Anh-Thu Lam*, Ph.D.
Primary Areas of Practice
Overview
Dr. Anh-Thu Lam, a Scientific Advisor, works closely with attorneys to align technical details with legal strategies. Focusing on patent prosecution and developing and strengthening patent portfolios in the life sciences, including the biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields, she serves as a resource to translate complex scientific concepts into clear, accurate descriptions that support strong patents for matters in the U.S. and internationally. She also supports IP litigation efforts through targeted document review and technical analysis.
With more than a decade of research experience in molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, genetics, and neuroscience, Anh-Thu brings deep subject-matter expertise to matters across the life sciences sector. Her integration of legal training, regulatory experience, and scientific depth uniquely positions her to support clients navigating the evolving landscape of biotechnology and pharmaceutical intellectual property.
At her prior firm, Anh-Thu advised attorneys and clients on a wide range of IP issues, including prior art and freedom-to-operate analyses, patentability evaluations, technical due diligence, and invalidity investigations. She conducted complex factual and scientific research and assisted in developing global patent portfolios for innovative biotechnology companies.
Before entering the IP field, Anh-Thu served as an expert consultant supporting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. In this role, she led safety data review planning for IND and NDA submissions, performed sophisticated statistical analyses, and contributed to the publication of high-quality regulatory documents. Her contributions earned her the FDA’s Outstanding New Reviewer Award in 2022.
Anh-Thu completed her Ph.D. in Human Genetics and Molecular Biology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she conducted award-winning research on genetic modifiers of cystic fibrosis and collaborated with multiple institutions on high-impact genetic studies. Her postdoctoral work further explored the genetics of neuropsychiatric disorders using CRISPR genome editing, RNA-seq, and ATAC-seq methodologies. Earlier in her career, she conducted research at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School on somatic mutations underlying pediatric brain malformations.
Committed to advancing the intersection of science, innovation, and law, Anh-Thu is currently pursuing her J.D. at Georgetown University Law Center, where she is a Tech Law & Policy Scholar in the evening program. Her scientific publications have appeared in leading journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, JCI, PLOS Genetics, and Scientific Reports.
*Not admitted to the D.C. Bar
Newsroom
Publications
Co-author, “CRISPR Del/Rei: a simple, flexible, and efficient pipeline for scarless genome editing.” Sci Rep 12, 11928 (2022).
Co-author, “Transcriptomic data of chlozapine-treated Ngn2-induced human excitatory neurons.” Data in Brief 35, 106897 (2021).
Co-author, “Increased expression of anion transporter SLC26A9 delays diabetes onset in cystic fibrosis.” The Journal of Clinical Investigation 130(1), 272-286 (2020).
Co-author, “Integrated genome and transcriptome sequencing identifies a noncoding mutation in the genome replication factor DONSON as the cause of microcephaly-micromelia syndrome.” Genome Res 27(8), 1323-1335 (2017).
Co-author, “Targeted DNA Sequencing from Autism Spectrum Disorder Brains Implicates Multiple Genetic Mechanisms.” Neuron 88(5), 910-917 (2015).
Co-author, “Somatic mutations in cerebral cortical malformations.” N Engl J Med. 2014 Aug 21;371(8):733-43.
Practices
Education
Ph.D., Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
B.S., Biochemistry and B.A., Spanish, University of Vermont
Languages
- Vietnamese