We are pleased to spotlight Diana Borgas this month! Diana is a Senior Patent Agent in the Biotechnology Practice in our Boston office.
How long have you been at Wolf Greenfield?
I have been at Wolf Greenfield for nine years.
How has being authentic helped you in your career?
I have a somewhat silly sense of humor, which has helped diffuse tricky situations or lighten the mood, particularly during stressful times.
What motivates you to wake up and go to work?
The privilege to work as part of bright and talented teams for clients with cutting-edge technologies to protect their IP to the best of my ability, knowing that their innovation provides treatments for diseases, sometimes even life-saving treatments. Having worked in the laboratory before, I understand the tremendous effort and resources that are poured into scientific discoveries and I am proud to be part of the teams that aim to protect them.
What has been your favorite project/assignment at Wolf Greenfield?
I worked on prosecuting an application seeking to protect a novel immunization strategy to prevent gastrointestinal disease. Prosecution was practically stalled as the examiner continued to uphold rejections in view of the art. After taking a close look at the prosecution history and developing an aggressive strategy that involved having one of the inventors join the interview and submitting a supporting declaration, we were able to obtain a patent on the technology. I was proud of the outcome in the face of a challenging prosecution.
Why is diversity and inclusion in the workplace important to you?
Diversity and inclusion brings different points of view and ideas to the table, which may help provide better solutions to complex problems. It also helps foster work environments where minorities can overcome self-doubt and realize that they too can be successful in their chosen field and are not limited in their choice of work. They can be what they want to be, achieve at the highest level, and be a beacon for others.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
I am a health nut! I am fascinated by the world of nutrition and the body’s ability to function optimally when provided with what it needs. I believe that if you take care of your body, it will take care of you. Any small slivers of free time, you will see me devouring information on this subject!
Something else that most people don’t know about me is that my family decided to move to the US from Colombia to escape a wave of violence, and specifically, after being robbed at gun-point and kidnapped in our home. Kidnappings were rampant then. When we moved to the US, my parents moved around in search of job opportunities, which is not uncommon for immigrant families. This resulted in attending five different high schools in three different states, two of the high schools in Rhode Island during my senior year. Needless to say, the college application process was daunting without guidance or a sense of direction, given that we moved around many times, and that my parents had not graduated from college, did not know English, nor did they understand the US education system. After settling in Rhode Island, with a lot of work and perseverance, I went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Rhode Island College and a PhD in Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology from Brown University. My background helped me build resilience and perseverance in the face of obstacles. I simply could not allow my family’s hardships and sacrifice to be in vain. I hope that sharing this story will make others aware of challenges faced by immigrants and lend a hand to those in need through a word of encouragement, your time, and/or your financial support.