Patents Assigned to Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8734629
    Abstract: A series of microactuators for manipulating small quantities of liquids, and methods of using these for manipulating liquids, are disclosed. The microactuators are based on the phenomenon of electrowetting and contain no moving parts. The force acting on the liquid is a potential-dependent gradient of adhesion energy between the liquid and a solid insulating surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander Shenderov
  • Publication number: 20140141460
    Abstract: The invention is directed to droplet actuator devices and assay methods. The invention includes assay methods of conducting an assay comprising combining a sample with an umbelliferyl derivative, wherein the sample potentially comprises an enzyme capable of cleaving the umbelliferyl derivative and where the umbelliferyl derivative comprises an umbelliferyl core modified with one or more modifying moieties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Allen E. Eckhardt
  • Patent number: 8716015
    Abstract: A method of inoculating a culture medium including providing a droplet including a single cell type on a droplet actuator and inoculating a culture medium with the droplet. A method of providing a metabolically useful substance to a cell culture, including providing a droplet actuator including a cell culture droplet loaded thereon, the sample droplet including cells and a cell culture medium, and a second droplet comprising a metabolically useful substance. The method also includes conducting one or more droplet operations to combine the cell culture droplet with the second droplet on the droplet actuator. Related methods, droplet actuators, and systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Allen E. Eckhardt
  • Patent number: 8702938
    Abstract: The invention provides a droplet actuator comprising a base substrate and a top substrate separated to form a gap, wherein: (a) the base substrate comprises electrodes configured for conducting droplet operations in the gap; and (b) the top substrate comprises a first portion coupled to second portion, where the second portion comprises one or more openings establishing a fluid path extending from an exterior of the droplet actuator and into the gap. The invention also provides related methods of manufacturing the droplet actuator, methods of using the droplet actuator, and methods of loading the droplet actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Alexander Shenderov, Zhishan Hua, Arjun Sudarsan
  • Patent number: 8685344
    Abstract: The present invention relates to surface assisted fluid loading and droplet dispensing on a droplet micro actuator. A droplet actuator is provided and includes one or more electrodes configured for conducting one or more droplet operations on a droplet operations surface of the substrate. The droplet actuator further includes a wettable surface defining a path from a fluid reservoir into a locus which is sufficiently near to one or more of the electrodes that activation of the one or more electrodes results in a droplet operation. Methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Arjun Sudarsan, Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 8685754
    Abstract: Droplet actuator devices and methods for immunoassays and washing are provided. According to one embodiment, a method of providing a droplet in contact with a surface of a super paramagnetic bead with a reduced concentration of a substance is provided and includes: (a) providing a super paramagnetic bead in contact with a droplet comprising a starting concentration and starting quantity of the substance and having a starting volume; (b) conducting one or more droplet operations to merge a wash droplet with the droplet provided in step (a) to yield a combined droplet; and (c) conducting one or more droplet operations to divide the combined droplet to yield a set of droplets. The set of droplets includes: (i) a droplet in contact with the super paramagnetic bead having a decreased concentration of the substance relative to the starting concentration; and (ii) a droplet which is separated from the super paramagnetic bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignees: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc., Duke University
    Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Richard B. Fair
  • Patent number: 8658111
    Abstract: The present invention provides droplet actuators, modified fluids and methods relating to droplet operations. An aspect includes a droplet actuator including a droplet operations substrate; an oil based filler fluid on the droplet operations substrate comprising an oil soluble additive in the filler fluid; and a droplet in contact with the oil based filler fluid. Still other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Vamsee Pamula, Ramakrishna Sista, Arjun Sudarsan, Prasanna Thwar
  • Patent number: 8637317
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of redistributing magnetically responsive beads in a droplet. The method may include providing a droplet including magnetically responsive beads. The droplet may be provided within a region of a magnetic field having sufficient strength to attract the magnetically responsive beads to an edge of the droplet or towards an edge of the droplet, or otherwise regionalize or aggregate beads within the droplet. The method may also 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Vamsee K. Pamula, Arjun Sudarsan, Ramakrishna Sista
  • Patent number: 8637324
    Abstract: The present 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: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Ramakrishna Sista, Arjun Sudarsan
  • Publication number: 20140014517
    Abstract: Droplet actuator for conducting droplet operations, such as droplet transport and droplet dispensing, is provided. In one embodiment, the droplet actuator may include an electrode that is rotationally but not reflectively symmetrical.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Zhishan Hua, Arjun Sudarsan, Allen E. Eckhardt
  • Publication number: 20140008222
    Abstract: A method of loading a droplet actuator is provided. In one embodiment, the method may include, providing: a droplet actuator loaded with a filler fluid; a reservoir comprising a droplet fluid; and a fluid path extending from the reservoir into the droplet actuator; and forcing filler fluid from one locus in the droplet actuator to another locus in the droplet actuator; or out of the droplet actuator; thereby causing droplet fluid to flow through the fluid path and into the droplet actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Zhishan Hua, Arjun Sudarsan, Allen E. Eckhardt
  • Patent number: 8613889
    Abstract: The present invention relates to droplet-based washing. According to one embodiment, a method of providing a droplet in contact with a surface with a reduced concentration of a substance is provided, wherein the method includes: (a) providing a surface in contact with a droplet comprising a starting concentration and starting quantity of the substance and having a starting volume; (b) conducting one or more droplet operations to merge a wash droplet with the droplet provided in step (a) to yield a combined droplet; and (c) conducting one or more droplet operations to divide the combined droplet to yield a set of droplets comprising: (i) a droplet in contact with the surface having a decreased concentration of the substance relative to the starting concentration; and (ii) a droplet which is separated from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignees: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc., Duke University
    Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Richard B. Fair
  • Patent number: 8591830
    Abstract: A droplet actuator comprising: (a) a base substrate comprising electrodes configured for conducting droplet operations on a droplet operations surface thereof; (b) a droplet comprising one or more beads situated on the droplet operations surface; (c) a barrier arranged in relation to the droplet and the electrodes such that a droplet may be transported away from the beads using one or more droplet operations mediated by one or more of the electrodes while transport of the beads is restrained by a barrier. Related methods and kits are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Arjun Sudarsan, Michael G. Pollack, Prasanna Thwar, Dwayne Allen
  • Patent number: 8592217
    Abstract: The invention is directed to droplet actuator devices and assay methods. The invention includes assay methods of conducting an assay comprising combining a sample with an umbelliferyl derivative, wherein the sample potentially comprises an enzyme capable of cleaving the umbelliferyl derivative and where the umbelliferyl derivative comprises an umbelliferyl core modified with one or more modifying moieties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Allen E. Eckhardt
  • Publication number: 20130293246
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein provide methods of measuring capacitance, detecting a droplet at a position, determining a thickness of an oil film and determining temperature in a droplet actuator. Specifically, the capacitance detection method may be used as a real-time verification tool in order to detect the absence, presence, and/or partial presence of a droplet at an electrode, analyze droplet properties, measure droplet size or volume, optimize the speed of droplet operation and detect air bubbles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Ryan A. Sturmer, Philip Y. Paik, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 8562807
    Abstract: Droplet actuators for conducting droplet operations, such as droplet transport and droplet dispensing, are provided. In one embodiment, the droplet actuator may include a substrate including, droplet operations electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; and reference electrodes associated with the droplet operations electrodes and extending above the surface of the substrate. Other embodiments of droplet actuators and methods of loading and using such droplet actuators are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Zhishan Hua, Arjun Sudarsan, Allen E. Eckhardt, Vamsee K. Pamula
  • Publication number: 20130264010
    Abstract: Alternative approaches to fabricating printed circuit boards for use in droplet actuator operations are provided. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a droplet actuator for conducting droplet operations includes positioning a dielectric material between a first metal layer configured to include an electrode and a second metal layer configured to include an interconnect pad. The method additionally includes forming a connection between the first and second metal layers. Droplet actuators and methods of fabricating and supporting printed circuit boards of droplet actuators are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic Inc
    Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Vamsee K. Pamula, Michael G. Pollack
  • Publication number: 20130252262
    Abstract: A method of detecting a target analyte in a sample, including executing electrowetting-mediated droplet operations and thereby: combining one or more immunoassay reagent droplets comprising magnetically-responsive beads having affinity for the target analyte with one or more sample droplets potentially comprising the target analyte to yield a first combined droplet; beginning with the combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a first washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads; and combining the droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive beads with a droplet comprising a reporter molecule having affinity for target analyte captured on the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a second combined droplet; beginning with the second combined droplet, effecting a droplet-based washing protocol to wash the magnetically-responsive beads to yield a second washed droplet comprising the washed magnetically responsive
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Vamsee K. Pamula, Michael G. Pollack, Richard B. Fair
  • Patent number: 8541176
    Abstract: The present invention relates to droplet-based surface modification and washing. According to one embodiment, a method of modifying a surface on a droplet microactuator is provided, wherein the method includes executing one or more droplet operations to bring a droplet comprising a surface-modifying agent into contact with the surface. According to another embodiment, a droplet microactuator is provided and includes a sample or reagent immobilized on a surface thereof and arranged such that a droplet on the droplet microactuator may contact the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignees: Advanced Liquid Logic Inc., Duke University
    Inventors: Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Allen E. Eckhardt, Michael G. Pollack, Richard B. Fair
  • Publication number: 20130233712
    Abstract: A method of manipulating a droplet comprising providing a substrate comprising a surface; an elongated transport electrode disposed on the substrate surface, the elongated transport electrode having a first and a second end and configured to impart a gradient force to the droplet; and one or more wires for providing power to the transport electrode; and providing power to the one or more wires to effect the gradient force and thereby transport the droplet along the length of the elongated transport electrode from the first end to the second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Vamsee K. Pamula, Michael G. Pollack, Vijay Srinivasan, Philip Paik