Our People Joanna Cripps

Joanna is in our life sciences patent team and focuses on the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. She has over 25 years’ of experience in all aspects of IP capture including original drafting work, prosecution, filing strategy and European opposition and appeals. She has a particular interest in opinion work including large due-diligence projects, freedom to operate analysis and advising on strategic filing strategies.

Joanna is our Operations Partner and assists the Managing Partner and Chairperson with the day-to-day running of the business. She is also a member of our Management Board.

Areas of Expertise

• Immunology
• recombinant nucleic acid technology and genetic engineering
• virology and bacteriology
• biomedical research tools diagnostics including proteomic analysis and protein marker
• diagnostics, receptor-ligand assays, cancer diagnostic, genomic and diagnostic arrays, and microarray technology
• personalised medicine

Clients

Joanna’s clients include UK Universities and Technology Transfer departments, UK and US pharmaceutical and biotech companies and UK and European SMEs arising from technology transfer organisations and universities.

Background

Joanna spent time as an intern in an IP law firm in Philadelphia and continues to visit the East and West coast of the US to provide presentations and seminars on all aspects of European patent practice.  Joanna has also been a regular visitor to South East Asia particularly Singapore, providing IP seminars, workshops and lectures.

Joanna has a degree in biochemistry and zoology from Cardiff University and a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Cambridge.  Her PhD project involved determining nucleic acid splice variants and signalling during embryonic development. Her studies required techniques such as cell and tissue culture, in situ nucleic acid detection techniques, sequencing, Northern and Southern analysis and other molecular biological techniques.

Joanna joined Mewburn Ellis LLP in 1993, qualifying as a Chartered Patent Attorney in 1997 and a European Patent Attorney in 1998, joining the partnership in 2000.