Lou Lieto, JD, PhD

Dr. Louis D. Lieto is a partner in the patent and innovation practice at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Lou advises life science companies throughout their various growth cycles. He focuses on strategic patent counseling, patent prosecution, and IP due diligence in a variety of fields, including therapeutics, diagnostics, and medical devices.

Lou received his PhD from the University of Kentucky, where he focused on characterizing the molecular and genetic basis of hereditary disease. Subsequently, Lou completed his postdoctoral fellowship in immunology at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). At NIAID, Lou conducted research in the fields of immunology and molecular biology to examine the regulation of gene expression of human immuno-regulatory receptors. He also holds a JD from The George Washington University Law School. 

Prior to joining Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Lou was a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, where he examined applications for inventions encompassing several fields, including proteins, DNA vectors, nucleic acid vaccines, immune cell therapy, stem cell therapy, transgenic animals, and gene therapy.