Harvard faculty George Church, Peng Yin, Amir Yacoby, David Mooney, David Edwards, Pamela Silver, Adam Cohen, George Whitesides, Charles Lieber, David Liu, Conor Walsh, Ralph Mazitschek, David Cox, and Ken Nakayama are among the inventors issued U.S. patents in August 2018.

The innovations recognized are as follows:

De novo design of allosteric proteins
U.S. Patent 10,041,065 (August 7, 2018)

Srivatsan Raman, Noah D. Taylor, and George M. Church

Abstract: Methods and compositions for making and isolating allosteric DNA binding proteins that bind to one or more allosteric effectors to induce a conformation change in the proteins are provided.

Methods and compositions relating to optical super-resolution patterning
U.S. Patent 10,041,108 (August 7, 2018)

Robert Barish and Peng Yin

Abstract: This disclosure provides methods for generating super-resolution patterns of molecules on substrates. In one aspect, disclosed herein is a method comprising contacting a plurality of transiently binding nucleic acid probes to their respective targets wherein the targets are immobilized on a substrate, detecting a binding event in a select region or set of select regions within a diffraction limited region of the substrate, and irradiating the diffraction limited region of the substrate, wherein the probes comprise a photocrosslinker. In one embodiment, the photocrosslinker is 3-cyanovinylcarbazole.

Nanoscale scanning sensors
U.S. Patent 10,041,971 (August 7, 2018)

Michael S. Grinolds, Sungkun Hong, Patrick Maletinsky, and Amir Yacoby

Abstract: A sensing probe may be formed of a diamond material comprising one or more spin defects that are configured to emit fluorescent light and are located no more than 50 nm from a sensing surface of the sensing probe. The sensing probe may include an optical outcoupling structure formed by the diamond material and configured to optically guide the fluorescent light toward an output end of the optical outcoupling structure. An optical detector may detect the fluorescent light that is emitted from the spin defects and that exits through the output end of the optical outcoupling structure after being optically guided therethrough. A mounting system may hold the sensing probe and control a distance between the sensing surface of the sensing probe and a surface of a sample while permitting relative motion between the sensing surface and the sample surface.

Injectable preformed macroscopic 3-dimensional scaffolds for minimally invasive administration
U.S. Patent 10,045,947 (August 14, 2018)

Sidi A. Bencherif, David J. Mooney, David Edwards, and Roger Warren Sands

Abstract: The invention provides polymer compositions for cell and drug delivery.

Engineered genetic enteric sensor bacteria and uses thereof
U.S. Patent 10,047,405 (August 14, 2018)

Jonathan Kotula, Scott Jordan Kerns, Jeffrey Charles Way, and Pamela A. Silver

Abstract: The disclosure relates to genetic engineered bacteria having a genetic memory circuit, compositions thereof, formulations thereof, methods of analyses and method of treatment of conditions related to the gastrointestinal tract including the mouth and the stomach.

Convex lens-induced confinement for measuring distributions of molecular size
U.S. Patent 10,048,193 (August 14, 2018)

Adam E. Cohen and Sabrina R. Leslie

Abstract: A curved surface is placed tangent to a slide and displaces a sample liquid from the point or line of contact outward. Imaging indicates a region where fluorescence is observed, and the location of the fluorescence indicates the molecular size. The radius of curvature of the lens is known, the distance from the (center) point of contact of the observed fluorescence is measured with a microscope and the distance of the lens surface to the slide's surface can then be calculated. This distance represents the size of the molecule or ensemble of molecules emitting. Similarly, absorbance, etc. could be measured with a light source below the slide.

Fluid delivery system and method
U.S. Patent 10,048,252 (August 14, 2018)

Vincent Linder, Samuel K. Sia, and George M. Whitesides

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering one or more fluids. Fluids may be delivered from a common vessel to a chemical, biological or biochemical process.

Anisotropic deposition in nanoscale wires
U.S. Patent 10,049,871 (August 14, 2018)

Charles M. Lieber, Sun-Kyung Kim, Robert Day, Hong-Gyu Park, and Thomas J. Kempa

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to nanoscale wires, including anisotropic deposition in nanoscale wires. In one set of embodiments, material may be deposited on certain portions of a nanoscale wire, e.g., anisotropically. For example, material may be deposited on a first facet of a crystalline nanoscale wire but not on a second facet. In some cases, additional materials may be deposited thereon, and/or the portions of the nanoscale wire may be removed, e.g., to produce vacant regions within the nanoscale wire, which may contain gas or other species. Other embodiments of the invention may be directed to articles made thereby, devices containing such nanoscale wires, kits involving such nanoscale wires, or the like.

Photocleavable chemical inducers of dimerization (CID) and methods of use
U.S. Patent 10,053,445 (August 21, 2018)

Thomas L. Schwarz, Matthew R. Banghart, and Amos Gutnick

Abstract: The instant invention provides photolysable compounds, and their use in reversible chemical induced dimerization and light-induced regulation of proteins.

In situ interaction determination
U.S. Patent 10,053,725 (August 21, 2018)

David R. Liu, Lynn Marie McGregor, David Gorin, and Christoph Erich Dumelin

Abstract: Methods, reagents, compositions, and kits for in situ interaction determination (ISID) via interaction-dependent polymerase chain reaction (ID-PCR) are provided herein. ISID technology is useful for rapidly evaluating potential small molecule-target interactions from mixtures in a single solution. ISID is compatible with unpurified targets in biological samples and can be used to evaluate ligand-binding in DNA-encoded chemical libraries in cell lysates. ISID is also useful to screen ligand interactions of proteins or other molecules in their native state, including their native post-translational modifications and any interactions with accessory proteins and metabolites, in ways that better reflect their relevant biological environment. Because ISID is compatible with crude cell lysates, difficult-to-purify, poorly soluble, intrinsically unstable, and aggregation-prone targets may also be compatible with this method, without requiring truncation or other strategies used to promote heterologous expression.

Biomimetic actuation device and system, and methods for controlling a biomimetic actuation device and system
U.S. Patent 10,058,647 (August 28, 2018)

Ellen T. Roche, Steven Obiajulu, Conor J. Walsh, David J. Mooney, and Frank A. Pigula

Abstract: A biomimetic actuation device includes a flexible substrate, conformable for disposition about an object, defining an apex and a base, bearing at least one soft actuator configured to change state from a first state to a second state upon introduction of a pressurized fluid to an internal volume of the at least one soft actuator.

Class-and isoform-specific HDAC inhibitors and uses thereof
U.S. Patent 10,059,657 (August 28, 2018)

Ralph Mazitschek and James E. Bradner

Abstract: HDAC inhibitors of the general formula (I) and (II) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as described herein, are useful as inhibitors of histone deacetylases or other deacetylases, and thus are useful for the treatment of various diseases and disorders associated with acetylase/deacetylase activity as described herein (e.g., cancer). In certain embodiments, the compounds of the invention selectively target either a class or isoform of the HDAC family. Another aspect of the invention provides an assay for determining the inhibitory effect of a test compound on an HDAC protein comprising: incubating the HDAC protein with a substrate of general formula (IIIc) in the presence of a test compound; and determining the activity of the HDAC protein.

Systems and methods for machine learning enhanced by human measurements
U.S. Patent 10,062,011 (August 28, 2018)

David Cox, Walter Scheirer, Samuel Anthony, and Ken Nakayama

Abstract: In various embodiments, training objects are classified by human annotators, psychometric data characterizing the annotation of the training objects is acquired, a human-weighted loss function based at least in part on the classification data and the psychometric data is computationally derived, and one or more features of a query object are computationally classified based at least in part on the human-weighted loss function.