Open to opportunities

Kah Yong Tan

@kahyongtan

PhD-level Patent Agent delivering IP strategy, patentability, and freedom-to-operate insights for regenerative medicine.

United States

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking to help leadership de-risk and scale regenerative medicine innovations—building IP roadmaps, running patentability and freedom-to-operate reviews, and translating deep technical work into strong, strategic claims within a collaborative, IP-focused team.

I’m a PhD-level Patent Agent with nearly a decade of experience at the intersection of regenerative medicine (iPSCs) and intellectual property strategy. I drive investment decisions through technical due diligence, patentability assessments, and competitive landscape mapping, translating complex science into clear claims and IP recommendations.

In recent roles, I evaluated 2–3 invention disclosures per month, performed targeted prior art and competitive searches, and delivered monthly patentability and freedom-to-operate reviews (200–300 references/search). I’ve also managed a global portfolio of ~130 patent families and implemented 15 standard operating procedures to improve IP workflow transparency, strengthen patent asset management, and eliminate maintenance gaps.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Strategic IP Advisor

Current

Leveragen

Jan 2026 - Present (4 months)

Advised leadership on a comprehensive IP roadmap, aligning patent filing and prosecution strategy with long-term company objectives. Conducted invention reviews and patentability assessments and supported outside counsel on drafting and prosecution.

Patent Strategy IP Portfolio Management Competitive Intelligence Invention Review Technical Due Diligence USPTO Practice

Strategic IP Consultant

Leveragen

Sep 2025 - Jan 2026 (4 months)

Provided strategic IP and advisory support, monitoring competitor patent landscapes to identify emerging trends, design-around opportunities, and strategic white space. Evaluated novelty and patentability of internal disclosures to de-risk proprietary platform development.

Competitive Intelligence IP Portfolio Management Invention Review Technical Due Diligence

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Harvard University

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Molecular and Cell Biology

2006 - 2012

Ph.D. training in Molecular and Cell Biology focused on skeletal muscle stem cells, including advanced multicolor flow cytometry and cell sorting. Published peer-reviewed stem cell research and contributed methodological advances.