Founder's Profile
Giacomo Vacca, Ph.D.
OSA Senior Member
SPIE Senior Member
Giacomo Vacca earned his B.A. and M.A. in Physics from Harvard University, and his Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Stanford University. His dissertation, under the guidance of Nobel Prize winner Bob Laughlin, introduced a new ultrafast optical technique for investigating microscopic fluid phenomena.
Dr. Vacca’s career spans the life sciences, in vitro diagnostics, microfluidics, lasers, telecommunications, and the energy sector, including 26 years of experience in research and development and other functional roles. He has set up whole laboratories from scratch, started and led development projects, managed large multifunctional groups, generated intellectual property (80 patents issued with several more allowed or pending) and managed IP portfolios. A breakthrough technology he conceived and developed, Laser Rastering, boosted flow cytometry analysis throughput by a factor of 30. Among the products he helped develop and bring to market are flow cytometers, hematology analyzers, solid-state lasers, and integrated waveguide optical components.
Dr. Vacca has served as an expert witness, including testifying under deposition and in court, in patent invalidity cases and other litigation in the fields of flow cytometry, cell sorting, particle analysis and particle separation.
Awards & Honors
Senior Member
Optica, 2021
Elite Expert
IMS Expert Services, 2017
Senior Member
International Society
for Optics and Photonics, 2015
Research Fellow
Volwiler Scientific Society
Abbott Laboratories, 2010
Senior Member
Optical Society of America, 2010
Top Research Platinum Award
for Laser Rastering
Abbott Hematology, 2009
Silver Award
for Outstanding Technical Leadership
Abbott Hematology, 2009
Technical Leadership Award Nominee
Abbott Diagnostics
Technical Advisory Board
Abbott Laboratories, 2008
Patents Issued to Dr. Vacca
U.S. patent # 11,965,815
Flow cytometry apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 11,965,812
Apparatus and methods for particle analysis and autofluorescence discrimination
European patent # 3,204,756
Particle analysis and sorting apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 11,740,174
Apparatus and methods for particle analysis and autofluorescence discrimination
Canadian patent # 2,954,163
Flow cytometry apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 11,635,384
Methods and apparatuses for label-free particle analysis
U.S. patent # 11,573,167
Flow cytometry apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 11,573,165
Particle analysis and imaging apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 11,543,339
Particle analysis and imaging apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 11,536,642
Particle analysis and imaging apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 11,536,641
Particle analysis and imaging apparatus and methods
Spanish patent # 2,927,316
White blood cell analysis system and method
Spanish patent # 2,902,648
Nucleated red blood cell analysis method and automated hematology analyzer
U.S. patent # 11,249,004
Particle analysis and sorting apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 11,193,875
Method for discriminating red blood cells from white blood cells by using forward scattering from a laser in an automated hematology analyzer
Japanese patent # 6,941,053
Particle analysis and sorting apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 11,085,914
Method for flagging a sample
U.S. patent # 11,060,975
Methods and apparatuses for label-free particle analysis
U.S. patent # 11,035,778
Flow cytometry apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 10,955,330
Particle analysis and sorting apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 10,859,484
Method for determining volume and hemoglobin content of individual red blood cells
U.S. patent # 10,656,072
Flow cytometry apparatus and methods
Spanish patent # 2,755,785
Basophil analysis method
Spanish patent # 2,746,481
Determining volume and hemoglobin content of individual blood cells
U.S. patent # 10,564,088
Particle analysis and sorting apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 10,488,343
Methods and apparatuses for label-free particle analysis
U.S. patent # 10,481,073
Basophil analysis system and method
U.S. patent # 10,481,072
Nucleated red blood cell analysis system and method
U.S. patent # 10,481,071
White blood cell analysis system and method
European patent # 2,705,136
Nucleated red blood cell analysis method and automated hematology analyzer
European patent # 2,705,135
Basophil analysis method
European patent # 2,705,134
White blood cell analysis system and method
Chinese patent # 106,716,108
Flow cytometer apparatus and method
European patent # 2,524,222
Determining volume and hemoglobin content of individual blood cells
Canadian patent # 2,770,461
Method for flagging a sample
U.S. patent # 10,094,761
Flow cytometry apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 9,952,133
Particle analysis and sorting apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 9,933,349
Method for determining volume and hemoglobin content of individual red blood cells
European patent # 2,470,881
Method for flagging a sample
U.S. patent # 9,810,618
Basophil analysis system and method
Spanish patent # 2,654,391
Method for flagging a sample
U.S. patent # 9,797,824
Method for hematology analysis
U.S. patent # 9,778,193
Methods and apparatuses for label-free particle analysis
U.S. patent # 9,778,163
Nucleated red blood cell analysis system and method
U.S. patent # 9,978,162
White blood cell analysis system and method
Japanese patent # 6,166,716
Basophils analysis system and method
Chinese patent # 103,987,834
White blood cells analysis system and method
U.S. patent # 9,671,326
Flow cytometry apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 9,658,148
Particle analysis and sorting apparatus and methods
U.S. patent # 9,638,621
Method for discriminating red blood cells from white blood cells by using forward scattering from a laser in an automated hematology analyzer
U.S. patent # 9,618,498
Method for flagging a sample
Chinese patent # 103,975,054
Nucleated red blood cell analysis system and method
Japanese patent # 6,104,233
White blood cells analysis system and method
U.S. patent # 9,551,645
Flow cytometry apparatus and methods
Japanese patent # 6,029,657
Nucleated red blood cell analysis system and method
Chinese patent # 103,917,868
Basophils analysis system and method
Japanese patent # 5,871,792
Method for discriminating red blood cells from white blood cells by using forward scattering from a laser in an automated hematology analyzer
U.S. patent # 9,267,931
Method for discriminating red blood cells from white blood cells by using forward scattering from a laser in an automated hematology analyzer
U.S. patent # 9,261,515
Method for determining volume and hemoglobin content of individual red blood cells
U.S. patent # 9,261,495
Method for flagging a sample
Chinese patent # 102,933,964
A method for measuring the volume and hemoglobin content of individual red blood cells
U.S. patent # 9,103,759
Nucleated red blood cell analysis system and method
U.S. patent # 9,097,704
Method for hematology analysis
U.S. patent # 9,091,625
Basophil analysis system and method
U.S. patent # 9,091,624
White blood cell analysis system and method
U.S. patent # 8,911,669
Method for flagging a sample
U.S. patent # 8,906,309
Method for discriminating red blood cells from white blood cells by using forward scattering from a laser in an automated hematology analyzer
U.S. patent # 8,906,308
Method for determining volume and hemoglobin content of individual red blood cells
U.S. patent # 8,715,572
Method and apparatus for detection, analysis, and collection of rare cellular events
Japanese patent # 5,465,180
Count and identification methods and apparatus for high-speed biological particles in the flow
Japanese patent # 5,457,560
A method for attaching a flag to a sample
Japanese patent # 5,226,007
Method and apparatus for rapidly counting identify suspended particles by scanning
U.S. patent # 8,400,632
Method and apparatus for rapidly counting and identifying biological particles in a flow stream
U.S. patent # 8,253,938
Method and apparatus for rapidly counting and identifying biological particles in a flow stream
U.S. patent # 8,159,670
Method and apparatus for rapidly counting and identifying biological particles in a flow stream
U.S. patent # 8,045,162
Method and apparatus for rapidly counting and identifying biological particles in a flow stream
U.S. patent # 7,804,594
Method and apparatus for rapidly counting and identifying biological particles in a flow stream
U.S. patent # 7,283,696
Microfluidic control for waveguide optical switches, variable attenuators, and other optical devices
U.S. patent # 7,016,560
Microfluidic control for waveguide optical switches, variable attenuators, and other optical devices
U.S. patent # 6,949,176
Microfluidic control using dielectric pumping
