Bonnie W. Nannenga-Combs, Ph.D.

Bonnie W. Nannenga-Combs, Ph.D. is a director in Sterne Kessler’s Biotechnology & Chemical Practice Group and a co-chair of the Patent Prosecution Practice. Bonnie represents clients in various stages of development and commercialization of life science therapeutics, such as gene therapy, RNA therapies, antisense technologies, biologics, therapeutic antibodies, cell therapy, vaccines, diagnostics, small and large molecule formulations, and nucleic acid delivery. She counsels domestic and international clients on patent procurement, clearance strategies, and management of complex worldwide patent portfolios. Bonnie’s expertise includes developing exclusivity strategies for companies with therapies targeting genetic diseases, including orphan and rare diseases, and vaccines for bacterial and viral diseases.

Bonnie counsels clients during IP due diligence for asset acquisition and M&A. She is particularly skilled in identifying portfolio strengths and weaknesses, which helps clients assess IP portfolio valuation and risk management. Bonnie excels at building relationships with clients to better understand each client’s unique IP needs, which is critical in assisting clients to achieve their business goals such as executing strategic partnerships and M&A transactions, IP portfolio building, IP risk management, raising funds, and going public.

Bonnie is active in the firm’s Pro Bono Practice. She works with pro bono clients to prepare and prosecute patents that can be used to help advance economic, social, and cultural rights.

Bonnie earned her Ph.D. in molecular & cellular biology at Baylor College of Medicine. She received her J.D. from Seattle University School of Law and a B.S. in biology from Hope College.

Technical Publications

• “Augmented Cancer Resistance and DNA Damage Response Phenotypes in PPM1D Mice.” Bonnie Nannenga, Xiongbin Lu, Melissa Dumble, Marc Van Maanen, Thuy-Ai Nguyen, Frances Kittrell, Daniel Medina,T. Rajendra Kumar, and Lawrence A. Donehower. Molecular Carcinogenesis 2006.
• “Dual roles for the phosphatase PPM1D in regulating progesterone receptor function. ” Proia DA, Nannenga BW, Donehower LA, Weigel NL. J Biol Chem. March 2006.
• “PPM1D dephosphorylates Chk1 and p53 and abrogates cell cycle checkpoints. ” Xiongbin Lu, Bonnie Nannenga, Lawrence A. Donehower. Genes & Development 2005.
• “The p53-Induced Oncogenic Phosphatase Ppm1d Interacts with Uracil DNA Glycosylase and Suppresses Base Excision Repair.” X. Lu, D. Bocangel, B. Nannenga, H. Yamaguchi, E. Appella and L. Donehower. Molecular Cell 2004.
• “Inactivation of the Wip1 Phosphatase Inhibits Mammary Tumorigenesis through p38 MAPK-Mediated Activation on the p16Ink4a-p19Arf Tumor Suppressor Pathway.” D. Bulavin, C. Phillips, B. Nannenga, O. Timofeev, L. Donehower, C. Anderson, E. Appella, A. Fornace Jr. Nature Genetics 2004.
• “Mice Deficient for Wild-Type p53-Induced Phosphatase Gene (Wip1) Exhibit Defects in Reproductive Organs, Immune Function, and Cell Cycle Control.” J. Choi, B. Nannenga, O. Demidov, D. Bulavin, A. Cooney, C. Brayton, Y. Zhang, I. Mbawuike, A. Bradley, E. Appella, and L. Donehower. Molecular and Cellular Biology 2002.
• “Enhanced Liver Cell Mutations in Trematode-Infected Big Blue Transgenic Mice. ” J. Gentile, G. Gentile, B. Nannenga, M. Johnson, H. Blankespoor, R. Montero. Mutation Research 1998.