WenhuaYu Ph.D. (Jocelyn)

Dr. Jocelyn Yu's practice focuses on counseling clients on strategies for maximizing intellectual property (IP) protection and leveraging IP rights in business strategies and transactions. She services a wide spectrum of clients in the life science industry, ranging from biotech start-ups to the world's largest pharmaceutical companies.

Jocelyn has extensive experience in preparing and prosecuting patent applications in various countries and in jurisdictions around the world, as well as constructing and managing global patent portfolios. Her main technology areas include genetic engineering, microbiology, immunotherapies (e.g., antibodies, CAR-T, CpG), diagnostics and precision medicine, gene editing, and natural peptide platform technology. She also frequently conducts due diligence investigations to assist with client's IP and business strategies, including patent evaluations, IP landscape searches, patentability opinions, validity opinions, and freedom-to-operate opinions.

On the transactional side of her practice, Jocelyn counsels clients on legal and business issues relating to technology, IP, and commercial transactions. She also assists biotech and pharmaceutical companies constructing their technology transactions and collaborations (e.g., joint research and development collaborations, funded researches, and IP licensing transactions), including U.S.-China cross-border transactions. She assists with negotiations, reviews and prepares various types of commercial agreements involving IP rights, and conducts due diligence investigations in support of the transaction.

Prior to joining Jones Day, Jocelyn worked in patent law at two international law firms. While earning her Ph.D. at Pennsylvania State University, Jocelyn worked in the areas of genetic and molecular mechanisms of synaptic neurotransmission and coauthored several peer-reviewed scientific publications.