Patents by Inventor Todd Sulchek

Todd Sulchek 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: 20250145924
    Abstract: A cell deactivation device includes a cell deactivation container. The cell deactivation container includes a plurality of microfluidic channels, a lid covering the plurality of microfluidic channels, the lid having a thickness of less than about 150 microns, and a distribution manifold configured to distribute a fluid to the plurality of microfluidic channels. The cell deactivation device further includes an irradiation source configured to generate an electron beam and transmit the electron beam through the lid of the cell deactivation container and into a fluid passing through the plurality of microfluidic channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Inventors: Todd Sulchek, Eric Dixon, Peter Shankles
  • Patent number: 12227729
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for cell processing or, more specifically, for introducing various payloads into cells. These methods and systems use a mechanoporation approach in which cells are rapidly compressed and then released to relax while absorbing the payload. More specifically, these methods and systems enable high-throughput mechanoporation with various clogging mitigation features. A cell processing apparatus comprises a shell with an inner shell cylindrical surface, a core with an outer core cylindrical surface, and ridges, supported on and protruding away from one of the inner shell cylindrical surface and the outer core cylindrical surface. The core is disposed inside the shell. The outer core cylindrical surface is concentric with the inner shell cylindrical surface. Each of the ridges forms a ridge gap with the other one of the inner shell cylindrical surface and the outer core cylindrical surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: CellFE, Inc.
    Inventors: Sewoon Han, Alexander Alexeev, Todd Sulchek
  • Publication number: 20240248093
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a composition comprising a cell capable of secreting one or more molecules, the cell non-covalently attached to a particle, wherein the particle comprises a first linker linking a collector unit, the collector unit capable of binding to the one or more molecules secreted by the cell, optionally, wherein the one or more molecules secreted by the cell are bound to the first unit. The cell is non-covalently bound to the particle through a targeting unit affixed to the particle via a second linker. Also disclosed are methods of isolating cells with one or more particles comprising the same or different collector units and targeting units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Inventors: Todd Sulchek, Ignacio Sanz, Frances Eun-Hyung LEE, Katily Ramirez
  • Patent number: 12007316
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to dead-end filtration systems and, more particularly, to pulse-modulated periodic backflush systems and methods for clearing fouling layers in dead-end filtration systems. In some embodiments, a controller may control the flow of fluid in the system from cycling from a forward flow to a reverse flow. In some embodiments, the controller may cycle from forward to reverse flow based on a volumetric flow ratio. Embodiments of the present disclosure describe optimal volumetric flow ratios for optimizing the break of cake in a dead-end filtration system. Embodiments of the present disclosure describe optimal volumetric flow ratios for optimizing recovery percentages of targeted particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron C. Enten, Todd Sulchek
  • Patent number: 11925934
    Abstract: Microfluidic devices for cell sorting or cell fractionation are disclosed. A microfluidic device can comprise one or more inlets, a first wall and a second wall, and two or more outlets. The first and second walls can be substantially planar to each other and the first wall having can have a plurality of ridges protruding from the first wall and defining a compression gap between the ridge and a surface of the second wall. The microfluidic device can also be a cell sorting device for sorting a plurality of cells based on one or more biophysical cellular properties including size, elasticity, viscosity, and/or viscoelasticity wherein the cells are subjected to one or more compressions due to the compression gap. Also disclosed are methods for cell sorting based on a variety of biophysical cellular properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Todd Sulchek, Alexander Alexeev, Gonghao Wang
  • Patent number: 11668638
    Abstract: A microchannel for processing cells by compression of the cells including an inlet, ridges and an outlet. Each ridge including a compressive surface and a cell adhesion entity. The outlet configured to remove at least one of a first portion of the cells and a second portion of the cells from the microchannel. Each ridge oriented at an angle of from 25 degrees to 70 degrees relative to a center axis of the microchannel. The cell adhesion entity configured such that the first portion of the cells has a first adhesion property relative to the cell adhesion entity to follow a first trajectory through the microchannel. The cell adhesion entity further configured such that the second portion of the cells has a second adhesion property relative to the cell adhesion entity to follow a second trajectory through the microchannel. The first trajectory is different from the second trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Todd Sulchek, Alexander Alexeev, Bushra Tasadduq
  • Publication number: 20220298461
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for cell processing, including delivery of imaging agents into cells. The methods and systems may comprise the use of a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device may comprise a channel comprising a compressive element. The compressive element may be configured to reduce a volume of the cell and facilitate the formation of one or more transient pores in a cell membrane of the cell. The one or more pores may permit one or more imaging agents to enter the cell. Also provided are modified cells produced using the disclosed methods and systems and methods of imaging the modified cells in a subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: CELLFE, INC.
    Inventors: Alla ZAMARAYEVA, Alexander ALEXEEV, Todd SULCHEK, Sewoon HAN, Miguel CALERO-GARCIA, Ian SICHER
  • Publication number: 20220228965
    Abstract: A microchannel for processing cells by compression of the cells including an inlet, ridges and an outlet. Each ridge including a compressive surface and a cell adhesion entity. The outlet configured to remove at least one of a first portion of the cells and a second portion of the cells from the microchannel. Each ridge oriented at an angle of from 25 degrees to 70 degrees relative to a center axis of the microchannel. The cell adhesion entity configured such that the first portion of the cells has a first adhesion property relative to the cell adhesion entity to follow a first trajectory through the microchannel. The cell adhesion entity further configured such that the second portion of the cells has a second adhesion property relative to the cell adhesion entity to follow a second trajectory through the microchannel. The first trajectory is different from the second trajectory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Todd Sulchek, Alexander Alexeev, Bushra Tasadduq
  • Publication number: 20220213422
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for cell processing, including delivery of substances into cells. The methods and systems may comprise the use of a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device may comprise a channel comprising a compressive element. The compressive element may be configured to reduce a volume of the cell and facilitate the formation of one or more transient pores in a cell membrane of the cell. The one or more pores may permit one or more substances such as therapeutic or gene-editing reagents to enter the cell. Also provided are modified cells produced using the disclosed methods and systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: CELLFE, INC.
    Inventors: Alla ZAMARAYEVA, Alexander ALEXEEV, Todd SULCHEK, Miguel CALERO-GARCIA, Ian SICHER, Jocelyn LOO, Sewoon HAN
  • Publication number: 20220204908
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for cell processing or, more specifically, for introducing various payloads into cells. These methods and systems use a mechanoporation approach in which cells are rapidly compressed and then released to relax while absorbing the payload. More specifically, these methods and systems enable high-throughput mechanoporation with various clogging mitigation features. A cell processing apparatus comprises a shell with an inner shell cylindrical surface, a core with an outer core cylindrical surface, and ridges, supported on and protruding away from one of the inner shell cylindrical surface and the outer core cylindrical surface. The core is disposed inside the shell. The outer core cylindrical surface is concentric with the inner shell cylindrical surface. Each of the ridges forms a ridge gap with the other one of the inner shell cylindrical surface and the outer core cylindrical surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Sewoon HAN, Alexander ALEXEEV, Todd SULCHEK
  • Patent number: 11288815
    Abstract: A system for tracking single-cell movement trajectories is disclosed. The system can record, to a plurality of frames, cells (events) within a microfluidic device. Also, the system can identify an event within each frame including whether the event is a single cell or multiple cells. When the event appears differently between frames (e.g., single cell in one frame and multiple cells in another frame), the system can either segment or merge the cell(s). Then, the system can determine a trajectory for the events based on a position of the event in the frames. Further, the system can determine cell properties based on the trajectory of the events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Peng Qiu, Todd Sulchek
  • Patent number: 11268892
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure can include a method comprising: providing a plurality of cells to a microchannel, the microchannel coated in at least one cell adhesion entity and comprising a compressive surface and a first outlet, the compressive surface defining a compression gap, flowing the plurality of cells through the microchannel, wherein the flowing comprises: compressing the plurality of cells underneath the compressive surface; and exposing the plurality of cells to the at least one cell adhesion entity, wherein the exposing causes a first portion of the cells having a first adhesion property to temporarily bind to the cell adhesion entity; and collecting the first portion of cells at the first outlet; wherein the compression gap has a height of from 75% to 95% an average diameter of the plurality of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Todd Sulchek, Alexander Alexeev, Bushra Tasadduq
  • Publication number: 20220062904
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure can include a method for convective intracellular delivery including providing cells and molecules to a microchannel having compressive surfaces, wherein the compressive surfaces define compression gaps having a height of from 20 and 80% of the average cell diameter, and a plurality of relaxation spaces disposed between the compressive surfaces, flowing the cell medium through the microchannel, wherein as the cell medium flows through the microchannel, the plurality of cells undergo a convective intracellular delivery process comprising: compressing the plurality of cells, wherein the compressing causes the plurality of cells to undergo a loss in intracellular volume Vloss, and passing the plurality of cells to a first relaxation space, wherein the plurality of cells undergo a gain in volume Vgain and absorb a portion of the plurality of molecules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Todd Sulchek, Alexander Alexeev, Anna Liu
  • Publication number: 20220056393
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for intracellular delivery. The systems and methods may comprise the use of a cell processing apparatus which may comprise a plurality of compression elements such as ridges. The intracellular delivery may be caused by rapid compression of cells, which may result in a reduction of a cell volume. The compression may occur while the cells pass through gaps formed by at least a subset of the ridges. The cell processing apparatus may further comprise one or more recovery spaces which are positioned between adjacent ridges. The cells may recover at least a portion of the reduced cell volume by absorbing media and/or reagents surrounding the cells while flowing through the recovery spaces. The ridges may also divert less compressible cells into a diversion channel, thereby sorting the cells based on various cell properties and/or preventing clogging within the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: CELLFE, INC.
    Inventors: Sewoon HAN, Alexander ALEXEEV, Alla ZAMARAYEVA, Todd SULCHEK
  • Patent number: 11198127
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure can include a method for convective intracellular delivery including providing cells and molecules to a microchannel having compressive surfaces, wherein the compressive surfaces define compression gaps having a height of from 20 and 80% of the average cell diameter; and a plurality of relaxation spaces disposed between the compressive surfaces; flowing the cell medium through the microchannel, wherein as the cell medium flows through the microchannel, the plurality of cells undergo a convective intracellular delivery process comprising: compressing the plurality of cells, wherein the compressing causes the plurality of cells to undergo a loss in intracellular volume (Vloss); and passing the plurality of cells to a first relaxation space, wherein the plurality of cells undergo a gain in volume (Vgain) and absorb a portion of the plurality of molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Todd Sulchek, Alexander Alexeev, Anna Liu
  • Publication number: 20210292700
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for intracellular delivery. The systems and methods may comprise the use of a cell processing apparatus which may comprise a plurality of compression elements such as ridges. The intracellular delivery may be caused by rapid compression of cells, which may result in a reduction of a cell volume. The compression may occur while the cells pass through gaps formed by at least a subset of the ridges. The cell processing apparatus may further comprise one or more recovery spaces which are positioned between adjacent ridges. The cells may recover at least a portion of the reduced cell volume by absorbing media and/or reagents surrounding the cells while flowing through the recovery spaces. The ridges may also divert less compressible cells into a diversion channel, thereby sorting the cells based on various cell properties and/or preventing clogging within the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: CELLFE, INC.
    Inventors: Sewoon HAN, Alexander ALEXEEV, Alla ZAMARAYEVA, Todd SULCHEK
  • Publication number: 20200363300
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to dead-end filtration systems and, more particularly, to pulse-modulated periodic backflush systems and methods for clearing fouling layers in dead-end filtration systems. In some embodiments, a controller may control the flow of fluid in the system from cycling from a forward flow to a reverse flow. In some embodiments, the controller may cycle from forward to reverse flow based on a volumetric flow ratio. Embodiments of the present disclosure describe optimal volumetric flow ratios for optimizing the break of cake in a dead-end filtration system. Embodiments of the present disclosure describe optimal volumetric flow ratios for optimizing recovery percentages of targeted particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Aaron Enten, Todd Sulchek
  • Publication number: 20200330990
    Abstract: Microfluidic devices for cell sorting or cell fractionation are disclosed. A microfluidic device can comprise one or more inlets, a first wall and a second wall, and two or more outlets. The first and second walls can be substantially planar to each other and the first wall having can have a plurality of ridges protruding from the first wall and defining a compression gap between the ridge and a surface of the second wall. The microfluidic device can also be a cell sorting device for sorting a plurality of cells based on one or more biophysical cellular properties including size, elasticity, viscosity, and/or viscoelasticity wherein the cells are subjected to one or more compressions due to the compression gap. Also disclosed are methods for cell sorting based on a variety of biophysical cellular properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Todd Sulchek, Alexander Alexeev, Gonghao Wang
  • Patent number: 10717084
    Abstract: Microfluidic devices for cell sorting or cell fractionation are disclosed. A microfluidic device can comprise one or more inlets, a first wall and a second wall, and two or more outlets. The first and second walls can be substantially planar to each other and the first wall having can have a plurality of ridges protruding from the first wall and defining a compression gap between the ridge and a surface of the second wall. The microfluidic device can also be a cell sorting device for sorting a plurality of cells based on one or more biophysical cellular properties including size, elasticity, viscosity, and/or viscoelasticity wherein the cells are subjected to one or more compressions due to the compression gap. Also disclosed are methods for cell sorting based on a variety of biophysical cellular properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Todd Sulchek, Alexander Alexeev, Gonghao Wang
  • Publication number: 20200219266
    Abstract: A system for tracking single-cell movement trajectories is disclosed. The system can record, to a plurality of frames, cells (events) within a microfluidic device. Also, the system can identify an event within each frame including whether the event is a single cell or multiple cells. When the event appears differently between frames (e.g., single cell in one frame and multiple cells in another frame), the system can either segment or merge the cell(s). Then, the system can determine a trajectory for the events based on a position of the event in the frames. Further, the system can determine cell properties based on the trajectory of the events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Peng Qiu, Todd Sulchek