Who Is Ingensity IP?
Erica Pascal Founder and CEO
Dr. Erica Pascal began her career in science, studying the control of gene expression of mammals, plants, and viruses. She received her B.S. degree in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She obtained a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of California at Berkeley, where she worked in the laboratory of Dr. Robert Tjian. Dr. Pascal did her post-doctoral work at the University of Illinois and then worked for eight years in research and management in the biotech industry. She received her J.D. from California Western School of law, graduating summa cum laude.
Prior to the creation of Ingensity™ IP, Dr. Pascal was a partner at a major global law firm. Her practice focused on strategic intellectual property issues for life sciences companies, including pharmaceuticals, biologics, diagnostic technologies, and medical devices. Her experience includes strategic advice for life sciences companies, IP due diligence, litigation risk assessments, and pre-trial and trial work. In addition to patent-related matters, Dr. Pascal has worked with clients on issues of false advertising and trade secret protection.
Dr. Pascal is registered to practice as a patent attorney with the USPTO. She is admitted to practice in California and admitted to the Southern and Central Districts of California as well as the Federal Circuit. Prior to her work in patent litigation and strategic counseling, Dr. Pascal worked in patent prosecution, including drafting and prosecuting patents in the US and worldwide for life science clients.
Dr. Pascal is a frequent author of articles and posts about the life sciences industry and the intersection of business and law. Her interest in the startup world grew out of her work in the biotech industry, including entering and winning the Duke Startup Challenge in 2001.
Charity Aiken Senior Patent Agent
Dr. Charity Aiken is a registered patent agent, with experience drafting and prosecuting patent applications and conducting patentability and landscape analyses. Dr. Aiken has worked on patent matters in the areas of life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices since 2011. Prior to joining Ingensity IP, Dr. Aiken held patent agent roles in the life sciences groups at prominent large law firms and in-house at an immuno-oncology startup.
Dr. Aiken has prior research experience in a broad range of scientific disciplines including limnology, immunology, molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, and protein biochemistry. She graduated summa cum laude with her B.S. in biology, with a chemistry minor, from the University of New Mexico and earned her Ph.D. in biological sciences, with a focus on neuroscience, at the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Aiken furthered her scientific training as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of California, Irvine specializing in protein mass spectrometry. Dr. Aiken was awarded NIH predoctoral and postdoctoral training grants to support her research. She has published her findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals and has presented her results at national and international scientific meetings.
