Patents by Inventor Ashraf Alam

Ashraf Alam 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: 9433943
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and devices for rapidly and accurately heating fluid droplets surrounded by a gas-phase medium, such as air. Sub-nanoliter fluid droplets can be rapidly heated by nanoscale field effect transistors via microwave heating by an applied AC voltage to the FET. The heating is in a well-defined interior portion of the fluid droplet, with minimal heating of the outer portion of the fluid droplet, thereby minimizing evaporation. In this manner, rapid thermal cycling is possible, including independently and in parallel for a plurality of droplets. Accordingly, the methods and devices provided herein are used in point-of-care detection such as by PCR that is high speed, robust and of low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Rashid Bashir, Eric Salm, Carlos Eduardo Duarte Guevara, Muhammad Ashraf Alam
  • Patent number: 8945912
    Abstract: In one aspect, described herein are field effect chemical sensor devices useful for chemical and/or biochemical sensing. Also provided herein are methods for single molecule detection. In another aspect, described herein are methods useful for amplification of target molecules by PCR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Rashid Bashir, Ashraf Alam, Demir Akin, Oguz Hasan Elibol, Bobby Reddy, Donald E. Bergstrom, Yi-Shao Liu
  • Publication number: 20140363821
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and devices for rapidly and accurately heating fluid droplets surrounded by a gas-phase medium, such as air. Sub-nanoliter fluid droplets can be rapidly heated by nanoscale field effect transistors via microwave heating by an applied AC voltage to the FET. The heating is in a well-defined interior portion of the fluid droplet, with minimal heating of the outer portion of the fluid droplet, thereby minimizing evaporation. In this manner, rapid thermal cycling is possible, including independently and in parallel for a plurality of droplets. Accordingly, the methods and devices provided herein are used in point-of-care detection such as by PCR that is high speed, robust and of low cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Rashid Bashir, Eric Salm, Carlos Eduardo Duarte Guevara, Muhammad Ashraf Alam
  • Publication number: 20120021918
    Abstract: In one aspect, described herein are field effect chemical sensor devices useful for chemical and/or biochemical sensing. Also provided herein are methods for single molecule detection. In another aspect, described herein are methods useful for amplification of target molecules by PCR.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Rashid Bashir, Ashraf Alam, Demir Akin, Oguz Hasan Elibol, Bobby Reddy, Donald E. Bergstrom, Yi-Shao Liu
  • Publication number: 20080280776
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for detecting molecules in a fluidic environment are provided, including nanodevices and methods for fabricating, functionalizing, and operating such nanodevices. At least one of the methods includes selective heating of nanodevices in an array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Rashid Bashir, Oguz Elibol, Pradeep Ramachandran Nair, Donald Bergstrom, Ashraf Alam, Bobby Reddy, JR.