Christopher P. Perkins, Ph.D. is a Member of JTH’s Biotechnology and Chemistry Technology Group. Chris has over 19 years of experience assisting universities, corporations, and start-ups in acquiring and enforcing intellectual property rights, primarily with respect to trademarks and patents in the area of biotechnology and life science. In particular, Chris prepares and prosecutes patent applications in technology areas such as small and large molecule therapeutics, agricultural biotechnology including but not limited to agricultural genetics, trait optimization, and marker-assisted breeding; transgenic animals; gene therapy, including the use of inhibitory nucleic acids; stem cells; medical diagnostics and treatment in areas including but not limited to oncology, hypertension, and psychiatry; and diagnostic and medical devices. Chris also counsels clients with respect to infringement/non-infringement, patentability, validity, and freedom to operate.
Chris has presented seminars on patent law and biotechnology at the law schools of Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Durham Engineers Club, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, and for the Carolina Patent Trademark and Copyright Law Association (CPTCLA). Chris has also authored scientific publications that have appeared in the journals Genes and Development; the Journal of Biological Chemistry; and Genetics; and has presented seminars on using animal models to study gene function at numerous forums including the University of Southern California Medical School, Amgen, Inc., and the Department of Biology and Center for Cancer Research at MIT. Chris is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), CPTCLA, the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), and the Licensing Executives Society (LES).
Chris is a registered patent attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and is a member of the State Bars of California and North Carolina. Chris earned his J.D. degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, as well as his Ph.D., M.A., and M.Phil. degrees in Genetics and Development from Columbia University, and his B.A. degree in Biology from Swarthmore College. Prior to law school, Chris worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Amgen, Inc. in the field of developmental biology, particular with respect to cancer molecular biology.