Patents by Inventor Baohong Yuan

Baohong Yuan 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: 11913883
    Abstract: A method of imaging comprises disposing a population of first targeting ultrasound-switchable fluorophores and a population of second non-targeting ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in an environment; detecting a first photoluminescence signal emitted by the population of first targeting fluorophores, and a second photoluminescence signal emitted by the population of second non-targeting fluorophores; determining a photoluminescence property of the population of second non-targeting fluorophores from the second photoluminescence signal; and using the determined photoluminescence property of the population of second non-targeting fluorophores to deconvolute the first photoluminescence signal into the population of first targeting fluorophores bound and unbound to a first target binding element in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventor: Baohong Yuan
  • Patent number: 11872092
    Abstract: A tissue implantation device comprises a capsule; and a population of ultrasound-switchable fluorophores incorporated in the capsule. A method of imaging a tissue implantation device in a biological environment comprises disposing the tissue implantation device in a biological environment, the population of ultrasound-switchable fluorophores having a switching threshold in the biological environment; exposing the biological environment to an ultrasound beam to form an activation region within the biological environment; switching the ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in the activation region from an off state to an on state; exciting the ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in the activation region with a beam of electromagnetic radiation; and detecting light emitted by the ultrasound-switchable fluorophores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventor: Baohong Yuan
  • Patent number: 11573181
    Abstract: A method of imaging described herein comprises (a) disposing ultrasound-switchable fluorophores within an environment; (b) exposing the environment to ultrasound to create a first activation region within the environment; (c) disposing the fluorophores within the first activation region to switch the fluorophores from an off state to an on state; (d) irradiating the environment to excite the fluorophores within the first activation region; (e) detecting photoluminescence from the excited fluorophores at a first optical spot on an exterior surface of the environment; (f) subsequently creating a second activation region within the environment; (g) switching fluorophores within the second activation region to an on state; (h) exciting the fluorophores in the on state within the second activation region; and (i) detecting photoluminescence from the excited fluorophores within the second activation region at a second optical spot on the exterior surface, wherein the first and second optical spots are optically res
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Baohong Yuan, Tingfeng Yao
  • Publication number: 20220105206
    Abstract: In one aspect, ultrasound-switchable fluorescence (USF) imaging systems are described herein. In some embodiments, such a system comprises an ultrasound source, a fluorophore excitation source, a contrast agent comprising a fluorophore, and an image recording device. The contrast agent, in some cases, comprises a fluorophore associated with a liposome carrier, wherein the contrast agent has a size of up to 1 ?m. Further, in some implementations of a system described herein, the image recording device is controlled by a software trigger mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Baohong Yuan, Tingfeng Yao, Yang Liu
  • Patent number: 11181520
    Abstract: Methods of imaging described herein comprises disposing a first and second ultrasound-switchable fluorophore in an environment; exposing the environment to an ultrasound beam to create an activation region; disposing the first and/or second fluorophore within the activation region to switch the first and/or second fluorophore from an off state to an on state; exposing the environment to a beam of electromagnetic radiation; detecting a first photoluminescence signal at a first location within the environment, the photoluminescence signal comprising at least one of a first ultrasound fluorescence signal emitted by the first fluorophore, a first fluorescence signal emitted by the second fluorophore, and a background signal; correlating the first photoluminescence signal with a first reference signal to generate a correlation coefficient for the first location; and multiplying the first photoluminescence signal by the first correlation coefficient for the first location to generate a first modified photoluminesce
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Board of Regents, the University of Texas System
    Inventors: Baohong Yuan, Bingbing Cheng, Mingyuan Wei
  • Publication number: 20210356398
    Abstract: A method of imaging described herein comprises (a) disposing ultrasound-switchable fluorophores within an environment; (b) exposing the environment to ultrasound to create a first activation region within the environment; (c) disposing the fluorophores within the first activation region to switch the fluorophores from an off state to an on state; (d) irradiating the environment to excite the fluorophores within the first activation region; (e) detecting photoluminescence from the excited fluorophores at a first optical spot on an exterior surface of the environment; (f) subsequently creating a second activation region within the environment; (g) switching fluorophores within the second activation region to an on state; (h) exciting the fluorophores in the on state within the second activation region; and (i) detecting photoluminescence from the excited fluorophores within the second activation region at a second optical spot on the exterior surface, wherein the first and second optical spots are optically res
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Baohong Yuan, Tingfeng Yao
  • Publication number: 20210333209
    Abstract: A method of imaging comprises disposing a population of first targeting ultrasound-switchable fluorophores and a population of second non-targeting ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in an environment; detecting a first photoluminescence signal emitted by the population of first targeting fluorophores, and a second photoluminescence signal emitted by the population of second non-targeting fluorophores; determining a photoluminescence property of the population of second non-targeting fluorophores from the second photoluminescence signal; and using the determined photoluminescence property of the population of second non-targeting fluorophores to deconvolute the first photoluminescence signal into the population of first targeting fluorophores bound and unbound to a first target binding element in the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventor: BAOHONG YUAN
  • Publication number: 20210299281
    Abstract: A method of imaging cancer stem cells comprises disposing a population of first ultrasound-switchable fluorophorms having a first switching threshold in the biological environment, the first ultrasound-switchable fluorophores being functionalized for attachment to a first biomarker expressed by the CSCs; disposing a population of second ultrasound-switchable fluorophorms having a second switching threshold in the biological environment, the second ultrasound-switchable fluorophores being functionalized for attachment to a second biomarker expressed by the CSCs; exposing the biological environment to an ultrasound beam to form an activation region; disposing one or more of the first and/or second ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in the activation region to switch the first and/or second fluorophores from an off state to an on state; exciting the first and second ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in the activation region with a beam of electromagnetic radiation; and detecting light emitted by the first and s
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventor: Baohong Yuan
  • Patent number: 11022500
    Abstract: In one aspect, methods of measuring the temperature of an environment are described herein. In some embodiments, such a method comprises (a) disposing a population of ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in the environment, the population comprising n differing fluorophores having n differing switching threshold temperatures; (b) exposing the environment to an ultrasound beam to create an activation region having a temperature greater than or equal to one or more of the switching threshold temperatures; (c) disposing the fluorophores within the activation region to switch at least one fluorophore from an off state to an on state; (d) exposing the environment to up to n beams of electromagnetic radiation, thereby exciting at least one fluorophore in the on state; (e) detecting up to n photoluminescence signals emitted by the fluorophores; and (f) correlating the photoluminescence signals with up to n temperatures or temperature ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventors: Baohong Yuan, Shuai Yu, Tingfeng Yao
  • Publication number: 20210153971
    Abstract: A tissue implantation device comprises a capsule; and a population of ultrasound-switchable fluorophores incorporated in the capsule. A method of imaging a tissue implantation device in a biological environment comprises disposing the tissue implantation device in a biological environment, the population of ultrasound-switchable fluorophores having a switching threshold in the biological environment; exposing the biological environment to an ultrasound beam to form an activation region within the biological environment; switching the ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in the activation region from an off state to an on state; exciting the ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in the activation region with a beam of electromagnetic radiation; and detecting light emitted by the ultrasound-switchable fluorophores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventor: Baohong Yuan
  • Publication number: 20190317078
    Abstract: Methods of imaging described herein comprises disposing a first and second ultrasound-switchable fluorophore in an environment; exposing the environment to an ultrasound beam to create an activation region; disposing the first and/or second fluorophore within the activation region to switch the first and/or second fluorophore from an off state to an on state; exposing the environment to a beam of electromagnetic radiation; detecting a first photoluminescence signal at a first location within the environment, the photoluminescence signal comprising at least one of a first ultrasound fluorescence signal emitted by the first fluorophore, a first fluorescence signal emitted by the second fluorophore, and a background signal; correlating the first photoluminescence signal with a first reference signal to generate a correlation coefficient for the first location; and multiplying the first photoluminescence signal by the first correlation coefficient for the first location to generate a first modified photoluminesce
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Baohong Yuan, Bingbing Cheng, Mingyuan Wei
  • Publication number: 20190293498
    Abstract: In one aspect, methods of measuring the temperature of an environment are described herein. In some embodiments, such a method comprises (a) disposing a population of ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in the environment, the population comprising n differing fluorophores having n differing switching threshold temperatures; (b) exposing the environment to an ultrasound beam to create an activation region having a temperature greater than or equal to one or more of the switching threshold temperatures; (c) disposing the fluorophores within the activation region to switch at least one fluorophore from an off state to an on state; (d) exposing the environment to up to n beams of electromagnetic radiation, thereby exciting at least one fluorophore in the on state; (e) detecting up to n photoluminescence signals emitted by the fluorophores; and (f) correlating the photoluminescence signals with up to n temperatures or temperature ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Baohong YUAN, Shuai YU, Tingfeng YAO
  • Patent number: 10379109
    Abstract: In one aspect, methods of imaging are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Baohong Yuan, Bingbing Cheng, Mingyuan Wei
  • Patent number: 10267786
    Abstract: In one aspect, methods of imaging are described herein. In some embodiments, a method of imaging described herein comprises disposing a population of ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in a biological environment, the fluorophores having a switching threshold between an off state and an on state; exposing the biological environment to an ultrasound beam to create an activation region within the biological environment; switching at least one of the fluorophores within the activation region from the off state to the on state; exciting the at least one fluorophore with a beam of electromagnetic radiation; and detecting light emitted by the fluorophore. In some embodiments, the activation region has a maximum negative pressure and/or maximum temperature and the switching threshold of the at least one fluorophore is at least about 50 percent of the maximum negative pressure or at least about 50 percent of the maximum temperature of the activation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventor: Baohong Yuan
  • Publication number: 20150309014
    Abstract: In one aspect, methods of imaging are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Baohong YUAN, Bingbing CHENG, Mingyuan WEI
  • Publication number: 20140206031
    Abstract: In one aspect, methods of imaging are described herein. In some embodiments, a method of imaging described herein comprises disposing a population of ultrasound-switchable fluorophores in a biological environment, the fluorophores having a switching threshold between an off state and an on state; exposing the biological environment to an ultrasound beam to create an activation region within the biological environment; switching at least one of the fluorophores within the activation region from the off state to the on state; exciting the at least one fluorophore with a beam of electromagnetic radiation; and detecting light emitted by the fluorophore. In some embodiments, the activation region has a maximum negative pressure and/or maximum temperature and the switching threshold of the at least one fluorophore is at least about 50 percent of the maximum negative pressure or at least about 50 percent of the maximum temperature of the activation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Board of Regents, The University Of Texas System
    Inventor: Baohong Yuan
  • Publication number: 20130030289
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for medical imaging using diffusive optical tomography and fluorescent diffusive optical tomography are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for medical imaging comprises, scanning a tissue volume with near-infrared light to obtain structural parameters, wherein the tissue volume includes a biological entity, scanning the tissue volume with near-infrared light to obtain optical and fluorescence measurements of the scanned volume, segmenting the scanned volume into a first region and a second region, and reconstructing an optical image and a fluorescence image of at least a portion of the scanned volume from the structural parameters and the optical and fluorescence measurements. In another embodiment an apparatus for medical imaging is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Quing Zhu, Baohong Yuan
  • Patent number: 8239006
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for medical imaging using diffusive optical tomography and fluorescent diffusive optical tomography are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for medical imaging comprises, scanning a tissue volume with near-infrared light to obtain structural parameters, wherein the tissue volume includes a biological entity, scanning the tissue volume with near-infrared light to obtain optical and fluorescence measurements of the scanned volume, segmenting the scanned volume into a first region and a second region, and reconstructing an optical image and a fluorescence image of at least a portion of the scanned volume from the structural parameters and the optical and fluorescence measurements. In another embodiment an apparatus for medical imaging is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: The University of Connecticut
    Inventors: Quing Zhu, Baohong Yuan
  • Publication number: 20080058638
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for medical imaging using diffusive optical tomography and fluorescent diffusive optical tomography are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for medical imaging comprises, scanning a tissue volume with near-infrared light to obtain structural parameters, wherein the tissue volume includes a biological entity, scanning the tissue volume with near-infrared light to obtain optical and fluorescence measurements of the scanned volume, segmenting the scanned volume into a first region and a second region, and reconstructing an optical image and a fluorescence image of at least a portion of the scanned volume from the structural parameters and the optical and fluorescence measurements. In another embodiment an apparatus for medical imaging is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Quing Zhu, Baohong Yuan