Overview:

Heather has been with NTD for 30 years. With a biotech background, Heather represents a full range of clients, from start-ups to multinational companies. Her practice primarily involves patent drafting and prosecution, patent infringement and validity opinions and litigation, as well as client counselling in IP strategic planning and portfolio management – with an emphasis on biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. She also advises clients regarding some China-specific IP issues such as utilization of Chinese genetic resources, inventor remuneration and technology import & export registration/approval. Heather is also actively involved in the legislative process regarding Chinese patent law and is a frequent speaker at various IP forums and conferences, both in China and abroad.

Education and Training:

• M.S., Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, majored in Genetics, 1991;
• B.S., Fudan University, majored in Biology, 1988;
• IP trainings in the United States and Japan.

Qualification:

Patent Attorney since 1996                            

Technical Areas:

Genetic engineering, protein engineering, vaccine and antibody; gene therapy; animal health, pharmaceuticals, food, agrochemicals, new plant variety protection, etc.

Professional Affiliations:

• All-China Patent Attorneys Association (ACPAA)
• AIPPI (Association Internationale pour la Protection de la Propriété Intellectuelle), Vice President of AIPPI China Group 
• LES (Licensing Executives Society)           

Working Language:

English, Mandarin

Representative cases:

• G.D. SEARLE LTD. vs a Chinese pharmaceutical company, patent invalidation
• E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company vs a Chinese pesticide manufacturer, patent infringement
• Wyeth vs a strawman, patent invalidation

Awards:

• National Leading IP Professionals by the SIPO, 2014
• IAM: The World's Leading Patent Professionals, 2015-2024
• AISA IP: The IP Experts TOP100 CHINA, 2019-2023

Selected Seminars & Events:

• Speaker, Trilateral Meeting of AIPPI China, Japanese and Korea, June 2023
• Speaker, CNIPA and ACPAA Joint Seminar, June 2023
• Speaker, CNIPA and ACPAA Joint Seminar, July 2021 
• Moderator and Panelist, China Pharma IP Summit 2017, December, 2017
• Speaker, Boston Bar Association and USPTO joint seminar, April, 2017
• Moderator and Panelist, China Pharma IP Summit 2016, November, 2016
• Speaker, UIA Union Internationale des Avocats Seminar, September, 2016
• Speaker, New York IP Law Association & New Jersey IP Law Association Seminar, February, 2016
• Speaker, Annual Meeting of All-China Patent Attorneys Association, May, 2015
• Speaker, AIPPI China-U.S. Intellectual Property Symposium, November, 2013
• Speake, The 3rd China (Taizhou) International Pharma, Biotech & Chemical Intellectual Property Forum, May, 2012
• Speaker, Taiwan TIPA International Symposium, April, 2012
• Speaker, Seminar of German Chemists Society, March, 2011
• Speaker, The 2nd Beijing International Pharmaceutical and Chemical Intellectual Property Forum, August, 2009

Selected Publications:

• Handbook of Best Practices in Intellectual Property Management（Enterprise Management Publishing House, 2011), author, editor
• Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Patents: Law and Practice (Aspen Publishers, Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, 2008, USA), contributor of China chapter
• Discussion on Patentability of Method of Diagnosis and Treatment of Disease (Chinese Inventions and Patents, July, 2004), author