Dr. Duen-Hwa Yan and Dr. Christopher J. Nichols join firm partnership
FREDERICK, Md. (May 13, 2021) – McBee Moore & Vanik IP, LLC (MMV IP) is pleased to announce the election of Dr. Duen-Hwa Yan and Dr. Christopher J. Nichols to the firm’s partnership.
Dr. Duen-Hwa Yan
Duen-Hwa Yan, PhD, Partner
Dr. Yan has been with MMV IP since its inception in 2016. Previously, he practiced at international intellectual property firms, a start-up biotech and held post-doctorate and faculty positions in academia including at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Dr. Yan holds an undergraduate degree in Forestry from National Chung-Hsing University, a MS in Biology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD in Tumor Biology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Dr. Yan was also a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Genetics at Duke University. Dr. Yan has been a Registered Patent Agent since 2010.
At MMV IP, Dr. Yan specializes in the fields of immunology and cancer biology, where he assists global clients with securing and maintaining their intellectual property rights.
Dr. Christopher J. Nichols
Christopher J. Nichols, PhD, Partner
Dr. Nichols holds a BA in biology from University of California, Santa Barbara (College of Creative Studies) and a PhD in Physiological Science from University of California, Los Angeles. He was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, where he conducted research on Hsp70/Hsc70 and Huntington’s disease. After his postdoc, Dr. Nichols was a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, where he examined patent applications in the fields of antibodies, peptides, and vaccines.
Subsequently, Dr. Nichols received his law degree from the George Washington University Law School. Dr. Nichols practiced for 14 years with a major multinational intellectual property law firm. Prior to joining MMV IP he was general counsel for a start-up.
Dr. Nichols focuses on portfolio management and strategy for both biotech and pharma clients and has deep experience in freedom-to-operate and validity assessments on bet-the-company assets and deals. Dr. Nichols leads MMV IP’s trademark practice, including contested proceedings.
Questions can be directed to Lauren Pogue, IP Services Coordinator or Cindy Thomas, Firm Administrator. Please visit mmviplaw.com for more information.
