Patents by Inventor Hei-Mun Christina Fan

Hei-Mun Christina Fan 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).

  • Patent number: 11447817
    Abstract: The inventions cover systems and methods for generation of emulsions having suitable clarity without requiring refractive index matching between emulsion components. Systems can include: a substrate including a set of openings; a reservoir facing the substrate at a first side and containing a sample fluid configured for droplet formation upon interacting with the set of openings of the substrate; and a collecting container facing the substrate at a second side and containing a set of fluid layers configured with a density gradient and suitable immiscibility characteristics. One or more components of the system(s) can support methods for emulsion generation, in relation to enabling interactions between multiple continuous phases and a dispersed droplet phase to generate clear emulsions. Applications of the inventions(s) can include performance of droplet-based digital PCR in an improved manner (e.g., without requiring implementation of correction factors based upon Poisson statistics).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Enumerix, Inc.
    Inventors: Hei Mun Christina Fan, Eleen Yee Lam Shum, Janice Hoiyi Lai, Stephen P. A. Fodor
  • Publication number: 20220290236
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems directed to cell-free identification and/or monitoring of pregnancy-related states. A method for identifying or monitoring a presence or susceptibility of a pregnancy-related state of a subject may comprise assaying a cell-free biological sample derived from said subject to detect a set of biomarkers, and analyzing the set of biomarkers with an algorithm to determine the presence or susceptibility of the pregnancy-related state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Lian Chye Winston Koh, Stephen R. Quake, Hei-Mun Christina Fan, Wenying Pan
  • Publication number: 20220280941
    Abstract: This disclosure provides for devices, methods, and systems for generating a plurality of droplets within a collecting container at an extremely high rate (e.g., of at least 1 million droplets per minute, etc.), each of the plurality of droplets comprising an aqueous mixture for a digital analysis, wherein upon generation, the plurality of droplets is stabilized in position within a region of the collecting container. The inventions enable partitioning of samples for digital analyses at unprecedented rates, where readout of signals from targets within such partitions can still be achieved in accordance with various assays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Hei Mun Christina Fan, Janice Hoiyi Lai, Sixing Li, Stephen P.A. Fodor, Eleen Yee Lam Shum
  • Publication number: 20220283174
    Abstract: This disclosure provides for devices, methods, and systems for generating a plurality of droplets within a collecting container at an extremely high rate (e.g., of at least 1 million droplets per minute, etc.), each of the plurality of droplets comprising an aqueous mixture for a digital analysis, wherein upon generation, the plurality of droplets is stabilized in position within a region of the collecting container. The inventions enable partitioning of samples for digital analyses at unprecedented rates, where readout of signals from targets within such partitions can still be achieved in accordance with various assays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Hei Mun Christina Fan, Janice Hoiyi Lai, Sixing Li, Stephen P.A. Fodor, Eleen Yee Lam Shum
  • Publication number: 20220213549
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods for assessing the health of a tissue by characterizing circulating nucleic acids in a biological sample. According to certain embodiments, methods for assessing the health of a tissue include the steps of detecting a sample level of RNA in a biological sample, comparing the sample level of RNA to a reference level of RNA specific to the tissue, determining whether a difference exists between the sample level and the reference level, and characterizing the tissue as abnormal if a difference is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Lian Chye Winston Koh, Stephen R. Quake, Hei-Mun Christina Fan, Wenying Pan
  • Publication number: 20220186302
    Abstract: The inventions cover systems and methods for generation of emulsions having suitable clarity without requiring refractive index matching between emulsion components. Systems can include: a substrate including a set of openings; a reservoir facing the substrate at a first side and containing a sample fluid configured for droplet formation upon interacting with the set of openings of the substrate; and a collecting container facing the substrate at a second side and containing a set of fluid layers configured with a density gradient and suitable immiscibility characteristics. One or more components of the system(s) can support methods for emulsion generation, in relation to enabling interactions between multiple continuous phases and a dispersed droplet phase to generate clear emulsions. Applications of the inventions(s) can include performance of droplet-based digital PCR in an improved manner (e.g., without requiring implementation of correction factors based upon Poisson statistics).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Hei Mun Christina FAN, Eleen Yee Lam SHUM, Janice Hoiyi LAI, Stephen P. A. FODOR
  • Publication number: 20220176335
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods of tagging analytes in a sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: Lineage Biosciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Hei-Mun Christina Fan, Edward A. Hutchins
  • Publication number: 20220170085
    Abstract: The inventions cover systems and methods for generation of emulsions having suitable clarity without requiring refractive index matching between emulsion components. Systems can include: a substrate including a set of openings; a reservoir facing the substrate at a first side and containing a sample fluid configured for droplet formation upon interacting with the set of openings of the substrate; and a collecting container facing the substrate at a second side and containing a set of fluid layers configured with a density gradient and suitable immiscibility characteristics. One or more components of the system(s) can support methods for emulsion generation, in relation to enabling interactions between multiple continuous phases and a dispersed droplet phase to generate clear emulsions. Applications of the inventions(s) can include performance of droplet-based digital PCR in an improved manner (e.g., without requiring implementation of correction factors based upon Poisson statistics).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Hei Mun Christina FAN, Eleen Yee Lam SHUM, Janice Hoiyi LAI, Stephen P. A. FODOR
  • Publication number: 20220042098
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods for assessing the health of a tissue by characterizing circulating nucleic acids in a biological sample. According to certain embodiments, methods for assessing the health of a tissue include the steps of detecting a sample level of RNA in a biological sample, comparing the sample level of RNA to a reference level of RNA specific to the tissue, determining whether a difference exists between the sample level and the reference level, and characterizing the tissue as abnormal if a difference is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Lian Chye Winston Koh, Stephen R. Quake, Hei-Mun Christina Fan, Wenying Pan
  • Patent number: 11242558
    Abstract: The inventions cover systems and methods for generation of emulsions having suitable clarity without requiring refractive index matching between emulsion components. Systems can include: a substrate including a set of openings; a reservoir facing the substrate at a first side and containing a sample fluid configured for droplet formation upon interacting with the set of openings of the substrate; and a collecting container facing the substrate at a second side and containing a set of fluid layers configured with a density gradient and suitable immiscibility characteristics. One or more components of the system(s) can support methods for emulsion generation, in relation to enabling interactions between multiple continuous phases and a dispersed droplet phase to generate clear emulsions. Applications of the inventions(s) can include performance of droplet-based digital PCR in an improved manner (e.g., without requiring implementation of correction factors based upon Poisson statistics).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: ENUMERIX, INC.
    Inventors: Hei Mun Christina Fan, Eleen Yee Lam Shum, Janice Hoiyi Lai, Stephen P. A. Fodor
  • Publication number: 20220017952
    Abstract: The invention(s) cover a composition, where units of the composition are configured to interact with each other (e.g., as neighbors) in order enable decoding of positions of captured target material relative to neighboring units of the composition. In embodiments, the composition includes: a body; and a set of molecules coupled to the body, the set of molecules comprising a first subset and a second subset, wherein the first subset is structured for target analyte capture, and wherein the second subset is structured for interactions with one or more neighboring objects. The invention(s) also cover systems incorporating one or more units of the composition and methods implementing units of the composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Hei Mun Christina Fan, Stephen P. A. Fodor
  • Publication number: 20220010381
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods for assessing the health of a tissue by characterizing circulating nucleic acids in a biological sample. According to certain embodiments, methods for assessing the health of a tissue include the steps of detecting a sample level of RNA in a biological sample, comparing the sample level of RNA to a reference level of RNA specific to the tissue, determining whether a difference exists between the sample level and the reference level, and characterizing the tissue as abnormal if a difference is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Lian Chye Winston Koh, Stephen R. Quake, Hei-Mun Christina Fan, Wenying Pan
  • Publication number: 20210363584
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods for assessing the health of a tissue by characterizing circulating nucleic acids in a biological sample. According to certain embodiments, methods for assessing the health of a tissue include the steps of detecting a sample level of RNA in a biological sample, comparing the sample level of RNA to a reference level of RNA specific to the tissue, determining whether a difference exists between the sample level and the reference level, and characterizing the tissue as abnormal if a difference is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Lian Chye Winston Koh, Stephen R. Quake, Hei-Mun Christina Fan, Wenying Pan
  • Patent number: 11161087
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods of tagging analytes in a sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Lineage Biosciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Hei-Mun Christina Fan, Edward A. Hutchins
  • Patent number: 11162136
    Abstract: The inventions cover systems and methods for generation of emulsions having suitable clarity without requiring refractive index matching between emulsion components. Systems can include: a substrate including a set of openings; a reservoir facing the substrate at a first side and containing a sample fluid configured for droplet formation upon interacting with the set of openings of the substrate; and a collecting container facing the substrate at a second side and containing a set of fluid layers configured with a density gradient and suitable immiscibility characteristics. One or more components of the system(s) can support methods for emulsion generation, in relation to enabling interactions between multiple continuous phases and a dispersed droplet phase to generate clear emulsions. Applications of the inventions(s) can include performance of droplet-based digital PCR in an improved manner (e.g., without requiring implementation of correction factors based upon Poisson statistics).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Inventors: Hei Mun Christina Fan, Eleen Yee Lam Shum, Janice Hoiyi Lai, Stephen P. A. Fodor
  • Publication number: 20210324459
    Abstract: The inventions cover systems and methods for generation of emulsions having suitable clarity without requiring refractive index matching between emulsion components. Systems can include: a substrate including a set of openings; a reservoir facing the substrate at a first side and containing a sample fluid configured for droplet formation upon interacting with the set of openings of the substrate; and a collecting container facing the substrate at a second side and containing a set of fluid layers configured with a density gradient and suitable immiscibility characteristics. One or more components of the system(s) can support methods for emulsion generation, in relation to enabling interactions between multiple continuous phases and a dispersed droplet phase to generate clear emulsions. Applications of the inventions(s) can include performance of droplet-based digital PCR in an improved manner (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Hei Mun Christina Fan, Eleen Yee Lam Shum, Janice Hoiyi Lai, Stephen P. A. Fodor
  • Publication number: 20210324448
    Abstract: The inventions cover systems and methods for generation of emulsions having suitable clarity without requiring refractive index matching between emulsion components. Systems can include: a substrate including a set of openings; a reservoir facing the substrate at a first side and containing a sample fluid configured for droplet formation upon interacting with the set of openings of the substrate; and a collecting container facing the substrate at a second side and containing a set of fluid layers configured with a density gradient and suitable immiscibility characteristics. One or more components of the system(s) can support methods for emulsion generation, in relation to enabling interactions between multiple continuous phases and a dispersed droplet phase to generate clear emulsions. Applications of the inventions(s) can include performance of droplet-based digital PCR in an improved manner (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Hei Mun Christina Fan, Eleen Yee Lam Shum, Janice Hoiyi Lai, Stephen P. A. Fodor
  • Publication number: 20210001302
    Abstract: The invention provides a non-invasive technique for the detection and quantification of the immune repertoire, in a biological sample containing a plurality of distinct cell populations. Methods are conducted using sequencing technology to detect and enumerate immune repertoire within a heterogeneous biological sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Applicant: Lineage Biosciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward A. Hutchins, Hei-Mun Christina Fan
  • Publication number: 20200370121
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods for assessing the health of a tissue by characterizing circulating nucleic acids in a biological sample. According to certain embodiments, methods for assessing the health of a tissue include the steps of detecting a sample level of RNA in a biological sample, comparing the sample level of RNA to a reference level of RNA specific to the tissue, determining whether a difference exists between the sample level and the reference level, and characterizing the tissue as abnormal if a difference is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Lian Chye Winston Koh, Stephen R. Quake, Hei-Mun Christina Fan, Wenying Pan
  • Publication number: 20200362416
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods for assessing the health of a tissue by characterizing circulating nucleic acids in a biological sample. According to certain embodiments, methods for assessing the health of a tissue include the steps of detecting a sample level of RNA in a biological sample, comparing the sample level of RNA to a reference level of RNA specific to the tissue, determining whether a difference exists between the sample level and the reference level, and characterizing the tissue as abnormal if a difference is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Lian Chye Winston Koh, Stephen R. Quake, Hei-Mun Christina Fan, Wenying Pan