Dr. Jill Ann Mello has more than 20 years of experience as a patent professional. Her practice focuses on the life sciences, and includes particular experience in the technology areas of biotechnology, molecular biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular diagnostics, cell-based therapeutics, nucleic acid therapeutics, protein therapeutics including antibodies, small molecule therapeutics, drug formulations, drug discovery platform technologies, and bioinformatics.
Jill has extensive experience assisting clients in the strategic development and management of complex patent portfolios worldwide that are aligned with her clients’ business objectives. She assists clients with patentability analysis, validity, infringement, and freedom-to-operate opinions; with IP due diligence for acquisitions, licensing, and financings, including initial public offerings; as well as with the negotiation of collaboration and license agreements. Jill has experience with involvement in opposition proceedings before the European Patent Office. She represents a wide array of clients including early stage companies, small and mid-size biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical corporations, academic institutions, and venture-capital firms.
Prior to joining the firm, Jill earned her PhD in Biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her doctoral thesis focused on elucidating the therapeutic mechanisms of the anticancer drug cisplatin. Following her PhD, Jill carried out postdoctoral research on chromatin dynamics at the Curie Institute in Paris, France, for which she was the recipient of a Chateaubriand fellowship from the French government. Her work has been presented at international scientific meetings, and has been published in leading peer reviewed journals.
