Patents by Inventor Vamsee K. Pamula
Vamsee K. Pamula 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).
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Patent number: 9358551Abstract: The invention provides a method of redistributing magnetically responsive beads in a droplet. The method may include conducting on a droplet operations surface one or more droplet operations using the droplet without removing the magnetically responsive beads from the region of the magnetic field. The droplet operations may in some cases be electrode-mediated. The droplet operations may redistribute and/or circulate the magnetically responsive beads within the droplet. In some cases, the droplet may include a sample droplet may include a target analyte. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads may cause target analyte to bind to the magnetically responsive beads. In some cases, the droplet may include unbound substances in a wash buffer. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads causes unbound substances to be freed from interstices of an aggregated set or subset of the magnetically responsive beads.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2015Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Prasanna Thwar, Vamsee K. Pamula, Arjun Sudarsan, Ramakrishna Sista
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Publication number: 20160129437Abstract: In one embodiment, a multiplex fluid processing cartridge includes a sample well, a deformable fluid chamber, a mixing well with a mixer disposed therein, a lysis chamber including a lysis mixer, an electrowetting grid for microdroplet manipulation, and electrosensor arrays configured to detect analytes of interest. An instrument for processing the cartridge is configured to receive the cartridge and to selectively apply thermal energy, magnetic force, and electrical connections to one or more discrete locations on the cartridge and is further configured to compress the deformable chamber(s) in a specified sequence.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2014Publication date: May 12, 2016Applicants: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC., GENMARK DIAGNOSTICS, INC.Inventors: JON FAIZ KAYYEM, SEAN FORD, VAMSEE K. PAMULA, VIJAY SRINIVASAN, SCOTT COREY, BRIAN MURPHY, DAVID WALTER WRIGHT, DOMINIC AIELLO
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Publication number: 20160114320Abstract: Methods are provided for manipulating droplets. The methods include providing the droplet on a surface comprising an array of electrodes and a substantially co-planer array of reference elements, wherein the droplet is disposed on a first one of the electrodes, and the droplet at least partially overlaps a second one of the electrodes and an intervening one of the reference elements disposed between the first and second electrodes. The methods further include activating the first and second electrodes to spread at least a portion of the droplet across the second electrode and deactivating the first electrode to move the droplet from the first electrode to the second electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2015Publication date: April 28, 2016Applicant: DUKE UNIVERSITYInventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Richard B. Fair
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Publication number: 20160116438Abstract: The invention provides a droplet actuator designed to provide reliable electrical connections to droplets to reduce or eliminate gas bubble formation during droplet operations. The invention also provides methods and systems for reducing or eliminating the formation of bubbles in a droplet during droplet operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2014Publication date: April 28, 2016Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan
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Patent number: 9321049Abstract: A method, circuit and apparatus for detecting capacitance on a droplet actuator, inter alia, for determining the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at an electrode on a droplet actuator by: (a) providing a droplet actuator comprising: (i) a substrate comprising electrodes arranged on the substrate for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; (ii) a capacitance detection circuit for detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; (b) detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; and (c) determining from the capacitance the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at the droplet operations surface at the electrode.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2014Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Ryan A. Sturmer, Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Philip Y. Paik
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Publication number: 20160109338Abstract: The invention provides a method of circulating magnetically responsive beads within a droplet in a droplet actuator. The invention also provides methods for splitting droplets. The invention, in one embodiment, makes use of a droplet actuator with top and bottom substrates, a plurality of magnetic fields respectively present proximate the top and bottom substrates, wherein at least one of the magnet fields is selectively alterable, and a plurality of droplet operations electrodes positioned along at least one of the top and bottom surfaces. A droplet is positioned between the top and bottom surfaces and at least one of the magnetic fields is selectively altered.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2015Publication date: April 21, 2016Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Ramakrishna Sista, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Allen Eckhardt
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Publication number: 20160096174Abstract: A method, circuit and apparatus for detecting capacitance on a droplet actuator, inter alia, for determining the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at an electrode on a droplet actuator by: (a) providing a droplet actuator comprising: (i) a substrate comprising electrodes arranged on the substrate for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; (ii) a capacitance detection circuit for detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; (b) detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; and (c) determining from the capacitance the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at the droplet operations surface at the electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2015Publication date: April 7, 2016Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Ryan A. Sturmer, Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Philip Y. Paik
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Publication number: 20160097047Abstract: A method of growing cells on a droplet actuator is provided. The method may include providing a droplet actuator including a cell culture droplet including a cell culture medium and one or more cells; and maintaining the droplet at a temperature suitable for causing the cells to grow in the cell culture medium on the droplet actuator. Related methods, droplet actuators, and systems are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2015Publication date: April 7, 2016Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Allen E. Eckhardt
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Publication number: 20160051992Abstract: The invention provides a method of redistributing magnetically responsive beads in a droplet. The method may include conducting on a droplet operations surface one or more droplet operations using the droplet without removing the magnetically responsive beads from the region of the magnetic field. The droplet operations may in some cases be electrode-mediated. The droplet operations may redistribute and/or circulate the magnetically responsive beads within the droplet. In some cases, the droplet may include a sample droplet may include a target analyte. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads may cause target analyte to bind to the magnetically responsive beads. In some cases, the droplet may include unbound substances in a wash buffer. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads causes unbound substances to be freed from interstices of an aggregated set or subset of the magnetically responsive beads.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2015Publication date: February 25, 2016Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: PRASANNA THWAR, VAMSEE K. PAMULA, ARJUN SUDARSAN, RAMAKRISHNA SISTA
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Patent number: 9267131Abstract: A method of growing cells on a droplet actuator is provided. The method may include providing a droplet actuator including a cell culture droplet including a cell culture medium and one or more cells; and maintaining the droplet at a temperature suitable for causing the cells to grow in the cell culture medium on the droplet actuator. Related methods, droplet actuators, and systems are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2014Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Allen E. Eckhardt
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Patent number: 9243282Abstract: The present invention relates to droplet-based pyrosequencing including a method of identifying a base at a target position in a sample nucleic acid. The method includes: (a) providing a droplet microactuator including a first droplet including a sample nucleic acid immobilized on a bead; and (b) on the droplet microactuator: (i) contacting the first droplet with one or more reagent droplets to yield a second droplet, wherein the one or more reagent droplets include reagents for extending a double stranded portion of the sample nucleic acid by incorporating a nucleotide at the target position; (ii) splitting the second droplet to yield a third droplet including the bead and a fourth droplet lacking the bead; and (iii) assaying the third droplet to determine whether the nucleotide was incorporated at the target position.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2012Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignees: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC, DUKE UNIVERSITY, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANDFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITYInventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Richard B. Fair, Peter B. Griffin
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Publication number: 20160016172Abstract: Aspects of embodiments of the invention relate to a simulator including a visual display capable of outputting to a user a display one or more effects of a command series selected and a system including a droplet microactuator electronically coupled to and controlled by a processor capable of executing instructions, the droplet microactuator including a substrate comprising electrodes for conducting droplet operations. Further aspects of embodiments of the invention relate to a droplet operations troubleshooting apparatus. Other aspects of embodiments of the invention relate to a computer implemented method of displaying simulated microactuator droplets.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2015Publication date: January 21, 2016Applicants: DUKE UNIVERSITY, ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Philip Paik, Vamsee K. Pamula
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Patent number: 9205433Abstract: The invention provides a method of redistributing magnetically responsive beads in a droplet. The method may include conducting on a droplet operations surface one or more droplet operations using the droplet without removing the magnetically responsive beads from the region of the magnetic field. The droplet operations may in some cases be electrode-mediated. The droplet operations may redistribute and/or circulate the magnetically responsive beads within the droplet. In some cases, the droplet may include a sample droplet may include a target analyte. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads may cause target analyte to bind to the magnetically responsive beads. In some cases, the droplet may include unbound substances in a wash buffer. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads causes unbound substances to be freed from interstices of an aggregated set or subset of the magnetically responsive beads.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2015Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Prasanna Thwar, Vamsee K. Pamula, Arjun Sudarsan, Ramakrishna Sista
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Publication number: 20150336098Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for manipulating droplets are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for manipulating droplets is provided, the apparatus including a substrate, multiple arrays of electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein corresponding electrodes in each array are connected to a common electrical signal, and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate first side surface and patterned to cover the electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2015Publication date: November 26, 2015Applicant: Duke UniversityInventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Richard B. Fair
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Publication number: 20150330943Abstract: The present invention relates to droplet-based particle sorting. According to one embodiment, a method of providing a droplet comprising a single cell is provided, wherein the method includes providing a droplet comprising a suspension of cells on an electrowetting droplet actuator surrounded by an oil medium, dispensing from the droplet to provide a dispensed droplet, determining whether the dispensed droplet on the electrowetting droplet actuator comprises a single cell, and sorting the dispensed droplet on the electrowetting droplet actuator based on the results of the determining step using electrowetting-mediated droplet operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2015Publication date: November 19, 2015Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan
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Patent number: 9180450Abstract: Methods are provided for manipulating droplets. The methods include providing the droplet on a surface comprising an array of electrodes and a substantially co-planer array of reference elements, wherein the droplet is disposed on a first one of the electrodes, and the droplet at least partially overlaps a second one of the electrodes and an intervening one of the reference elements disposed between the first and second electrodes. The methods further include activating the first and second electrodes to spread at least a portion of the droplet across the second electrode and deactivating the first electrode to move the droplet from the first electrode to the second electrode.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2014Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Richard B. Fair
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Publication number: 20150314293Abstract: A method of providing a droplet in contact with a magnetically responsive bead and having a reduced quantity of a substance.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2015Publication date: November 5, 2015Applicants: DUKE UNIVERSITY, ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Ramakrishna Sista, Vamsee K. Pamula, Michael G. Pollack, Vijay Srinivasan, Allen E. Eckhardt, Richard B. Fair
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Publication number: 20150285792Abstract: The invention provides a method of circulating magnetically responsive beads within a droplet in a droplet actuator. The invention also provides methods for splitting droplets. The invention, in one embodiment, makes use of a droplet actuator with top and bottom substrates, a plurality of magnetic fields respectively present proximate the top and bottom substrates, wherein at least one of the magnet fields is selectively alterable, and a plurality of droplet operations electrodes positioned along at least one of the top and bottom surfaces. A droplet is positioned between the top and bottom surfaces and at least one of the magnetic fields is selectively altered.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2015Publication date: October 8, 2015Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Ramakrishna Sista, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Allen Eckhardt
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Publication number: 20150268235Abstract: The invention relates to bead incubating and washing on a droplet actuator. Methods for incubating magnetically responsive beads that are labeled with primary antibody, a sample (i.e., analyte), and secondary reporter antibodies on a magnet, on and off a magnet, and completely off a magnet are provided. Also provided are methods for washing magnetically responsive beads using shape-assisted merging of droplets. Also provided are methods for shape-mediated splitting, transporting, and dispensing of a sample droplet that contains magnetically responsive beads. The apparatuses and methods of the invention provide for rapid time to result and optimum detection of an analyte in an immunoassay.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2015Publication date: September 24, 2015Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Ramakrishna Sista, Arjun Sudarsan
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Patent number: 9139865Abstract: Aspects of embodiments of the invention relate to a simulator including a visual display capable of outputting to a user a display one or more effects of a command series selected and a system including a droplet microactuator electronically coupled to and controlled by a processor capable of executing instructions, the droplet microactuator including a substrate comprising electrodes for conducting droplet operations. Further aspects of embodiments of the invention relate to a droplet operations troubleshooting apparatus. Other aspects of embodiments of the invention relate to a computer implemented method of displaying simulated microactuator droplets.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2012Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignees: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC., DUKE UNIVERSITYInventors: Michael G. Pollack, Philip Paik, Vamsee K. Pamula