Melissa L. Sistrunk, PhD

Melissa L. Sistrunk, PhD
Biography
With her extensive knowledge of biochemistry, cell and molecular biology and genetics, Melissa Sistrunk knows what it takes to prosecute a diverse biotechnological patent application. A patent agent in the Houston office since 1999, Melissa obtains and prosecutes patents involving intellectual property, molecular genetics, biochemistry and immunology.
Her recent significant work includes:
-
Obtaining patents related to cellular therapies and immunotherapies
-
Obtaining patents related to chimeric antigen receptors
-
Obtaining patents related to production of de-differentiated fibroblasts for various therapeutic purposes
-
Support for transactional work related to MTA breaches and inventorship issues
-
FTO work related to chimeric antigen receptor components
-
FTO work related to immune cell therapies
Professional experience
Education
Education
PhD, Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, 1995
BS, magna cum laude and University Honors, Biochemistry, Texas A&M University, 1990
Melissa was a postdoctoral fellow at Baylor College of Medicine in the Human and Molecular Genetics Department and was funded through a National Institutes of Health Research Award. In 1999, she was registered before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Admissions
Admissions
- US Patent and Trademark Agent
Publications
Publications
- "Telomerase, Ku, and Telometric Silencing in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae," Chromosoma, 1998
- "Arabidopsis Thaliana Responses to Mechanical Stimulation Do Not Require ETR1 or EIN2," Plant Physiology, 1998
- "Plant Responses to Environmental Stress: Regulations and Functions of the Arabidopsis TCH Genes," Planta, 1997
- "Arabidopsis TCH3 Encodes a Novel Ca2+ and Shows Environmentally Induced and Tissue-Specific Regulation," The Plant Cell, 1994
Speaking engagements
Speaking engagements
- "Plant Responses to the Environment: Regulation and Function of Arabidopsis TCH3," University of Houston Southwestern Developmental Biology Conference, Houston, Texas, May 1995
- "Sequence, Promoter Analysis, and Localization of Expression of TCH3, a Calmomodulin-Related Gene in Arabidopsis Thaliana," Lost Pines Molecular Biology Conference, Houston, Texas, October 1994
Memberships and activities
Memberships and activities
- The Association of University Technology Managers
- Houston Intellectual Property Law Association
- Supervises Norton Rose Fulbright Intellectual Property Interns for Baylor College of Medicine