D2R x Lavery | Patenting Your Invention: A Guide for Researchers
Intellectual property and in particular patents remain a cornerstone of innovation and commercialization in the life sciences. This session offers a practical overview of the patent system, tailored to the realities of research and development in academic and start-up environments in the life sciences.
The presentation will discuss the core requirements for patentability, including what can (and cannot) be patented, the roles of novelty, non-obviousness/inventive step, and utility/industrial applicability, and how these standards are applied in for example biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Particular attention will be given to common 鈥渓ife sciences鈥� pressure points such as experimental support, enablement/sufficiency and claim scope versus data.
We then turn to filing strategy and timing: how to align publication plans and ongoing research activities and timelines with patent protection. The session will map typical patenting pathways (including priority filings, provisional-style approaches, PCT/international filing, and national phase entry), and explain what happens during prosecution - office actions, amendments, and claim drafting choices. Attendees will leave with a clear sense of realistic timelines from initial filing through grant, and how to plan around them.
Finally, the presentation will address the role of patenting in leveraging and commercializing innovations, and related strategic decisions. Patent enforcement and risk will also be discussed: what a patent actually lets you do, and how infringement is assessed in practice, including clearance and freedom-to-operate considerations.
Designed to be accessible without sacrificing rigor, this session equips researchers and research administrators with a clearer understanding of how patent strategy supports scientific impact - and how early choices can materially affect downstream value and commercialization to bring life sciences innovations to market.
Event Details
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 5 2026, from 10:00am to 11:30am
Location:
- In-person attendees:聽D2R Office (1010 Sherbrooke Street O, Suite 1800, Lovelace Conference Room) Space is limited!
- Virtual attendees:聽online on Zoom.
Speaker
Serge Shahinian, Ph.D.
Partner - Patent Agent - Co-leader of the Intellectual Property Group
Serge Shahinian is a partner and patent agent in Lavery鈥檚 intellectual property group. He has been practicing in the intellectual property field since 2000, following prior doctoral and post-doctoral training in biochemistry, biology, and genetics.
Serge鈥檚 patent practice includes the areas of biotechnology, pharmaceutical and chemical, covering a wide range of related technologies in the health, agricultural, food, environmental and industrial sciences. His practice includes the procurement of patent rights, providing opinions and counselling in patentability, validity and infringement matters, as well as providing support concerning patent matters in litigation, transactions and financing in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors.