U.S. Patent No. 6,474,946, 'Process for simultaneously disinfecting and fixing biological fluids,' granted to Ann A. Kiessling on October 28, 2002.
On October 28, 2002, the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted U.S. Patent No. 6,474,946, titled "Process for simultaneously disinfecting and fixing biological fluids," to Ann A. Kiessling as inventor.
The patent covered a method for treating biological fluid samples—such as blood or seminal fluid—in a way that simultaneously neutralized infectious agents (including viruses like HIV) while preserving, or 'fixing,' the biological material for subsequent laboratory analysis. This was particularly relevant to her earlier research on HIV in seminal fluid and to safe handling of biological specimens in research and clinical settings.
The grant of this patent represented the formal culmination of years of laboratory investigation into virus inactivation and specimen preservation techniques, translating fundamental research into a protected, applicable technology. Such dual-purpose disinfection-and-fixation methods had important implications for biosafety in laboratories handling potentially infectious human specimens, including sperm banks, IVF clinics, and diagnostic labs working with HIV-positive patients.
As a woman scientist holding an individually named U.S. patent in a highly technical biomedical field, Kiessling's achievement underscored her standing as an inventor-scientist bridging virology, reproductive biology, and practical laboratory safety innovation.