Z. Ying Li, Ph.D.

Ying Li counsels biotechnology and pharmaceutical clients on patent portfolio management and strategic development. She has extensive experience in patent prosecution worldwide. Ying helps clients survey competitive patent landscapes and renders opinions of counsel on freedom to operate, non-infringement, and patent invalidity. She also conducts IP due diligence for venture capital investment and corporate business development. 

Ying has worked on a range of therapeutic areas including cancer, autoimmunity, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular diseases, with expertise in antibody and RNA-based therapeutics, gene therapy, cell therapy, vaccines, small molecules, and molecular diagnostics.   

Ying also has extensive experience in contentious matters before US and foreign patent offices, and has represented clients in matters related to transgenic animals and immune molecules. She successfully argued for an interference appellee before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in a case of first impression related to conception of recombinant DNA. 

During her doctoral research, Ying discovered a novel gene involved in DNA double-stranded break repair and antibody V(D)J gene rearrangement.