Dr. rer. nat. Benjamin Quest
European Patent Attorney
+49 (0) 89 21 23 50
Office: Munich
Languages: German, English, French
Expertise
Benjamin Quest has extensive knowledge and experience in various biotechnology and patent law areas. His expertise covers the entire range of biotechnological fields, particularly the drafting, prosecution and grant of patent applications before the European Patent Office. He is equally adept at conducting EP opposition proceedings and drafting and handling third-party observations. He also advises clients in foreign grant proceedings through cooperation with our numerous international representatives.
His work further focuses on the sequence analysis of biological sequences and their standard-compliant integration into patent applications. In addition, he has extensive experience in conducting freedom-to-operate (FTO) analyses that identify potential legal risks.
Benjamin provides comprehensive support and advice to a diverse client base. His clientele ranges from individual inventors and medium-sized companies to educational institutions and renowned pharmaceutical companies.
He is a sought-after expert in European regulations and case law on supplementary protection certificates (SPCs). His experience ranges from registering such certificates in Germany to comprehensive support at the European level. He is also well-versed in applying for pediatric renewals of these SPCs.
Benjamin is a member of EPI (member of the EPI Biotechnology Committee since 2023). During his studies, he received the following scholarships: Chemical Industry Fund (doctorate), Max Planck Scholarship (postdoc).
And even at minus 15 degrees, Mr. Quest still rides his bike.
Area
- Patent Law
Technical fields
- Biotechnology
- Pharmacy
- Life science
- Foodstuffs
- Laboratory diagnostics
- Cosmetics
Vita
- Studied biology at the University of Kassel, 1993-1998
- Diploma thesis at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, 1998
- Doctorate at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, 1999-2002,
- Dissertation at the LMU Munich: Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy: “Biochemical and spectroscopic characterization of two cyanobacterial phytochromes from Calothrix PCC 7601”, 2003
- Postdoctoral positions: MPI for Bioinorganic Chemistry, Mülheim an der Ruhr; Institut Pasteur, Paris, France; Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), Genoble, France, 2003-2005
- Technical Expert at Grünecker since 2006
- European Patent Attorney, since 2016
Publications
“The EPO Guidelines They Are a-Changin”
Dr. Benjamin Quest, Dr. Markus Grammel, Biotechnology Law Report, June 2021, 40(3): 184-190.
“CJEU Installs Another Hurdle for SPCs on Functionally Defined Products and Ends Second Medical Use SPCs”
Dr. Franz-Josef Zimmer, Dr. Benjamin Quest, Biotechnology Law Report, November 2020, 39(5): 362-370.
“Recent Decisions of the European Court of Justice of the European Union on Supplementary Protection Certificates: A Few Answers—Many Questions”
Dr. Franz-Josef Zimmer, Dr. Benjamin Quest, and Dr. Markus Grammel, Biotechnology Law Report, October 2014, 33(5): 171-180.
“The European Court of Justice Rules on the Patentability of Human Embryonic Stem Cells: No Patents for inventions relying on Human Embryos as Source Material”
Dr. Franz-Josef Zimmer, Dr. Benjamin Quest, Biotechnology Law Report, June 2012, 31(3): 271-276.
“When Is a Process for the Production of Plants “Essentially Biological”? Decisions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal (G1/08 and G2/07)”
Dr. Franz-Josef Zimmer, Dr. Benjamin Quest, Biotechnology Law Report, August 2011: 459-464.