Biography
Tammy VanHeyningen, Ph.D., is a partner and registered patent attorney in the Intellectual Property Group. Her practice includes all areas of intellectual property counseling, with a focus on domestic and international patent prosecution, strategic patent portfolio development, licensing, non-infringement and invalidity opinions, and freedom-to-operate advice. Her technology concentrations are in biotechnology, biologics & pharmaceuticals.
Tammy’s experience includes:
- Drafting and prosecuting patents with an emphasis in life sciences, chemistry and biotechnology
- Patent applications related to vaccines, antibodies, protein therapeutics, gene therapy compositions, cell and tissue cultures including tissue replacement or regeneration, siRNA, microRNAs, small molecule or biologic pharmaceuticals
- Plant patents, Plant Variety Protection
- Medical diagnostics including genomic or proteomic markers predictive of therapeutic response, prognosis or metastases, biologic assays
- Research tools including cloning vectors, compositions and methods for labeling, detecting or isolating bio-molecules
- Genetically engineered plants, animals and microorganisms
- Treatment methods, including delivery methods
- Bio-processing and bio-fuels
- Food science and processing
Tammy's clients include university technology transfer offices, small start-ups, and large research companies. She has more than 10 years of experience as a research scientist working in the fields of microbiology, immunology, and mechanisms of disease. Her Ph.D. thesis research was directed to understanding the T cell and macrophage mediated immune response to mycobacteria. She also completed post-doctoral research developing a transgenic mouse model and recombinant herpes simplex viruses to investigate viral latency and reactivation. She taught college-level courses in virology, genetics and molecular biology.
Tammy is recognized in the IAM Patent 1000 as a top patent practitioner in Wisconsin. She has authored several scientific research articles and written and presented on many aspects of intellectual property law.
Legal Services
- Intellectual Property Strategic Counseling
- Patent Prosecution
- Trade Secrets
- Research Institutions
- Higher Education
- Technology Transfer
Education and Honors
- Washington University School of Law (J.D., 2005)
- Winner, Giles Sutherland Rich Memorial Moot Court Competition, Midwest 2004
- Global Studies Law Review, Primary Editor
- Recipient, Judge Samuel M. Breckinridge Practice Court Prize
- CALI Excellence Award in Patent Drafting, Copyright Law, Pre-Trial Practice and Biodiversity and the Protection of Traditional Knowledge
- Washington University School of Medicine (Ph.D., 1997)
- Ph.D. Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis
- Thesis title: Modulation of macrophage function and T cell responsiveness by mycobacterial infection
- Young Scientist Program, Microbiology high school curriculum course developer
- Women in Science Day, Washington University
- Kalamazoo College (B.A., cum laude, 1991)
- Major: Biology, Departmental Honors, Diebold Award
- Phi Beta Kappa
Bar Admissions
- Wisconsin
Court Admissions
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- Supreme Court of Wisconsin
Professional and Civic Activities
- U.S.A. Swimming, Registered Swimming Official
Professional Recognition
- IAM Patent 1000, Wisconsin, (2014 - present)