Patents by Inventor Kevin Z. Qu

Kevin Z. Qu 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: 11965212
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for detection of a nucleic acid target in a sample. The methods and compositions use primer directed amplification in conjunction with nucleic acid fragmentation. The methods have high sensitivity even in the presence of a large amount of non-target nucleic acid. Also provided are oligonucleotides and kits useful in the method. Exemplary nucleic acid targets are those with mutant gene sequence such as mutant sequence of the EGFR, APC, TMPRSS2, ERG and ETV1 genes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC
    Inventors: Heather R. Sanders, Kevin Z. Qu, Charles M. Strom, Richard A. Bender
  • Publication number: 20220098679
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for detection of a nucleic acid target in a sample. The methods and compositions use primer directed amplification in conjunction with nucleic acid fragmentation. The methods have high sensitivity even in the presence of a large amount of non-target nucleic acid. Also provided are oligonucleotides and kits useful in the method. Exemplary nucleic acid targets are those with mutant gene sequence such as mutant sequence of the EGFR, APC, TMPRSS2, ERG and ETV1 genes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC
    Inventors: Heather R. SANDERS, Kevin Z. Qu, Charles M. Strom, Richard A. Bender
  • Patent number: 11155877
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for detection of a nucleic acid target in a sample. The methods and compositions use primer directed amplification in conjunction with nucleic acid fragmentation. The methods have high sensitivity even in the presence of a large amount of non-target nucleic acid. Also provided are oligonucleotides and kits useful in the method. Exemplary nucleic acid targets are those with mutant gene sequence such as mutant sequence of the EGFR, APC, TMPRSS2, ERG and ETV1 genes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC
    Inventors: Heather R. Sanders, Kevin Z. Qu, Charles M. Strom, Richard A. Bender
  • Publication number: 20190100808
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for detection of a nucleic acid target in a sample. The methods and compositions use primer directed amplification in conjunction with nucleic acid fragmentation. The methods have high sensitivity even in the presence of a large amount of non-target nucleic acid. Also provided are oligonucleotides and kits useful in the method. Exemplary nucleic acid targets are those with mutant gene sequence such as mutant sequence of the EGFR, APC, TMPRSS2, ERG and ETV1 genes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC
    Inventors: Heather R. Sanders, Kevin Z. Qu, Charles M. Strom, Richard A. Bender
  • Patent number: 10106857
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for detection of a nucleic acid target in a sample. The methods and compositions use primer directed amplification in conjunction with nucleic acid fragmentation. The methods have high sensitivity even in the presence of a large amount of non-target nucleic acid. Also provided are oligonucleotides and kits useful in the method. Exemplary nucleic acid targets are those with mutant gene sequence such as mutant sequence of the EGFR, APC, TMPRSS2, ERG and ETV1 genes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
    Inventors: Heather R. Sanders, Kevin Z. Qu, Charles M. Strom, Richard A. Bender
  • Publication number: 20180023145
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for detection of a nucleic acid target in a sample. The methods and compositions use primer directed amplification in conjunction with nucleic acid fragmentation. The methods have high sensitivity even in the presence of a large amount of non-target nucleic acid. Also provided are oligonucleotides and kits useful in the method. Exemplary nucleic acid targets are those with mutant gene sequence such as mutant sequence of the EGFR, APC, TMPRSS2, ERG and ETV1 genes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
    Inventors: Heather R. Sanders, Kevin Z. Qu, Charles M. Strom, Richard A. Bender
  • Patent number: 9783854
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for detection of a nucleic acid target in a sample. The methods and compositions use primer directed amplification in conjunction with nucleic acid fragmentation. The methods have high sensitivity even in the presence of a large amount of non-target nucleic acid. Also provided are oligonucleotides and kits useful in the method. Exemplary nucleic acid targets are those with mutant gene sequence such as mutant sequence of the EGFR, APC, TMPRSS2, ERG and ETV1 genes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
    Inventors: Heather R. Sanders, Kevin Z. Qu, Charles M. Strom, Richard A. Bender
  • Publication number: 20150299811
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for detection of a nucleic acid target in a sample. The methods and compositions use primer directed amplification in conjunction with nucleic acid fragmentation. The methods have high sensitivity even in the presence of a large amount of non-target nucleic acid. Also provided are oligonucleotides and kits useful in the method. Exemplary nucleic acid targets are those with mutant gene sequence such as mutant sequence of the EGFR, APC, TMPRSS2, ERG and ETV1 genes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
    Inventors: Heather R. Sanders, Kevin Z. Qu, Charles M. Strom, Richard A. Bender
  • Patent number: 8999634
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for detection of a nucleic acid target in a sample. The methods and compositions use primer directed amplification in conjunction with nucleic acid fragmentation. The methods have high sensitivity even in the presence of a large amount of non-target nucleic acid. Also provided are oligonucleotides and kits useful in the method. Exemplary nucleic acid targets are those with mutant gene sequence such as mutant sequence of the EGFR, APC, TMPRSS2, ERG and ETV1 genes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
    Inventors: Heather R. Sanders, Kevin Z. Qu, Charles M. Strom, Richard A. Bender
  • Publication number: 20100291554
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining the genotype of a selected gene present in at least two alleles in a sample. The methods involve amplifying DNA from the sample with a first pair of flanking primers that hybridize to nucleic acid sequences flanking a variant-specific gene sequence, the presence of which indicates the presence of a first gene variant, and the absence of which indicates the presence of a second gene variant. The DNA is also amplified with a third primer that specifically binds to the variant-specific sequence and together with one of the flanking primers forms a second pair of primers. Detection of one or more nucleic acid products of the amplification reaction is indicative of the genotype present in the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Kevin Z. Qu, Anthony Sferruzza
  • Publication number: 20090181378
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for detection of a nucleic acid target in a sample. The methods and compositions use primer directed amplification in conjunction with nucleic acid fragmentation. The methods have high sensitivity even in the presence of a large amount of non-target nucleic acid. Also provided are oligonucleotides and kits useful in the method. Exemplary nucleic acid targets are those with mutant gene sequence such as mutant sequence of the EGFR, APC, TMPRSS2, ERG and ETV1 genes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: Heather R. Sanders, Kevin Z. Qu, Charles M. Strom, Richard A. Bender
  • Patent number: 7514213
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining the genotype of a selected gene present in at least two alleles in a sample. The methods involve amplifying DNA from the sample with a first pair of flanking primers that hybridize to nucleic acid sequences flanking a variant-specific gene sequence, the presence of which indicates the presence of a first gene variant, and the absence of which indicates the presence of a second gene variant. The DNA is also amplified with a third primer that specifically binds to the variant-specific sequence and together with one of the flanking primers forms a second pair of primers. Detection of one or more nucleic acid products of the amplification reaction is indicative of the genotype present in the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin Z. Qu, Anthony Sferruzza
  • Publication number: 20080221395
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for the diagnosis of a disease or condition in an individual. The methods employ a primary self-organizing map trained with biological marker profiles from tissues having known diseases or conditions, in combination with a secondary self-organizing map which displays a representation of a subset of the primary self-organizing map with sample data obtained from an individual in need of diagnosis. A result is prepared from the secondary SOM(s) that reveals the extent of similarity between the known diseases or conditions with the sample data set of the individual. The result can be provided to a practitioner to aid in the diagnosis of the individual.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Steven J. Potts, Beryl Crossley, Rong Chen, Kevin Z. Qu, Richard A. Bender
  • Publication number: 20080161652
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for the diagnosis of a disease or condition in an individual. The methods employ a primary self-organizing map trained with biological marker profiles from tissues having known diseases or conditions, in combination with a secondary self-organizing map which displays a representation of a subset of the primary self-organizing map with sample data obtained from an individual in need of diagnosis. A result is prepared from the secondary SOM(s) that reveals the extent of similarity between the known diseases or conditions with the sample data set of the individual. The result can be provided to a practitioner to aid in the diagnosis or prognosis of the individual. The result can additionally be used to select an individual for a clinical trial to evaluate a treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Steven J. Potts, Beryl Crossley, Rong X. Chen, Kevin Z. Qu, Richard A. Bender
  • Publication number: 20040142360
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining the genotype of a selected gene present in at least two alleles in a sample. The methods involve amplifying DNA from the sample with a first pair of flanking primers that hybridize to nucleic acid sequences flanking a variant-specific gene sequence, the presence of which indicates the presence of a first gene variant, and the absence of which indicates the presence of a second gene variant. The DNA is also amplified with a third primer that specifically binds to the variant-specific sequence and together with one of the flanking primers forms a second pair of primers. Detection of one or more nucleic acid products of the amplification reaction is indicative of the genotype present in the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Applicant: Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin Z. Qu, Anthony Sferruzza