CASSANDRA D SMITH
Broker in Boston, MA

5753439, May 19, 1998

May 19, 1995

8/446102

Cassandra L. Smith - Boston MA
Ron Yaar - Brookline MA
Przemyslaw Szafranski - Boston MA
Charles R. Cantor - Boston MA

Trustees of Boston University - Boston MA

C12Q 168, C12Q 170, C12P 1934, C07H 2104

435 6

The invention relates to methods for rapidly determining the sequence and/or length a target sequence. The target sequence may be a series of known or unknown repeat sequences which are hybridized to an array of probes. The hybridized array is digested with a single-strand nuclease and free 3'-hydroxyl groups extended with a nucleic acid polymerase. Nuclease cleaved heteroduplexes can be easily distinguish from nuclease uncleaved heteroduplexes by differential labeling. Probes and target can be differentially labeled with detectable labels. Matched target can be detected by cleaving resulting loops from the hybridized target and creating free 3-hydroxyl groups. These groups are recognized and extended by polymerases added into the reaction system which also adds or releases one label into solution. Analysis of the resulting products using either solid phase or solution. These methods can be used to detect characteristic nucleic acid sequences, to determine target sequence and to screen for genetic defects and disorders.

2010025, Oct 7, 2010

Jul 28, 2006

11/495252

Cassandra L. Smith - Boston MA, US

A61K 51/06, C40B 30/04, C12N 5/02, C12Q 1/68, A61K 31/711, A61K 49/12, A61K 38/43, A61K 35/00, A61K 39/385, A61K 38/00, A61K 38/28, A61K 38/22, A61K 38/46, A61K 38/18, A61K 38/19, A61K 38/20, A61K 38/21, C07H 21/04, A61P 35/00

424 173, 506 9, 435325, 435 6, 514 44 R, 424 91, 424 935, 424 941, 424 931, 4241931, 514 11, 514 68, 514 97, 424 946, 514 76, 514 77, 514 84, 514 96, 514 91, 514 82, 514 89, 514 88, 424 851, 424 852, 424 854, 424 856, 424 857, 514 193, 514 194, 514 195, 514 196, 536 231

Disclosed herein are aptamers that comprise a nucleic acid sequence that has a specific affinity for a target. These aptamers can be used as delivery vehicles to deliver specific agents to particular sites. Alternatively, targeted aptamers can also be used with detection techniques to determine the presence of absence of specific targets in heterogeneous backgrounds.

2006006, Mar 23, 2006

Oct 25, 2005

11/259426

Charles Canton - Boston MA, US
Hubert Koster - Concord MA, US
Cassandra Smith - Boston MA, US

C12Q 1/68

435006000

Methods for detecting target nucleic acid molecules in a sample are provided. The methods involve hybridizing the nucleic acids or nucleic acids which represent complementary or homologous sequences of the target to an array of nucleic acid probes. These probes include a double-stranded portion, a single-stranded portion and a variable sequence within the single-stranded portion, where the single-stranded region of the probes includes a sequence complementary or homologous to a sequence of the target nucleic acid to be detected. The molecular weights of the hybridized nucleic acids of the set are determined by mass spectroscopy, and from the molecular weights of the hybridized probes, the presence of the target nucleic acid is detected by the presence of its sequence in the sample.

6124129, Sep 26, 2000

Feb 6, 1998

9/019966

Przemyslaw Szafranski - Houston TX
Charlene Mello - Rochester MA
Takeshi Sano - Waltham MA
Cassandra L. Smith - Boston MA
David L. Kaplan - Stow MA
Charles R. Cantor - Boston MA

The Trustees of Boston University - Boston MA

C12N 120

43525233

Compositions and methods for the control of genetically engineered organisms are described. A more effective cell suicide approach is contemplated based on the conditional expression of the lethal Streptomyces avidinii streptavidin gene. Toxicity of streptavidin is derived from its exceptionally high binding affinity for an essential prosthetic group, D-biotin. The general requirement for biotin through the living world makes streptavidin-based conditional lethal designs applicable to a broad range of containment strategies.

6022951, Feb 8, 2000

Apr 10, 1996

8/628540

Takeshi Sano - Boston MA
Charles R. Cantor - Boston MA
Sandor Vajda - Medfield MA
Gabriel O. Reznik - Boston MA
Cassandra L. Smith - Boston MA
Mark W. Pandori - San Diego CA

C07K 1436

530350

The present invention relates to streptavidin proteins and peptides having a altered physical properties such as an increased stability or increased or decreased affinity for binding biotin. The invention also relates to methods for the detection, identification, separation and isolation of targets using streptavidin proteins or peptides. Streptavidin with increased or reduced affinity allows for the use of the streptavidin-biotin coupling systems for detection and isolation systems wherein it is necessary to remove of one or the other of the binding partners. Such systems are useful for the purification of functional proteins and viable cells. The invention also relates to nucleic acids which encode these streptavidin proteins and peptides and to recombinant cells such as bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells which contain these nucleic acids.

5679533, Oct 21, 1997

Jun 7, 1995

8/479390

Przemyslaw Szafranski - Boston MA
Charlene M. Mello - Rochester MA
Takeshi Sano - Boston MA
Kenneth A. Marx - Francestown NH
Charles R. Cantor - Boston MA
David L. Kaplan - Stow MA
Cassandra L. Smith - Boston MA

Trustees of Boston University - Boston MA
The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army - Washington DC

G01N 3353

435 72

The present invention relates to genetic containment systems which express a biotin-binding component that can be used for selectively destroying recombinant cells such as genetically engineered microorganisms. These systems may comprise a streptavidin or an avidin gene whose expression is controlled by a regulatable promoter. The regulatory agent such as a transcriptional effector is expressed from another gene which may also be expressed and its expression controlled by the containment system. Expression of the agent can be designed to respond to physiological changes in the environment. The invention also relates to containment systems and methods for the selective detection or tracking of recombinant cells and to eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells which contain these genetic containment systems.

2010025, Oct 7, 2010

May 5, 2009

12/435665

Christof M. Niemeyer - Bremen, DE
Charles R. Cantor - Del Mar CA, US
Takeshi Sano - Boston MA, US
Cassandra L. Smith - Boston MA, US

TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY - BOSTON MA

C07K 17/00, C07K 1/00, C12N 9/96

435188, 530395, 5303911

The invention relates to supramolecular bioconjugates and to methods for assembling and utilizing supramolecular bioconjugates. Supramolecular bioconjugates comprise a plurality of first nucleic acids and a plurality of mediators wherein each mediator comprises a second nucleic acid complementary to a sequence within said plurality of first nucleic acids. To assemble a supramolecular bioconjugate, one or more sets of bioreactive agents are coupled to the plurality of mediators, forming a plurality of bioreactive complexes. The plurality of bioreactive complexes are hybridized to the plurality of first nucleic acids to form the supramolecular bioconjugate. Bioconjugates can be used to detect and isolate targets, to screen samples for targets such as antigens, to treat patients with multiple agents or to diagnose disorders in the form of a kit.

5665539, Sep 9, 1997

Oct 4, 1993

8/131301

Takeshi Sano - Boston MA
Charles R. Cantor - Boston MA
Cassandra L. Smith - Boston MA

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

C12Q 166

435 6

A novel system and method for sensitive antigen detection. The system utilizes immuno-polymerase chain reaction in which a specific biotinylated nucleic acid molecule is used as the marker. The biotinylated marker is attached to antigen-antibody complex through a streptavidin-protein A chimeric protein that possesses tight and specific binding affinity both for biotin and immunoglobulin G. A segment of the attached biotinylated marker is amplified by polymerase chain reactions with appropriate primers and the polymerase chain reaction products are detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. The method can detect any antigen and has a greater sensitivity than any existing antigen detection system.