Patents by Inventor John R Williford

John R Williford 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: 20190217293
    Abstract: A microfluidic device for concentrating and detecting bacteria in liquids, and related methods are described. The device includes a first filter chamber for capturing bacteria and performing incubations of the bacteria with one or more reagents, and a second filter chamber for capturing and concentrating a detectable material, with little or no binding of detectable material by the first filter. In an aspect, bacteria are incubated with growth media and engineered phage that cause the bacteria to produce an enzyme. In an aspect, the enzyme is capture in the second filter chamber and exposed to a substrate to produce a detectable signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: Cornell University
    Inventors: Luis F. Alonzo, Spencer Garing, Anne-Laure M. Le Ny, Kevin Paul Flood Nichols, Sam Rasmussen Nugen, John R. Williford
  • Patent number: 10107797
    Abstract: Microfluidic cartridges for agglutination reactions are provided. The cartridges include a microfluidic reaction channel with at least two intake channels, one for an antigen-containing fluid and the other for an antibody-containing fluid, conjoined to a reaction channel modified by incorporation of a downstream flow control channel. At low Reynolds Number, the two input streams layer one on top of the other in the reaction channel and form a flowing, unmixed horizontally-stratified laminar fluid diffusion (HLFD) interface for an extended duration of reaction. Surprisingly, the design, surface properties, and flow regime of microfluidic circuits of the present invention potentiate detection of antibody mediated agglutination at the stratified interface. Antigen:antibody reactions involving agglutination potentiated by these devices are useful in blood typing, in crossmatching for blood transfusion, and in immunodiagnostic agglutination assays, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, Diane Wierzbicki, John Clemmens, Jason Capodanno, John R. Williford, Carolina Elmufdi, Isaac Sprague
  • Patent number: 9938571
    Abstract: Manufacturing methods and compositions are described for production of self-contained microfluidic cartridge devices with on-board reagents for molecular biological testing. Sensitive reagents are stored in dry form without lyophilization or freezing, and reconstituted at the point of use with either a biological sample or a sample eluate at the point of use. Manufacturing methods include sheet and roll fabrication processes where the reagents are printed in place and sealed within individual microfluidic cartridges before gel vitrification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, Joan Haab, John R. Williford, Sabrina N. Gunderson, Elizabeth R. Leber, Isaac Sprague
  • Publication number: 20160209431
    Abstract: Microfluidic cartridges for agglutination reactions are provided. The cartridges include a microfluidic reaction channel with at least two intake channels, one for an antigen-containing fluid and the other for an antibody-containing fluid, conjoined to a reaction channel modified by incorporation of a downstream flow control channel. At low Reynolds Number, the two input streams layer one on top of the other in the reaction channel and form a flowing, unmixed horizontally-stratified laminar fluid diffusion (HLFD) interface for an extended duration of reaction. Surprisingly, the design, surface properties, and flow regime of microfluidic circuits of the present invention potentiate detection of antibody mediated agglutination at the stratified interface. Antigen:antibody reactions involving agglutination potentiated by these devices are useful in blood typing, in crossmatching for blood transfusion, and in immunodiagnostic agglutination assays, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, Diane Wierzbicki, John Clemmens, Jason Capodanno, John R. Williford, Carolina Elmufdi, Isaac Sprague
  • Patent number: 9146246
    Abstract: Microfluidic cartridges for agglutination reactions are provided. The cartridges include a microfluidic reaction channel with at least two intake channels, one for an antigen-containing fluid and the other for an antibody-containing fluid, conjoined to a reaction channel modified by incorporation of a downstream flow control channel. At low Reynolds Number, the two input streams layer one on top of the other in the reaction channel and form a flowing, unmixed horizontally-stratified laminar fluid diffusion (HLFD) interface for an extended duration of reaction. Surprisingly, the design, surface properties, and flow regime of microfluidic circuits of the present invention potentiate detection of antibody mediated agglutination at the stratified interface. Antigen:antibody reactions involving agglutination potentiated by these devices are useful in blood typing, in crossmatching for blood transfusion, and in immunodiagnostic agglutination assays, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, Diane Wierzbicki, John Clemmens, Jason Capodanno, John R. Williford, Carolina Elmufdi, Isaac Sprague
  • Publication number: 20150158026
    Abstract: Microfluidic methods and devices for heterogeneous binding and agglutination assays are disclosed, with improvements relating to mixing and to reagent and sample manipulation in systems designed for safe handling of clinical test samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, John Gerdes, Stephen Mordue, Jason Capodanno, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, John R. Williford, John Clemmens
  • Publication number: 20150152481
    Abstract: Manufacturing methods and compositions are described for production of self-contained microfluidic cartridge devices with on-board reagents for molecular biological testing. Sensitive reagents are stored in dry form without lyophilization or freezing, and reconstituted at the point of use with either a biological sample or a sample eluate at the point of use. Manufacturing methods include sheet and roll fabrication processes where the reagents are printed in place and sealed within individual microfluidic cartridges before gel vitrification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, Joan Haab, John R. Williford, Sabrina N. Gates, Elizabeth R. Leber, Isaac Sprague
  • Patent number: 8921085
    Abstract: Manufacturing methods and compositions are described for production of self-contained microfluidic cartridge devices with on-board reagents for molecular biological testing. Sensitive reagents are stored in dry form without lyophilization or freezing, and reconstituted at the point of use with either a biological sample or a sample eluate at the point of use. Manufacturing methods include sheet and roll fabrication processes where the reagents are printed in place and sealed within individual microfluidic cartridges before gel vitrification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, Joan Haab, John R. Williford, Sabrina N. Gates, Elizabeth R. Leber, Isaac Sprague
  • Patent number: 8835146
    Abstract: Formulations for dry storage of PCR reagents are described. These formulations find use in manufacture of self-contained microfluidic card devices for PCR clinical testing in which the reagents are reconstituted at the point of testing. In these cards, TAQ polymerase is stored “on-board” in vitrified dry form without lyophilization or freezing, and is reconstituted by either the sample or a sample eluate during the assay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, Joan Haab, John R. Williford
  • Patent number: 8772017
    Abstract: Integrated microfluidic cartridges for nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and detection from clinical samples are disclosed. The devices are single-entry, sanitary, and disposable. The devices enable simplex or multiplex nucleic acid target detection, as for example: assay panels for multiple infectious agents, or assay panels for cancerous cell types. Methods for use of microfluidic cartridges in a fully automated, pneumatically controlled apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, John Gerdes, John R. Williford, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, Wayne L. Breidford, Stephen Mordue, John Clemmens, Melud Nabavi, Mark Kokoris
  • Publication number: 20120329142
    Abstract: Integrated microfluidic cartridges for nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and detection from clinical samples are disclosed. The devices are single-entry, sanitary, and disposable. The devices enable simplex or multiplex nucleic acid target detection, as for example: assay panels for multiple infectious agents, or assay panels for cancerous cell types. Methods for use of microfluidic cartridges in a fully automated, pneumatically controlled apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: MICRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: C. Frederick BATTRELL, John GERDES, John R. WILLIFORD, Denise Maxine HOEKSTRA, Wayne L. BREIDFORD, Stephen MORDUE, John CLEMMENS, Melud NABAVI, Mark KOKORIS
  • Patent number: 8318439
    Abstract: Microfluidic cartridges for agglutination reactions are provided. The cartridges include a microfluidic reaction channel with at least two intake channels, one for an antigen-containing fluid and the other for an antibody-containing fluid, conjoined to a reaction channel modified by incorporation of a downstream flow control channel. At low Reynolds Number, the two input streams layer one on top of the other in the reaction channel and form a flowing, unmixed horizontally-stratified laminar fluid diffusion (HLFD) interface for an extended duration of reaction. Surprisingly, the design, surface properties, and flow regime of microfluidic circuits of the present invention potentiate detection of antibody mediated agglutination at the stratified interface. Antigen:antibody reactions involving agglutination potentiated by these devices are useful in blood typing, in crossmatching for blood transfusion, and in immunodiagnostic agglutination assays, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, Diane Wierzbicki, John Clemmens, Jason Capodanno, John R. Williford, Carolina Elmufdi, Isaac Sprague
  • Patent number: 8222023
    Abstract: Integrated microfluidic cartridges for nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and detection from clinical samples are disclosed. The devices are single-entry, sanitary, and disposable. The devices enable simplex or multiplex nucleic acid target detection, as for example: assay panels for multiple infectious agents, or assay panels for cancerous cell types. Methods for use of microfluidic cartridges in a fully automated, pneumatically controlled apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, John Gerdes, John R. Williford, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, Wayne L. Breidford, Stephen Mordue, John Clemmens, Melud Nabavi, Mark Kokoris
  • Publication number: 20120164627
    Abstract: Microfluidic methods and devices for heterogeneous binding and agglutination assays are disclosed, with improvements relating to mixing and to reagent and sample manipulation in systems designed for safe handling of clinical test samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, John Gerdes, Stephen Mordue, Jason Capodanno, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, John R. Williford, John Clemmens
  • Publication number: 20120156750
    Abstract: Manufacturing methods and compositions are described for production of self-contained microfluidic cartridge devices with on-board reagents for molecular biological testing. Sensitive reagents are stored in dry form without lyophilization or freezing, and reconstituted at the point of use with either a biological sample or a sample eluate at the point of use. Manufacturing methods include sheet and roll fabrication processes where the reagents are printed in place and sealed within individual microfluidic cartridges before gel vitrification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, Joan Haab, John R. Williford, Sabrina N. Gates, Elizabeth R. Leber, Isaac Sprague
  • Publication number: 20120142070
    Abstract: Formulations for dry storage of PCR reagents are described. These formulations find use in manufacture of self-contained microfluidic card devices for PCR clinical testing in which the reagents are reconstituted at the point of testing. In these cards, TAQ polymerase is stored “on-board” in vitrified dry form without lyophilization or freezing, and is reconstituted by either the sample or a sample eluate during the assay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, Joan Haab, John R. Williford
  • Patent number: 8110392
    Abstract: Microfluidic methods and devices for heterogeneous binding and agglutination assays are disclosed, with improvements relating to mixing and to reagent and sample manipulation in systems designed for safe handling of clinical test samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C Frederick Battrell, John Gerdes, Stephen Mordue, Jason Capodanno, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, John R Williford, John Clemmens
  • Publication number: 20100112723
    Abstract: Microfluidic cartridges for agglutination reactions are provided. The cartridges include a microfluidic reaction channel with at least two intake channels, one for an antigen-containing fluid and the other for an antibody-containing fluid, conjoined to a reaction channel modified by incorporation of a downstream flow control channel. At low Reynolds Number, the two input streams layer one on top of the other in the reaction channel and form a flowing, unmixed horizontally-stratified laminar fluid diffusion (HLFD) interface for an extended duration of reaction. Surprisingly, the design, surface properties, and flow regime of microfluidic circuits of the present invention potentiate detection of antibody mediated agglutination at the stratified interface. Antigen:antibody reactions involving agglutination potentiated by these devices are useful in blood typing, in crossmatching for blood transfusion, and in immunodiagnostic agglutination assays, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, Diane Wierzbicki, John Clemmens, Jason Capodanno, John R. Williford, Carolina Elmufdi, Isaac Sprague
  • Publication number: 20090325276
    Abstract: Combinations of microfluidic diagnostic testing modules for simultaneous evaluations of serological and molecular biological targets are provided, and include panel testing for both antibodies (or antigens) and nucleic acid targets in one single-use device. These improvements are directed to evaluating the overall progress and activity of a pathogenic process in real time, at the point of care, not merely the presence or absence of a particular diagnostic marker, which can often be incomplete or misleading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, John Gerdes, Wayne L. Breidford, Jason Capodanno, Stephen Mordue, John Clemmens, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, Christy A. Lancaster, John R. Williford, Patrick Maloney, Joan Haab
  • Publication number: 20090181411
    Abstract: Microfluidic methods and devices for heterogeneous binding and agglutination assays are disclosed, with improvements relating to mixing and to reagent and sample manipulation in systems designed for safe handling of clinical test samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: Micronics, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Frederick Battrell, John Gerdes, Stephen Mordue, Jason Capodanno, Denise Maxine Hoekstra, John R. Williford, John Clemmens