Patents by Inventor Elizabeth J. Summer

Elizabeth J. Summer 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: 11959068
    Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for use in controlling souring and corrosion causing prokaryotes, such as SRP, by treating oil and gas field environments or treatment fluids with a newly identified bacterial strain ATCC Accession No. PTA-124262 as a self-propagating whole cell that produces an anti-SRP bacteriocin in situ. In another aspect, the methods use one or more toxic peptides or proteins isolated therefrom in methods to control unwanted prokaryotic growth in these environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Lanxess Corporation
    Inventors: Kathleen Manna, Ian A. Tomlinson, Abhiram Thatipelli, Christopher Janes, Elizabeth J. Summer
  • Publication number: 20230227772
    Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for use in controlling souring and corrosion causing prokaryotes, such as SRP, by treating oil and gas field environments or treatment fluids with a newly identified bacterial strain ATCC Accession No. PTA-124262 as a self-propagating whole cell that produces an anti-SRP bacteriocin in situ. In another aspect, the methods use one or more toxic peptides or proteins isolated therefrom in methods to control unwanted prokaryotic growth in these environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Applicant: MC (US) 3 LLC
    Inventors: Kathleen Manna, Ian A. Tomlinson, Abhiram Thatipelli, Christopher Janes, Elizabeth J. Summer
  • Patent number: 11584915
    Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for use in controlling souring and corrosion causing prokaryotes, such as SRP, by treating oil and gas field environments or treatment fluids with a newly identified bacterial strain ATCC Accession No. PTA-124262 as a self-propagating whole cell that produces an anti-SRP bacteriocin in situ. In another aspect, the methods use one or more toxic peptides or proteins isolated therefrom in methods to control unwanted prokaryotic growth in these environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: MC (US) 3 LLC
    Inventors: Kathleen Manna, Ian A. Tomlinson, Abhiram Thatipelli, Christopher Janes, Elizabeth J. Summer
  • Publication number: 20200154715
    Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for use in controlling souring and corrosion causing prokaryotes, such as SRP, by treating oil and gas field environments or treatment fluids with a newly identified bacterial strain ATCC Accession No. PTA-124262 as a self-propagating whole cell that produces an anti-SRP bacteriocin in situ. In another aspect, the methods use one or more toxic peptides or proteins isolated therefrom in methods to control unwanted prokaryotic growth in these environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Kathleen Manna, Ian A. Tomlinson, Abhiram Thatipelli, Christopher Janes, Elizabeth J. Summer
  • Publication number: 20180014546
    Abstract: A composition containing a newly identified bacteriocin produced by a Lactobacillus plantarum strain, isolated from natural corn mash used in commercial fermentation process for production of ethanol. The bacteriocin composition is effective in broad range killing against the vast majority of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates in ethanol fermentation mash, which include multiple species of Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Weissella, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Enterococcus, and Streptococcus as well as killing activity against non-LAB isolates, such as strains of Staphylococcus, Enterobacter, Bacillus, and Clostridium. The bacteriocin is also combined with broad range bacteriophage to provide synergistic effectiveness again unwanted bacteria in industrial biofuel fermentation process and in human and animal bacterial infections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Elizabeth J. Summer, Mei Liu
  • Patent number: 9650272
    Abstract: There is provided a safe, natural, environmentally sound means of controlling bacterial contamination, corrosion, and souring of oil and gas wells and reservoirs that result from bacteria-contaminated water in a well. In one aspect it is a process for remediation of souring of petroleum reservoirs and coalbeds by adding to the water used in flooding and “fracing” operations an effective amount of virulent (non-lysogenic) bacteriophages (phages) specific for problematic target bacteria. The invention also provides a means for combating loss of effectiveness of bacterial control by staging bacteriophage production and application to control dominant and sub-dominant target bacteria in a community of target bacteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: DOW GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth J. Summer, Mei Liu, Neil S. Summer, Douglas Baldwin
  • Patent number: 9464267
    Abstract: A process for remediation of target bacteria, particularly sulfur reducing bacteria (SRB), in waters (“target water”) having a multiplicity and diverse host target bacteria by employing serial or staged bacteria culturing and lysing of dominant bacteria. Remediation of sulfur reducing bacteria (SRB) is effected by application of a series of bacteriophage isolated from the staged culturing and bacteriophage lysing of successive aliquots of waters containing a multiplicity of SRB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth J. Summer, Mei Liu, Neil S. Summer, Douglas Baldwin
  • Patent number: 9453247
    Abstract: A method of reducing process interruptions in biofuel production systems by reducing the amount of unwanted bacteria in the biofuel production system in which the reduction is effected by the use of an effective amount of one or more types of bacteriophages virulent for at least some strains of the unwanted bacteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth J. Summer, Mei Liu
  • Publication number: 20150320829
    Abstract: A composition containing a newly identified bacteriocin produced by a Lactobacillus plantarum strain, isolated from natural corn mash used in commercial fermentation process for production of ethanol. The bacteriocin composition is effective in broad range killing against the vast majority of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates in ethanol fermentation mash, which include multiple species of Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Weissella, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Enterococcus, and Streptococcus as well as killing activity against non-LAB isolates, such as strains of Staphylococcus, Enterobacter, Bacillus, and Clostridium. The bacteriocin is also combined with broad range bacteriophage to provide synergistic effectiveness again unwanted bacteria in industrial biofuel fermentation process and in human and animal bacterial infections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Mei Liu, Elizabeth J. Summer
  • Publication number: 20140273159
    Abstract: A process for remediation of target bacteria, particularly sulfur reducing bacteria (SRB), in waters (“target water”) having a multiplicity and diverse host target bacteria by employing serial or staged bacteria culturing and lysing of dominant bacteria. Remediation of sulfur reducing bacteria (SRB) is effected by application of a series of bacteriophage isolated from the staged culturing and bacteriophage lysing of successive aliquots of waters containing a multiplicity of SRB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Elizabeth J. Summer, Mei Liu, Neil S. Summer, Douglas Baldwin
  • Publication number: 20140148379
    Abstract: A method of controlling unwanted bacteria in fermentation processes comprising contacting reactants of the process with an effective amount of bacteriocin. Bacteriocin, both indigenous and produced from independent sources, and optionally bacteriocin plus bacteriophages virulent for unwanted bacteria are used to reduce and control unwanted bacteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Mei Liu, Elizabeth J. Summer
  • Publication number: 20140102975
    Abstract: Bacterial contamination of industrial water systems lead to bacterial induced corrosion. This invention provides a method for control of corrosion of industrial water systems caused by bacteria by the destruction of targeted problematic bacteria with naturally occurring, non-engineered bacteriophage virulent for targeted bacteria. The invention also provides a staged sequencing of control to adapt to changing conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventors: Elizabeth J. Summer, Douglas Baldwin, Neil S. Summer
  • Publication number: 20140061123
    Abstract: There is provided a safe, natural, environmentally sound means of controlling bacterial contamination, corrosion, and souring of oil and gas wells and reservoirs that result from bacteria-contaminated water in a well. In one aspect it is a process for remediation of souring of petroleum reservoirs and coalbeds by adding to the water used in flooding and “fracing” operations an effective amount of virulent (non-lysogenic) bacteriophages (phages) specific for problematic target bacteria. The invention also provides a means for combating loss of effectiveness of bacterial control by staging bacteriophage production and application to control dominant and sub-dominant target bacteria in a community of target bacteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Elizabeth J. Summer, Mei Liu, Neil S. Summer, Douglas Baldwin
  • Publication number: 20130149759
    Abstract: A method of reducing process interruptions in biofuel production systems mediated by bacterial reactive agents by reducing the amount of unwanted bacteria without reduction of wanted or useful bacteria. The method comprises applying a phage panel(s) containing phage virulent for unwanted bacteria that does not contain phage phages virulent wanted bacteria. The method includes, optionally, the selective production of solutions of phage for unwanted bacteria from which phages for wanted bacteria are screened out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: PHAGE BIOCONTROL RESEARCH, LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth J. Summer, Mei Liu
  • Publication number: 20130149753
    Abstract: A method of reducing process interruptions in biofuel production systems by reducing the amount of unwanted bacteria in the biofuel production system in which the reduction is effected by the use of an effective amount of one or more types of bacteriophages virulent for at least some strains of the unwanted bacteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: PHAGE BIOCONTROL RESEARCH, LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth J. Summer, Mei Liu
  • Publication number: 20130072706
    Abstract: Tricyglycerols that may be converted to biofuel are recovered from oleaginous organisms in the natural and induced foam of wastewater treatment process plants. Growing oleaginous organisms in the form of comparatively dry foam simplifies harvest and is more efficient and efficacious than skimming the biomass off the top of the liquids that rely on less efficient centrifugation or filtration methods typically required to concentrate cells grown in liquids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: PHASE BIOCONTROL RESEARCH, LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth J. Summer, Mei Liu, Sarah Dugleby
  • Publication number: 20120258523
    Abstract: Bacterial contamination of industrial water systems lead to biofouling by biofilms and corrosion from bacterial induced corrosion. This invention provides a method for control of fouling and contamination of industrial water systems caused by bacteria. Prevention or reduction of process interruptions and general contamination, fouling and corrosion is achieved by the destruction of targeted problematic bacteria with naturally occurring, non-engineered bacteriophage virulent for targeted bacteria. The invention also provides for in-situ confirmation of the proper identification of target bacteria and a mobile laboratory adapted to implement the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: PHAGE BIOCONTROL RESEARCH, LLC
    Inventors: Neil S. Summer, Elizabeth J. Summer
  • Publication number: 20090180992
    Abstract: A method of reducing biocorrosion or biofilm blockage in by identifying a target suspected of comprising one or more biocorrosive organisms and delivering to the target suspected of comprising the biocorrosive organisms an effective amount of a composition comprising an infective virulent viral panel sufficient to reduce the amount of biocorrosive organisms at the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
    Inventors: Neil S. Summer, Elizabeth J. Summer, Ryland F. Young, III