Background

Education

• University of Bombay, India, B.Sc., Chemistry, 1991
• University of Bombay, India, M.Sc., Organic Chemistry, 1993
• University of Kansas, Ph.D., Chemistry, 2002
• Suffolk University Law School, J.D., 2010

Bar & Court Admissions

• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Professional Involvement

• American Chemical Society
• American Intellectual Property Law Association
• Boston Patent Law Association
• TiE Boston

Practice Areas

Clean Technology, Life Sciences, Medical Devices

Industry & Technical Focus

Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology

Practice Description

Dr. Desai assists clients with the strategic development, protection, and management of U.S. and international patent portfolios. His experience includes patent preparations and prosecutions in the areas of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, biotechnology, medical devices and clean technology. He has broad research training in synthetic organic chemistry, including development of new methodologies and total synthesis of alkaloids and peptide based natural products.

Notable Experience

• Assisting with the preparation, filing, and prosecution of U.S. and foreign utility and design patent applications.
• Conducting due diligence, analysis and assessment of patentability, validity, freedom to operate, infringement and product clearance issues.
• Providing technical support to litigation teams.
   

Prior Experience

• Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Scripps Research Institute. Initiated and successfully completed the synthesis and stereochemical assignment of the cyclic peptide unit of Chlorofusin, a natural product with anti-cancer activity.
• Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Kansas. Completed a formal synthesis of (-)-Lasubine II via an intramolecular Schmidt reaction. Discovered a novel synthesis of a-amino-a’-diazomethyl ketones via ring opening of substituted cyclopropanone equivalents with alkyl azides under Lewis acid conditions.
   

Publications & Speaking Engagements

• Co-author, “Reactions of Cyclopropanone Acetals with Alkyl Azides: Carbonyl Addition versus Ring-Opening Pathways,” Org. Chem., 72(25):9439-9447. (2007)
• Co-author, “Synthesis of the Chlorofusin Cyclic Peptide: Assignment of the Asparagine Stereochemistry,” Org. Lett., 5:5047-5050. (2003)
• Co-author, “Ring Expansive Routes to Quinolizidine Alkaloids: Formal Synthesis of (-)-Lasubine II,” Org. Lett., 5:4999-5001. (2003)
• Co-author, “Reactions of Alkyl Azides and Ketones as Mediated by Lewis Acids: Schmidt and Mannich Reactions using Azide Precursors,” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 122:7226-7232. (2000)
• Co-author, “Synthesis of a-Amino-a’- Diazomethyl Ketones via Ring Opening of Substituted Cyclopropanones with Alkyl Azides. A Facile Route to N-Substituted 3-Azetidinones,” Org. Lett., 2:1657-1659. (2000)
• Speaker, “Alkyl Azides as Precursors to Schmidt and Mannich Reactions,” ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, California, March 26-30, 2000.
• Speaker, “New Dimensions in Ring Expansion Chemistry,” ACS National Medicinal Chemistry Symposium, Kansas City, Missouri, June 13-17, 2000.