions in the array may affect the flow path of fluid in the channel. For example, the array of obstructions may be used to convert a polydisperse population of droplets into a relatively monodisperse population of droplets. Passing a polydisperse population of droplets through the array may result in the division of droplets such that the population of droplets exiting the array has a narrower distribution in the characteristic dimensions of the droplets. The arrangement of obstructions in the array may allow for high-throughput production of a substantially monodisperse population of droplets in some cases. In some embodiments, the population of droplets exiting the array may be converted into particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: David A. Weitz, Esther Amstad, Ralph Alexander Sperling
  • Publication number: 20140284001
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to microfluidics, and to spray drying and other drying techniques. By at least partially drying fluids within a microfluidic channel, instead of or in addition to conventional spray drying techniques, better control of the drying process can be achieved in certain aspects of the invention. In addition, various embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems and methods for drying fluids contained within a channel such as a microfluidic channel. For example, a fluid may be partially or completely dried within a microfluidic channel, prior to being sprayed into a collection region. In some embodiments, gases such as air may be directed into a channel containing a fluid, which may facilitate drying of the fluid. In some cases, the fluid may be accelerated due to the introduction of gases into the channel, and in certain embodiments, droplets of fluid may be disrupted to form smaller droplets as a result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicants: President and Fellows of Harvard College, BASF SE
    Inventors: Esther Amstad, Christian Holtze, David A. Weitz