Sharon K. Ngwenya, Ph.D.
Patent Agent
EDUCATION
■ Emory University School of Medicine, Post-Doctoral Fellow
■ Texas A&M University, Ph.D. in Biochemistry
■ Oakwood University, Department of Chemistry, B.S., Biochemistry
PRIOR LAW FIRMS
■ Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP
BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS
■ Registered Patent Agent before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
■ Registered Technology Transfer Professional
Practice Summary.
Dr. Ngwenya is a Patent Agent in the Intellectual Property Practice of Klintworth & Rozenblat LLP. She has more than a decade of experience in intellectual property asset management, with a particular focus on biotechnology, life sciences, and patent prosecution. Drawing upon her scientific research background, Dr. Ngwenya identifies, evaluates, and develops IP protection strategies tailored to client technologies and business objectives.
Dr. Ngwenya counsels clients on domestic and international patent protection, portfolio management, licensing, and commercialization. Her practice includes drafting and prosecuting patent applications, negotiating commercial agreements, and assisting clients in marketing and licensing intellectual property assets. Clients value Dr. Ngwenya’s ability to bridge complex technical concepts with legal strategy, enabling effective protection and monetization of their innovations.
She has extensive experience identifying, evaluating, and developing IP protection strategies; drafting and prosecuting biotechnology patent applications in the U.S. and worldwide; and managing diverse portfolios covering technologies such as antibodies, vaccines, oligonucleotides, gene and stem cell therapies, diagnostics, biomarkers, and protein therapeutics. Dr. Ngwenya also provides strategic support in freedom to operate, due diligence, patent landscape analyses, and litigation matters, and works closely with biotechnology companies, human and animal health companies, and research universities to protect and commercialize their innovations.
Dr. Ngwenya has more than nine years of hands-on scientific research experience in biochemistry and molecular biology, complemented by over twelve years in technology transfer and intellectual property management. She earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Texas A&M University, conducted her postdoctoral fellowship at Emory University, and obtained her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from Oakwood University. Dr. Ngwenya is currently studying to obtain her law degree.
Prior to joining Klintworth & Rozenblat LLP, Dr. Ngwenya was at the law firm of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP. Dr. Ngwenya also served in key roles at research institutions and universities. She was Assistant Director and Manager of Innovation and Commercialization at the University of Texas at Arlington, and also worked with the Houston Methodist Research Institute and the University of Tennessee Research Foundation as a licensing associate. Additionally, she gained law firm experience as a technology specialist at Ballard Spahr LLP, assisting with patent prosecution matters.