Patents by Inventor George Church

George Church 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).

  • Publication number: 20190285618
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the isolation and purification of exosomes from biological samples, and to methods for extracting RNA contained therein. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for the isolation of cell type-specific exosomes or cell-subtype-specific exosomes from a biological sample, and to realted applications in the filed of diagnostics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicants: The Broad Institute, Inc., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Aviv Regev, George Church, Dmitry Ter-Ovanesyan, Emma Kowal
  • Publication number: 20190233881
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods of performing a capture reaction. In certain embodiments, the method involves obtaining a nucleic acid, fragmenting the nucleic acid, and capturing a target sequence on the nucleic acid fragment using a capture moiety, such as a molecular inversion probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Mark Umbarger, Gregory Porreca, Charles Towne, George Church
  • Patent number: 10364457
    Abstract: The invention enables in situ genomic and transcriptomic assessment of nucleic acids to be conducted in biological specimens that have been physically expanded. The invention leverages the techniques for expansion microscopy (ExM) to provide new methods for in situ genomic and transcriptomic assessment of nucleic in a new process referred to herein as “expansion fluorescent in situ hybridization” (ExFISH).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Asmamaw Wassie, Fei Chen, Edward Stuart Boyden, Shahar Alon, George Church, Evan Daugharthy
  • Patent number: 10227635
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods of performing a capture reaction. In certain embodiments, the method involves obtaining a nucleic acid, fragmenting the nucleic acid, and capturing a target sequence on the nucleic acid fragment using a capture moiety, such as a molecular inversion probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Molecular Loop Biosolutions, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Umbarger, Gregory Porreca, Charles Towne, George Church
  • Patent number: 10221437
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to droplets and/or emulsions, such as multiple emulsions. In some cases, the droplets and/or emulsions may be used in assays, and in certain embodiments, the droplet or emulsion may be hardened to form a gel. In some aspects, a heterogeneous assay can be performed using a gel. For example, a droplet may be hardened to form a gel, where the droplet contains a cell, DNA, or other suitable species. The gel may be exposed to a reactant, and the reactant may interact with the gel and/or with the cell, DNA, etc., in some fashion. For example, the reactant may diffuse through the gel, or the hardened particle may liquefy to form a liquid state, allowing the reactant to interact with the cell. As a specific example, DNA contained within a gel particle may be subjected to PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification, e.g., by using PCR primers able to bind to the gel as it forms. As the DNA is amplified using PCR, some of the DNA will be bound to the gel via the PCR primer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: David A. Weitz, Jeremy Agresti, Liang-Yin Chu, Jin-Woong Kim, Amy Rowat, Morten Sommer, Gautam Dantas, George Church
  • Publication number: 20190055597
    Abstract: The invention provides in situ nucleic acid sequencing to be conducted in biological specimens that have been physically expanded. The invention leverages the techniques for expansion microscopy (ExM) to provide new methods for in situ sequencing of nucleic acids as well as new methods for fluorescent in situ sequencing (FISSEQ) in a new process referred to herein as “expansion sequencing” (ExSEQ).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Edward Stuart Boyden, Fei Chen, Shahar Alon, George Church, Paul Warren Tillberg, Adam Henry Marblestone, Evan R. Daugharthy
  • Patent number: 10059990
    Abstract: The invention provides in situ nucleic acid sequencing to be conducted in biological specimens that have been physically expanded. The invention leverages the techniques for expansion microscopy (ExM) to provide new methods for in situ sequencing of nucleic acids as well as new methods for fluorescent in situ sequencing (FISSEQ) in a new process referred to herein as “expansion sequencing” (ExSEQ).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Edward Stuart Boyden, Fei Chen, Shahar Alon, George Church, Paul Warren Tillberg, Adam Marblestone, Evan Daugharthy
  • Publication number: 20180171373
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to droplets and/or emulsions, such as multiple emulsions. In some cases, the droplets and/or emulsions may be used in assays, and in certain embodiments, the droplet or emulsion may be hardened to form a gel. In some aspects, a heterogeneous assay can be performed using a gel. For example, a droplet may be hardened to form a gel, where the droplet contains a cell, DNA, or other suitable species. The gel may be exposed to a reactant, and the reactant may interact with the gel and/or with the cell, DNA, etc., in some fashion. For example, the reactant may diffuse through the gel, or the hardened particle may liquefy to form a liquid state, allowing the reactant to interact with the cell. As a specific example, DNA contained within a gel particle may be subjected to PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification, e.g., by using PCR primers able to bind to the gel as it forms. As the DNA is amplified using PCR, some of the DNA will be bound to the gel via the PCR primer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: David A. Weitz, Jeremy Agresti, Liang-Yin Chu, Jin-Woong Kim, Amy Rowat, Morten Sommer, Gautam Dantas, George Church
  • Publication number: 20180163200
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for synthesizing and/or assembling at least one polynucleotide product having a predefined sequence from a plurality of different oligonucleotides. In exemplary embodiments, the methods involve synthesis and/or amplification of different oligonucleotides immobilized on a solid support, release of synthesized/amplified oligonucleotides in solution to form droplets, recognition and removal of error-containing oligonucleotides, moving or combining two droplets to allow hybridization and/or ligation between two different oligonucleotides, and further chain extension reaction following hybridization and/or ligation to hierarchically generate desired length of polynucleotide products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Joseph Jacobson, George Church, Larry Li-Yang Chu
  • Publication number: 20180119212
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to droplets and/or emulsions, such as multiple emulsions. In some cases, the droplets and/or emulsions may be used in assays, and in certain embodiments, the droplet or emulsion may be hardened to form a gel. In some aspects, a heterogeneous assay can be performed using a gel. For example, a droplet may be hardened to form a gel, where the droplet contains a cell, DNA, or other suitable species. The gel may be exposed to a reactant, and the reactant may interact with the gel and/or with the cell, DNA, etc., in some fashion. For example, the reactant may diffuse through the gel, or the hardened particle may liquefy to form a liquid state, allowing the reactant to interact with the cell. As a specific example, DNA contained within a gel particle may be subjected to PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification, e.g., by using PCR primers able to bind to the gel as it forms. As the DNA is amplified using PCR, some of the DNA will be bound to the gel via the PCR primer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: David A. Weitz, Jeremy Agresti, Liang-Yin Chu, Jin-Woong Kim, Amy Rowat, Morten Sommer, Gautam Dantas, George Church
  • Publication number: 20180023109
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to droplets and/or emulsions, such as multiple emulsions. In some cases, the droplets and/or emulsions may be used in assays, and in certain embodiments, the droplet or emulsion may be hardened to form a gel. In some aspects, a heterogeneous assay can be performed using a gel. For example, a droplet may be hardened to form a gel, where the droplet contains a cell, DNA, or other suitable species. The gel may be exposed to a reactant, and the reactant may interact with the gel and/or with the cell, DNA, etc., in some fashion. For example, the reactant may diffuse through the gel, or the hardened particle may liquefy to form a liquid state, allowing the reactant to interact with the cell. As a specific example, DNA contained within a gel particle may be subjected to PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification, e.g., by using PCR primers able to bind to the gel as it forms. As the DNA is amplified using PCR, some of the DNA will be bound to the gel via the PCR primer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: David A. Weitz, Jeremy Agresti, Liang-Yin Chu, Jin-Woong Kim, Amy Rowat, Morten Sommer, Gautam Dantas, George Church
  • Patent number: 9856471
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for synthesizing and/or assembling at least one polynucleotide product having a predefined sequence from a plurality of different oligonucleotides. In exemplary embodiments, the methods involve synthesis and/or amplification of different oligonucleotides immobilized on a solid support, release of synthesized/amplified oligonucleotides in solution to form droplets, recognition and removal of error-containing oligonucleotides, moving or combining two droplets to allow hybridization and/or ligation between two different oligonucleotides, and further chain extension reaction following hybridization and/or ligation to hierarchically generate desired length of polynucleotide products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Gen9, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Jacobson, George Church, Larry Li-Yang Chu
  • Patent number: 9850526
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to droplets and/or emulsions, such as multiple emulsions. In some cases, the droplets and/or emulsions may be used in assays, and in certain embodiments, the droplet or emulsion may be hardened to form a gel. In some aspects, a heterogeneous assay can be performed using a gel. For example, a droplet may be hardened to form a gel, where the droplet contains a cell, DNA, or other suitable species. The gel may be exposed to a reactant, and the reactant may interact with the gel and/or with the cell, DNA, etc., in some fashion. For example, the reactant may diffuse through the gel, or the hardened particle may liquefy to form a liquid state, allowing the reactant to interact with the cell. As a specific example, DNA contained within a gel particle may be subjected to PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification, e.g., by using PCR primers able to bind to the gel as it forms. As the DNA is amplified using PCR, some of the DNA will be bound to the gel via the PCR primer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Jeremy Agresti, Liang-Yin Chu, David A. Weitz, Jin-Woong Kim, Amy Rowat, Morten Sommer, Gautam Dantas, George Church
  • Patent number: 9816121
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to droplets and/or emulsions, such as multiple emulsions. In some cases, the droplets and/or emulsions may be used in assays, and in certain embodiments, the droplet or emulsion may be hardened to form a gel. In some aspects, a heterogeneous assay can be performed using a gel. For example, a droplet may be hardened to form a gel, where the droplet contains a cell, DNA, or other suitable species. The gel may be exposed to a reactant, and the reactant may interact with the gel and/or with the cell, DNA, etc., in some fashion. For example, the reactant may diffuse through the gel, or the hardened particle may liquefy to form a liquid state, allowing the reactant to interact with the cell. As a specific example, DNA contained within a gel particle may be subjected to PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification, e.g., by using PCR primers able to bind to the gel as it forms. As the DNA is amplified using PCR, some of the DNA will be bound to the gel via the PCR primer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Jeremy Agresti, Liang-Yin Chu, David A. Weitz, Jin-Woong Kim, Amy Rowat, Morten Sommer, Gautam Dantas, George Church
  • Publication number: 20170275651
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for production of fatty alcohols using recombinant microorganisms are provided as well as fatty alcohol compositions produced by such methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Jay D. Keasling, Zhihao Hu, Chris Somerville, George Church, David Berry, Lisa C. Friedman, Andreas Schirmer, Shane Brubaker, Stephen B. DEL CARDAYRE
  • Patent number: 9765341
    Abstract: Provided herein are DNA origami devices useful in the targeted delivery of biologically active entities to specific cell populations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Ido Bachelet, Shawn Douglas, George Church
  • Publication number: 20170183701
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to droplets and/or emulsions, such as multiple emulsions. In some cases, the droplets and/or emulsions may be used in assays, and in certain embodiments, the droplet or emulsion may be hardened to form a gel. In some aspects, a heterogeneous assay can be performed using a gel. For example, a droplet may be hardened to form a gel, where the droplet contains a cell, DNA, or other suitable species. The gel may be exposed to a reactant, and the reactant may interact with the gel and/or with the cell, DNA, etc., in some fashion. For example, the reactant may diffuse through the gel, or the hardened particle may liquefy to form a liquid state, allowing the reactant to interact with the cell. As a specific example, DNA contained within a gel particle may be subjected to PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification, e.g., by using PCR primers able to bind to the gel as it forms. As the DNA is amplified using PCR, some of the DNA will be bound to the gel via the PCR primer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Jeremy Agresti, Liang-Yin Chu, David A. Weitz, Jin-Woong Kim, Amy Rowat, Morten Sommer, Gautam Dantas, George Church
  • Patent number: 9598706
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for production of fatty alcohols using recombinant microorganisms are provided as well as fatty alcohol compositions produced by such methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: REG LIFE SCIENCES, LLC
    Inventors: Jay D. Keasling, Zhihao Hu, Chris Somerville, George Church, David Berry, Lisa C. Friedman, Andreas Schirmer, Shane Brubaker, Stephen B. Del Cardayre
  • Publication number: 20160304952
    Abstract: The invention provides in situ nucleic acid sequencing to be conducted in biological specimens that have been physically expanded. The invention leverages the techniques for expansion microscopy (ExM) to provide new methods for in situ sequencing of nucleic acids as well as new methods for fluorescent in situ sequencing (FISSEQ) in a new process referred to herein as “expansion sequencing” (ExSEQ).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Edward Stuart Boyden, Fei Chen, Shahar Alon, George Church, Paul Warren Tillberg, Adam Marblestone, Evan Daugharthy
  • Publication number: 20160003812
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods for maintaining the integrity and identification of a nucleic acid template in a multiplex sequencing reaction. In certain embodiments, methods of the invention involve obtaining a template nucleic acid, incorporating a pair of sequence identifiers into the template, and sequencing the template.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Gregory Porreca, Mark Umbarger, George Church