Patents by Inventor Ramakrishna Sista
Ramakrishna Sista 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).
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Publication number: 20150107995Abstract: The invention provides droplet actuators and droplet actuator techniques. Among other things, the droplet actuators and methods are useful for manipulating beads on a droplet actuator, such as conducting droplet operations using bead-containing droplets on a droplet actuator. For example, beads may be manipulated on a droplet actuator in the context of executing a sample preparation protocol and/or an assay protocol. An output of the methods of the invention may be beads prepared for execution of an assay protocol. Another output of the methods of the invention may be results of an assay protocol executed using beads.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2015Publication date: April 23, 2015Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Ramakrishna Sista, Vamsee Pamula, Arjun Sudarsan, Vijay Srinivasan, Prasanna Thwar
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Publication number: 20150068903Abstract: The invention provides droplet actuators with droplet operations surfaces for manipulating droplets, e.g., by conducting droplet operations. The droplet operations surfaces are typically exposed to a droplet operations gap. One or more regions of a droplet operation surface may include patterned topographic features. The invention also provides a droplet actuator in which one or both gap-facing droplet operations surfaces is formed using a removable film. The removable film may, in various embodiments, also include other components ordinarily associated with the droplet actuator substrate, such as the dielectric layer and the electrodes. Further, the invention provides droplet actuator devices and methods for coupling and/or sealing substrates of a droplet actuator, such as techniques for self-aligning assembly of droplet actuator substrates.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2014Publication date: March 12, 2015Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Arjun Sudarsan, Vamsee K. Pamula, Michael G. Pollack, Ramakrishna Sista, Raymond Kozikowski, Nicole Bell
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Publication number: 20150034485Abstract: The present invention relates to bead incubating and washing on a droplet actuator. Methods for incubating magnetically responsive beads that are labeled with primary antibody, a sample (i.e., analyte), and secondary reporter antibodies on a magnet, on and off a magnet, and completely off a magnet are provided. Also provided are methods for washing magnetically responsive beads using shape-assisted merging of droplets. Also provided are methods for shape-mediated splitting, transporting, and dispensing of a sample droplet that contains magnetically responsive beads. The apparatuses and methods of the invention provide for rapid time to result and optimum detection of an analyte in an immunoassay.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2014Publication date: February 5, 2015Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Ramakrishna Sista, Arjun Sudarsan
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Publication number: 20150021189Abstract: A droplet actuator configured to improve the throughput of droplet operations in a detection spot of the droplet actuator and/or to reduce carryover problems is provided. The droplet actuator may include electrodes configured for effecting droplet operations transporting droplets on a surface; a sensor arranged in proximity to one or more of the electrodes establishing a detection window on the surface for detection of one or more properties of one or more droplets on the surface; wherein the electrodes may establish at least two pathways for transport of droplets into the detection window.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2014Publication date: January 22, 2015Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Vamsee K. Pamula, Ramakrishna Sista, Michael G. Pollack
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Publication number: 20150008128Abstract: The invention provides a method of redistributing magnetically responsive beads in a droplet. The method may include conducting on a droplet operations surface one or more droplet operations using the droplet without removing the magnetically responsive beads from the region of the magnetic field. The droplet operations may in some cases be electrode-mediated. The droplet operations may redistribute and/or circulate the magnetically responsive beads within the droplet. In some cases, the droplet may include a sample droplet may include a target analyte. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads may cause target analyte to bind to the magnetically responsive beads. In some cases, the droplet may include unbound substances in a wash buffer. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads causes unbound substances to be freed from interstices of an aggregated set or subset of the magnetically responsive beads.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2014Publication date: January 8, 2015Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: VAMSEE K. PAMULA, ARJUN SUDARSAN, RAMAKRISHNA SISTA
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Patent number: 8927296Abstract: The invention provides droplet actuators and droplet actuator techniques. Among other things, the droplet actuators and methods are useful for manipulating beads on a droplet actuator, such as conducting droplet operations using bead-containing droplets on a droplet actuator. For example, beads may be manipulated on a droplet actuator in the context of executing a sample preparation protocol and/or an assay protocol. An output of the methods of the invention may be beads prepared for execution of an assay protocol. Another output of the methods of the invention may be results of an assay protocol executed using beads.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2009Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Ramakrishna Sista, Vamsee Pamula, Arjun Sudarsan, Vijay Srinivasan, Prasanna Thwar
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Publication number: 20140302580Abstract: The invention provides a method of dispersing or circulating magnetically responsive beads within a droplet in a droplet actuator. The invention, in one embodiment, makes use of a droplet actuator with a plurality of droplet operations electrodes configured to transport the droplet, and a magnetic field present at a portion of the plurality of droplet operations electrodes. A bead-containing droplet is provided on the droplet actuator in the presence of the uniform magnetic field. Beads are circulated in the droplet during incubation by conducting droplet operations on the droplet within a uniform region of the magnate field. Other embodiments are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2014Publication date: October 9, 2014Applicant: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Ramakrishna Sista, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Allen Eckhardt
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Patent number: 8846410Abstract: The present invention relates to bead incubating and washing on a droplet actuator. Methods for incubating magnetically responsive beads that are labeled with primary antibody, a sample (i.e., analyte), and secondary reporter antibodies on a magnet, on and off a magnet, and completely off a magnet are provided. Also provided are methods for washing magnetically responsive beads using shape-assisted merging of droplets. Also provided are methods for shape-mediated splitting, transporting, and dispensing of a sample droplet that contains magnetically responsive beads. The apparatuses and methods of the invention provide for rapid time to result and optimum detection of an analyte in an immunoassay.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2013Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Ramakrishna Sista, Arjun Sudarsan
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Patent number: 8846414Abstract: The present invention provides for the detection of cardiac markers on a droplet actuator. An aspect provides a method of assaying a cardiac marker in a biological sample from a subject, the method including providing a droplet actuator, loading the biological sample and assay reagents on the droplet actuator, executing droplet operations to create sample droplets from the sample and reagent droplets from the reagents on the droplet actuator, and executing droplet operations using the sample droplets and reagent droplets to produce a detectable signal indicative of the quantity of the cardiac marker in the biological sample. Still other aspects are provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2009Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignees: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc., Duke UniversityInventors: Ramakrishna Sista, Vamsee K. Pamula, Arjun Sudarsan, Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Richard B. Fair, Allen E. Eckhardt
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Publication number: 20140231257Abstract: Droplet actuator apparatus and system are provided. An apparatus comprises: a microfluidics system having an insertion slot for insertion of a droplet actuator; a bottom plate against which the droplet actuator would slide when inserting the droplet actuator into the insertion slot; and means for forcing a substrate in the droplet actuator parallel to the bottom plate, wherein warpage in the substrate is corrected.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2012Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: William Craig Bauer, Ramakrishna Sista, Donovan E. Bort
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Patent number: 8809068Abstract: The invention provides a method of dispersing or circulating magnetically responsive beads within a droplet in a droplet actuator. The invention, in one embodiment, makes use of a droplet actuator with a plurality of droplet operations electrodes configured to transport the droplet, and a magnetic field present at a portion of the plurality of droplet operations electrodes. A bead-containing droplet is provided on the droplet actuator in the presence of the uniform magnetic field. Beads are circulated in the droplet during incubation by conducting droplet operations on the droplet within a uniform region of the magnetic field wherein droplet operations do not allow magnetically responsive beads to be introduced into a region of the magnetic field which is sufficiently non-uniform to cause bead clumping resulting in a more homogenous distribution of the beads in the droplet. Other embodiments are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2010Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Ramakrishna Sista, Vamsee K. Pamula, Vijay Srinivasan, Michael G. Pollack, Allen Eckhardt
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Publication number: 20140193807Abstract: The invention provides a method of redistributing magnetically responsive beads in a droplet. The method may include providing a droplet including magnetically responsive beads. The droplet may be provided within a region of a magnetic field having sufficient strength to attract the magnetically responsive beads to an edge of the droplet or towards an edge of the droplet, or otherwise regionalize or aggregate beads within the droplet. The method may also include conducting on a droplet operations surface one or more droplet operations using the droplet without removing the magnetically responsive beads from the region of the magnetic field. The droplet operations may in some cases be electrode-mediated. The droplet operations may redistribute and/or circulate the magnetically responsive beads within the droplet. In some cases, the droplet may include a sample droplet may include a target analyte.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2014Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: VAMSEE K. PAMULA, ARJUN SUDARSAN, RAMAKRISHNA SISTA
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Publication number: 20140174926Abstract: A method of mixing a droplet, the method comprising providing a droplet on a surface, forming the droplet into a first “U” shape having a bottom region and two terminal ends, and simultaneously merging the terminal ends and splitting the droplet at the bottom region to form a second “U” shape which is substantially opposite the first “U” shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2012Publication date: June 26, 2014Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Donovan Bort, Carrie Graham, Vamsee Pamula, Michael Pollack, Ramakrishna Sista, Vijay Srinivasan
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Publication number: 20140069812Abstract: The present invention relates to bead incubating and washing on a droplet actuator. Methods for incubating magnetically responsive beads that are labeled with primary antibody, a sample (i.e., analyte), and secondary reporter antibodies on a magnet, on and off a magnet, and completely off a magnet are provided. Also provided are methods for washing magnetically responsive beads using shape-assisted merging of droplets. Also provided are methods for shape-mediated splitting, transporting, and dispensing of a sample droplet that contains magnetically responsive beads. The apparatuses and methods of the invention provide for rapid time to result and optimum detection of an analyte in an immunoassay.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2013Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: MICHAEL G. POLLACK, VAMSEE K. PAMULA, RAMAKRISHNA SISTA, ARJUN SUDARSAN
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Publication number: 20140057363Abstract: The invention provides droplet actuators and droplet actuator techniques. Among other things, the droplet actuators and methods are useful for manipulating beads on a droplet actuator, such as conducting droplet operations using bead-containing droplets on a droplet actuator. For example, beads may be manipulated on a droplet actuator in the context of executing a sample preparation protocol and/or an assay protocol. An output of the methods of the invention may be beads prepared for execution of an assay protocol. Another output of the methods of the invention may be results of an assay protocol executed using beads.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2009Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Ramakrishna Sista, Vamsee Pamula, Arjun Sudarsan, Vijay Srinivasan, Prasanna Thwar
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Patent number: 8658111Abstract: The present invention provides droplet actuators, modified fluids and methods relating to droplet operations. An aspect includes a droplet actuator including a droplet operations substrate; an oil based filler fluid on the droplet operations substrate comprising an oil soluble additive in the filler fluid; and a droplet in contact with the oil based filler fluid. Still other aspects are provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2011Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Vamsee Pamula, Ramakrishna Sista, Arjun Sudarsan, Prasanna Thwar
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Patent number: 8637324Abstract: The present invention relates to bead incubating and washing on a droplet actuator. Methods for incubating magnetically responsive beads that are labeled with primary antibody, a sample (i.e., analyte), and secondary reporter antibodies on a magnet, on and off a magnet, and completely off a magnet are provided. Also provided are methods for washing magnetically responsive beads using shape-assisted merging of droplets. Also provided are methods for shape-mediated splitting, transporting, and dispensing of a sample droplet that contains magnetically responsive beads. The apparatuses and methods of the invention provide for rapid time to result and optimum detection of an analyte in an immunoassay.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2011Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Michael G. Pollack, Vamsee K. Pamula, Ramakrishna Sista, Arjun Sudarsan
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Patent number: 8637317Abstract: The invention provides a method of redistributing magnetically responsive beads in a droplet. The method may include providing a droplet including magnetically responsive beads. The droplet may be provided within a region of a magnetic field having sufficient strength to attract the magnetically responsive beads to an edge of the droplet or towards an edge of the droplet, or otherwise regionalize or aggregate beads within the droplet. The method may also include conducting on a droplet operations surface one or more droplet operations using the droplet without removing the magnetically responsive beads from the region of the magnetic field. The droplet operations may in some cases be electrode-mediated. The droplet operations may redistribute and/or circulate the magnetically responsive beads within the droplet. In some cases, the droplet may include a sample droplet may include a target analyte.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2011Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.Inventors: Vamsee K. Pamula, Arjun Sudarsan, Ramakrishna Sista
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Publication number: 20130233425Abstract: The present invention is directed to modified droplet actuators, fluids and methods for enhancing and/or maintaining oil film stability in a droplet actuator. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides a droplet actuator with one or more substrates arranged to form a droplet operations gap comprising gap-facing surfaces; droplet operations electrodes configured to conduct droplet operations in the droplet operations gap; at least one barrier included on at least one of the substrate surfaces and having dimensions selected to: permit droplet transport from atop a first droplet operations electrode to a second droplet operations electrode when the second droplet operations electrode is activated; and prevent movement of a droplet from atop a first droplet operations electrode when the first and second droplet operations electrodes are inactive.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2013Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC INC.Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Vamsee K. Pamula, Ramakrishna Sista, Prasanna Thwar
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Publication number: 20120261264Abstract: The invention provides droplet actuators with droplet operations surfaces for manipulating droplets, e.g., by conducting droplet operations. The droplet operations surfaces are typically exposed to a droplet operations gap. One or more regions of a droplet operation surface may include patterned topographic features. The invention also provides a droplet actuator in which one or both gap-facing droplet operations surfaces is formed using a removable film. The removable film may, in various embodiments, also include other components ordinarily associated with the droplet actuator substrate, such as the dielectric layer and the electrodes. Further, the invention provides droplet actuator devices and methods for coupling and/or sealing substrates of a droplet actuator, such as techniques for self-aligning assembly of droplet actuator substrates.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2009Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: ADVANCED LIQUID LOGIC, INC.Inventors: Vijay Srinivasan, Arjun Sudarsan, Vamsee Pamula, Michael Pollack, Ramakrishna Sista, Raymond Kozikowski, Nicole Bell