Patents by Inventor Meni Wanunu

Meni Wanunu 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: 20160103067
    Abstract: Chemical functionalization of solid-state nanopores and nanopore arrays and applications thereof. Nanopores are extremely sensitive single-molecule sensors. Recently, electron beams have been used to fabricate synthetic nanopores in thin solid-state membranes with sub-nanometer resolution. A new class of chemically modified nanopore sensors are provided with two approaches for monolayer coating of nanopores by: (1) self-assembly from solution, in which nanopores ?19 nm diameter can be reproducibly ceased, and (2) self-assembly under voltage driven electrolyte flow, in which 5 nm nanopore may be coated. Applications of chemically modified nanopore are provided including, the detection of biopolymers such as DNA and RNA, immobilizing enzymes or other proteins for detection or for generating chemical gradients; and localized pH sensing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Amit MELLER, Meni WANUNU
  • Patent number: 9267917
    Abstract: Methods, devices, substrates, and systems are disclosed involving arrays of zero-mode waveguides having nanopores extending through the bases that form the bottoms of the zero-mode-waveguides. Electric fields across the nanopores are used to attach single biomolecules such as polymerase enzymes within each zero-mode-waveguide. Electric fields across the nanopores can also be used for the active loading of nucleic acid templates into enzymes attached within the zero mode waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc.
    Inventors: Meni Wanunu, Jonas Korlach, Mathieu Foquet, Stephen Turner
  • Patent number: 9121843
    Abstract: Chemical functionalization of solid-state nanopores and nanopore arrays and applications thereof. Nanopores are extremely sensitive single-molecule sensors. Recently, electron beams have been used to fabricate synthetic nanopores in thin solid-state membranes with sub-nanometer resolution. A new class of chemically modified nanopore sensors are provided with two approaches for monolayer coating of nanopores by: (1) self-assembly from solution, in which nanopores ?10 nm diameter can be reproducibly coated, and (2) self-assembly under voltage-driven electrolyte flow, in which 5 nm nanopores may be coated. Applications of chemically modified nanopore are provided including: the detection of biopolymers such as DNA and RNA; immobilizing enzymes or other proteins for detection or for generating chemical gradients; and localized pH sensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Trustees of Boston University
    Inventors: Amit Meller, Meni Wanunu
  • Patent number: 9121823
    Abstract: Disclosed are solid-state nanopore devices having pores of nanometer-scale thickness, which ultrathin (e.g., less than 10 nm thick) pores enable devices having improved resolution. Also provided are methods of fabricating such devices and of using such devices. The invention also provides nanometer-thick membranes and related methods of fabricating such membranes, which membranes are useful in high resolution microscopy applications. Further disclosed are devices for detection of analytes—including miRNA—that may be small in size and may also be present in only small quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: The Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania
    Inventors: Marija Drndic, Meni Wanunu, Tali Dadosh
  • Publication number: 20130309776
    Abstract: Provided are graphene-based nanopore and nanostructure devices, which devices may include an insulating layer disposed atop the graphene, which can be in a planar shape or nanostructured into a ribbon or other shapes, containing a single graphene layer or several layers. Graphene layers and nanostructures can be placed nearby horizontally or stacked vertically. Also provided are related methods of fabricating and processing such devices and also methods of using such devices in macromolecular analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
    Inventors: Marija Drndic, Ken Healy, Meni Wanunu, Christoper Ali Merchant, Matthew Puster, Kimberly Elizabeth Venta
  • Publication number: 20130240356
    Abstract: Methods, devices, substrates, and systems are disclosed involving arrays of zero-mode waveguides having nanopores extending through the bases that form the bottoms of the zero-mode-waveguides. Electric fields across the nanopores are used to attach single biomolecules such as polymerase enzymes within each zero-mode-waveguide. Electric fields across the nanopores can also be used for the active loading of nucleic acid templates into enzymes attached within the zero mode waveguides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc.
    Inventors: Meni Wanunu, Jonas Korlach, Mathieu Foquet, Stephen Turner
  • Publication number: 20130092541
    Abstract: Disclosed are solid-state nanopore devices having pores of nanometer-scale thickness, which ultrathin (e.g., less than 10 nm thick) pores enable devices having improved resolution. Also provided are methods of fabricating such devices and of using such devices. The invention also provides nanometer-thick membranes and related methods of fabricating such membranes, which membranes are useful in high resolution microscopy applications. Further disclosed are devices for detection of analytes—including miRNA—that may be small in size and may also be present in only small quantities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
    Inventors: Marija Drndic, Meni Wanunu, Tali Dadosh
  • Publication number: 20120276530
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method of detecting specific DNA sequences and the application of this method in the detection of pathogens, viruses, drug-resistant pathogens, genomic variations associated with disease/disorder susceptibility etc. based on specific signature sequences unique to the pathogens, viruses, drug-resistant pathogens or genomic variations. The method can also be used to distinguish a pool of same-sized dsDNA on the basis of sequence differences. The method uses non-optically labeled bis-PNA and/or gamma-PNA probes to tag specific target sequences for identification by solid-state nanopores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Amit Meller, Maxim Frank-Kamenetskii, Meni Wanunu, Heiko Kuhn, Alon Singer, Will Morrison
  • Publication number: 20120199482
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of manufacturing nanoparticles such as quantum dots at desired nanopore locations in a membrane. The methods disclosed use voltage-driven electrolyte flow to drive the nanoparticle formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: Trustees of Boston University
    Inventors: Amit Meller, Meni Wanunu
  • Publication number: 20110053284
    Abstract: Chemical functionalization of solid-state nanopores and nanopore arrays and applications thereof. Nanopores are extremely sensitive single-molecule sensors. Recently, electron beams have been used to fabricate synthetic nanopores in thin solid-state membranes with sub-nanometer resolution. A new class of chemically modified nanopore sensors are provided with two approaches for monolayer coating of nanopores by: (1) self-assembly from solution, in which nanopores ?10 nm diameter can be reproducibly coated, and (2) self-assembly under voltage-driven electrolyte flow, in which 5 nm nanopores may be coated. Applications of chemically modified nanopore are provided including: the detection of biopolymers such as DNA and RNA; immobilizing enzymes or other proteins for detection or for generating chemical gradients; and localized pH sensing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: THE TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Amit Meller, Meni Wanunu