Dr. Danielle Schiffels has been working in the field of intellectual property since 2018. She joined the SKM-IP team in 2025 as a European patent attorney with a focus on biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

During her legal training, Danielle assisted clients in grant and opposition proceedings before the European Patent Office (EPO). Her technical focus is on molecular biology, active pharmaceutical ingredients, medical antibodies, diagnostics and second indications.

In addition to her legal qualifications, Danielle has a strong background in the natural sciences. She earned three bachelor's degrees - in Applied Mathematics (B.S.), Chemistry (B.A.) and Biological Sciences (B.A.) - from the University of Rhode Island. She then completed her doctorate in physical chemistry at the University of California in Santa Barbara. There she researched the relationships between the optical and physical properties of DNA-stabilized silver clusters with only a few atoms (AgDNAs).

She gained further practical experience as a scientist in a biotech start-up near Baltimore, where she developed diagnostic test procedures. She was then awarded an NRC fellowship at the prestigious National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. There she worked on both the structural characterization of AgDNAs and their use as antimicrobial agents.

With over ten years of experience in research and patent law, Danielle stands for competent, targeted and committed advice in the field of intellectual property.

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