Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP

Background and Credentials

As a patent agent, Dr. Berkowski capably prosecutes patents and provides opinions for clients of the chemistry and biotechnology practice groups of the Firm.

Most recently, she was an Assistant Professor of Organic Chemistry at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland where her research involved the mechanical initiation of organic chemistry reactions through ultrasound.

Prior to Washington College, Dr. Berkowski spent three years teaching at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge as the Instructor of Organic Chemistry.  There she not only taught Organic Chemistry classes, but was also actively involved in the development and implementation of undergraduate laboratory experiments.  Dr. Berkowski received the Everett Moore Baker Memorial Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (2006).

Dr. Berkowski earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2004 under Professor Jeffrey S. Moore.  Her doctoral research included developing a method for harnessing energy to a single site on a polymer by using ultrasound, and synthesizing bio-responsive hydrogels within microfluidic channels using photolithography.

She received her B.S., summa cum laude, in Chemistry and also in Biochemistry from the University of Detroit Mercy in 1999 where she was the valedictorian of her class.  After completing this degree, Dr. Berkowski interned at BASF Aktiengesellschaft in Germany, participating in research related to the development of an iron catalyst for ethylene polymerization.

Publications and Speeches

Dr. Berkowski has published several articles on her scientific research, including:

• "Patent Law Sizzles Amid IP Boom," Crain’s Chicago Business, October 3, 2011 (featured quotes).
• Berkowski, K. L., Potisek, S. L., Hickenboth, C. R., Moore, J. S. “Ultrasound-Induced Site-Specific Cleavage of Azo-Functionalized Poly(ethylene glycol)” Macromolecules (2005), 38, 8975-8978.
• Plunkett, K. N., Berkowski, K. L., Moore, J. S. “Chymotrypsin Responsive Hydrogel: Application of a Disulfide Exchange Protocol for the Preparation of Methacrylamide Containing Peptides” Biomacromolecules (2005), 6, 632-637.

• Berkowski, K. L., Plunkett, K. N., Yu, Q., Moore, J. S. “Introduction to Photolithography – Preparation of Microscale Polymer Sillhouettes” J. Chem. Ed. (2005), 85, 1365-1369.

Community and Professional Involvement

• American Chemical Society
• American Association for the Advancement of Science

Short Biography