After finishing my degree in chemistry I moved to Zürich, where I had to work hard to make a living. As a doctorate student in Zürich I first worked on the synthesis of azo dyes as the subject of my “Diplomarbeit”, because the ETH requires passing several oral examinations and doing laboratory practice to bring a degree from a foreign university into line with the ETH regulations. Later, I worked in the preparation and characterization of copper aryl carboxylates, always under the supervision of Prof. Paul Rys, publishing several scientific papers in specialized journals.
Returning to Spain at the end of 1991, I worked for several months in the Spanish National Research Council on the biocatalytic preparation of organic compounds. Finally, I worked in the Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, of the University of Alcala de Henares (Madrid) on the synthesis of benzodiazepines for use as anti-hypertensive agents until May 1996, when I left my white laboratory coat for good. In July 1993 I travelled to Zürich with my one year old son to pass my PhD examination.
My landing in the patent world was largely by chance and this time instead of changing country, I preferred to change activity. For this reason and in view of the few job opportunities that arose, I started during my postdoctoral stay in Alcala, to collaborate as a patent translator with an industrial property agency. My second son came at that time, among the benzodiazepines and the translations.
Since 1996 I have been working fucll time in patent related matters, including translation, drafting, prosecuting, and providing advice to clients: first at Herrero & Asociados (1996-2000) and later at Ungría Patentes y Marcas S.A. (2000-2013).
As life is continuous learning, the experience gained during the ‘white coat’ years proved to be most useful for walking in someone else’s shoes, such as an inventor, a patent reader or a patent examiner. Similarly, the last five years as Head of the Patent Department at Ungría Patentes y Marcas S.A., provided a substantial leap in acquiring different skills.
I am, as is everybody else, the result of all these previous experiences and many hours devoted to learning, listening, studying, thinking and deciding. And I hope that all this will be useful to you.
- University of Girona (Spain): course on industrial property in 2001, entitled “Patent Drafting”
- “Fundación Esame”, in 2010 and 2011: participation in a course addressed to “biotech patent specialists” with a presentation entitled “drafting patent claims in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology field”
- University of Alcala de Henares: participation in the “Master in Fine Chemicals”, in 2010 and 2011, with a presentation entitled “PATENTS AS A RESEARCH SUPPORT”
- Outreach Course “Advances in Chemistry and Their Impact on Society” organized by Dr. Bernardo Herradón, researcher of the Spanish National Research Council, in the 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 editions (http://www.losavancesdelaquimica.com) with a presentation entitled “Chemists and industrial property”
- Participation in the National Radio Program, Radio 5, entitled “A Hombros de Gigantes”, devoted to the dissemination of science and technology, March 18, 2011.
- University of Alcalá de Henares, conference in the Faculty of Sciences, 21st March 2013, entitled “The relevance of patents in the chemistry progress”
