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Office: Sheffield

Joanna Thurston MChem, PhD, MRSC, CPA, EPA

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Joanna Thurston is a patent attorney in our Life Sciences & Chemistry group. Joanna is an active member of our Higher Education group, and leads the Home Care group.

Joanna handles chemical inventions across the entire range of this field from biochemistry to physical chemistry. She has particular expertise in the areas of clean technology (in particular where it utilises electrochemistry), nanomaterials, textiles and in formulation chemistry.

Joanna advises clients of all sizes, and specialises in the provision of advice to the Higher Education sector and to the chemical industry.  In particular, Joanna has worked with some of the world’s largest FMCG companies, handling work in the confectionery and personal care sectors. In addition, Joanna works with clients who are innovating in the areas of textiles, non-woven materials including paper and board, electrochemistry, petrochemicals, display technologies, recycling, print, paint and coating technology and nanotechnology among others.

Joanna is a general chemist and a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Society of Chemical Industry and the Society of Dyers and Colourists. She is an active member of our Higher Education team, working with many UK, US and Japanese universities and is a regular attendee at AUTM and Praxis Auril events.

Joanna is regularly invited to give talks on the subject of Intellectual Property at external seminars.

Education & background

Joanna obtained a first class degree from the University of Exeter, graduating top of her year.  She then obtained a PhD in electrochemistry before entering the profession in 2002, where she trained in the chemical team of a private practice firm.  Joanna qualified as a patent attorney in 2005, joining Withers & Rogers in 2008. In 2009 she spent a valuable year working as a technology transfer professional in the Technology Transfer Office of a major local university.

During her training Joanna won two prizes, each for passing UK examination papers with the highest mark.

On a personal note...

Joanna spends her spare time indulging her passions for yoga, textiles and science fiction. Other interests include swimming, and photography, in particular taking photographs of the stars.