Patents by Inventor Philip Fremont-Smith

Philip Fremont-Smith 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: 20240018581
    Abstract: This patent application relates generally to mixture deconvolution systems and methods for identifying DNA profiles. Various embodiments of the present invention concern the deconvolution of unknown DNA profiles in a two-person DNA mixture into two DNA profiles. Deconvolution methods isolate distinct DNA profiles from a DNA mixture without the need to match against DNA reference profiles. Various embodiments include a mixture deconvolution pipeline that involves a series of mathematical steps and machine learning algorithms to achieve the desired performance and decision-support outputs. Various embodiments enable distant familial matching to existing investigative genetic genealogy (IGG; also known as forensic genetic genealogy (FGG)) databases. This capability enables the generation of investigative leads from unresolved casework samples (i.e., DNA mixtures) by identifying possible genealogical relationships to one or more person(s) of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Philip Fremont-Smith, Chelsea Lynn Lennartz, Natalie Damaso
  • Publication number: 20230287487
    Abstract: The disclosure provides various systems and methods for identifying individuals from one or more samples. In particular, improved systems and methods of analysis are provided for handling multiple contributors, as well as systems and methods that model not only individual error rates per locus but factor in amplification of errors induced through PCR cycles. In some embodiments, modeling of error rates can be applied in multi-contributor settings to more accurately establish real alleles from artifacts. Other aspects involve application of sequencing in error modeling. Further, methods are provided for determining the presence of common individual DNA profiles in one or more complex DNA mixtures and for deconvolution of multiple complex DNA mixtures into shared individual components. The methods of the disclosure do not require any prior knowledge of individual DNA profiles or contributors to the complex DNA mixtures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
    Inventors: Darrell Orlyn Ricke, James Harper, Brian S. Helfer, Joseph Isaacson, Adam M. Michaleas, Martha S. Petrovick, Eric Schwoebel, Anna Shcherbina, Philip Fremont-Smith, James G Watkins, Edward C. Wack
  • Patent number: 11655498
    Abstract: The disclosure provides various systems and methods for identifying individuals from one or more samples. In particular, improved systems and methods of analysis are provided for handling multiple contributors, as well as systems and methods that model not only individual error rates per locus but factor in amplification of errors induced through PCR cycles. In some embodiments, modeling of error rates can be applied in multi-contributor settings to more accurately establish real alleles from artifacts. Other aspects involve application of sequencing in error modeling. Further, methods are provided for determining the presence of common individual DNA profiles in one or more complex DNA mixtures and for deconvolution of multiple complex DNA mixtures into shared individual components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Darrell Orlyn Ricke, James Harper, Brian S. Helfer, Joseph Isaacson, Adam M. Michaleas, Martha S. Petrovick, Eric Schwoebel, Anna Shcherbina, Philip Fremont-Smith, James G. Watkins, Edward C. Wack
  • Publication number: 20210017592
    Abstract: The disclosure provides various systems and methods for identifying individuals from one or more samples. In particular, improved systems and methods of analysis are provided for handling multiple contributors, as well as systems and methods that model not only individual error rates per locus but factor in amplification of errors induced through PCR cycles. In some embodiments, modeling of error rates can be applied in multi-contributor settings to more accurately establish real alleles from artifacts. Other aspects involve application of sequencing in error modeling. Further, methods are provided for determining the presence of common individual DNA profiles in one or more complex DNA mixtures and for deconvolution of multiple complex DNA mixtures into shared individual components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Darrell Orlyn Ricke, James Harper, Brian S. Helfer, Joseph Isaacson, Adam M. Michaleas, Martha S. Petrovick, Eric Schwoebel, Anna Shcherbina, Philip Fremont-Smith, James G. Watkins, Edward C. Wack