Prosecution Insights
Prosecution Insights
Technology areas: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals • Chemistry & Materials
39 pending office actions • 30 art units • 39 examiners • 0 of 39 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 40 patents granted in the last 365 days
The University of South Carolina maintains a volume of 38 pending office actions in the Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals technology area. These actions are spread across 38 distinct examiners, which means every single pending matter is being reviewed by a different individual. The breadth of the portfolio is further evidenced by its presence in 29 distinct art units, indicating a wide range of technical research and development. This high number of 29 art units suggests a very diverse set of inventions.
The busiest examiner is KOESTER, MICHAEL RICHARD, who is assigned 1 busiest examiner pending action. Given that there are 38 pending office actions and 38 distinct examiners, no single examiner holds more than one case. This distribution requires a highly adaptable prosecution strategy to navigate the diverse expectations of 38 different examiners. The complexity of managing 38 separate examiner relationships across 29 distinct art units highlights the scale of the university's ongoing intellectual property efforts.
Based on the USPTO statutory response window for each pending office action. 18 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date; the rest are excluded from the tile counts.
Every pending office action with a known statutory deadline, placed on a days-until-due axis. Dots left of Today are overdue; the further right, the more runway. Cases that share a deadline window stack vertically. 18 of the docket's apps have a known mailing date.
Difficulty is derived from the rejection statutes on the most recent pending office action. §101-driven and multi-statute cases are graded Hard; §112-only and obviousness-type double-patenting cases are graded Easy; everything else is Medium. "Unknown" means we have not yet parsed a statute for that office action.
| Bucket | Cases |
|---|---|
| §101 only | 1 (3%) |
| §101 + other | 4 (10%) |
| §103 only | 14 (36%) |
| §112 only | 4 (10%) |
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 15 (38%) |
| No statute on record | 1 (3%) |
How the docket's pending cases split across USPTO tech-center bands.
Manual office-action response work runs about 10 hours per case. The time-saved bands below show what IP Author's prosecution pipeline typically delivers — a conservative 20% on the low end, 35% in the middle, 50% on the high end.
| Examiner | Apps on this docket | Allow rate | Interview lift |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOESTER, MICHAEL RICHARD | 1 | 41.4% | +19.2% |
| COLE, VICTOR | 1 | 91.8% | +10.3% |
| KWON, JOHN SEUNGJAI | 1 | 45.7% | +19.3% |
| OLSON, JENNIFER MAR B | 1 | 54.5% | +19.4% |
| WERTZ, ASHLEE ELIZABETH | 1 | 52.9% | +42.1% |
| MCCLAIN, STARFARI TESHAWN | 1 | 90.6% | -12.6% |
| PEREZ FUENTES, LUIS M | 1 | 83.8% | -17.9% |
| DOUGHERTY, SEAN PATRICK | 1 | 74.7% | +15.7% |
| BOWERS, ERIN M | 1 | 54.7% | +10.6% |
| PADUA, NICO LAUREN | 1 | 17.4% | +38.7% |
Cases in front of an examiner with an allow rate of 80%+ where the difficulty is Easy or Medium. The top 1 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18748743 | THERMODYNAMIC-BASED METHODS FOR FORMATION OF PROMOTED METAL CATALYSTS | MCCLAIN, STARFARI TESHAWN | — |
Multi-statute / §101-driven matters, or cases in front of an examiner with an allow rate under 30%. The top 8 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17071020 | Cell-Based Biosensor for Early Alzheimer's Disease Detection | MIANO, JOSEPH PAUL | 4d overdue |
| 17971694 | Preparation of a Brain Targeted Artificial Nano-Enzyme and Application | TAYLOR, JORDAN W | 12d |
| 17476803 | INHIBIN AS TARGETABLE REGULATORS OF ANGIOGENESIS | DEBERRY, REGINA M | 12d |
| 18599450 | Using Limited Lead Device EEG to Predict Delirium | DOUGHERTY, SEAN PATRICK | 20d |
| 18588120 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO MEDIATE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AUTOMATICALLY FOR USER SAFETY | PADUA, NICO LAUREN | 21d |
| 17370101 | DECELLULARIZATION OF TISSUES USING SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE | WHEELER, THURMAN MICHAEL | 56d |
| 18304457 | AI METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTION OF REAL-TIME DAMAGE USING AE (ACOUSTIC EMISSIONS) | QUIGLEY, KYLE ROBERT | 71d |
| 19219061 | PLANNER PERFORMANCE BY LEARNING AND USING METADATA OF EXPERIENCES | KOESTER, MICHAEL RICHARD | — |
Cases in front of an examiner whose interview lift is 10 percentage points or more — i.e. interviewed cases historically resolve more favorably than non-interviewed ones. The top 8 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18599450 | Using Limited Lead Device EEG to Predict Delirium | DOUGHERTY, SEAN PATRICK | 20d |
| 18588120 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO MEDIATE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AUTOMATICALLY FOR USER SAFETY | PADUA, NICO LAUREN | 21d |
| 19219061 | PLANNER PERFORMANCE BY LEARNING AND USING METADATA OF EXPERIENCES | KOESTER, MICHAEL RICHARD | — |
| 19209183 | DESIGN AND STRUCTURES OF HIGH-SPEED INTERCONNECTS FOR IMPROVED SIGNAL INTEGRITY | COLE, VICTOR | — |
| 18813465 | METHODS AND FORMULATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE PHARMACOKINETIC PROPERTIES OF NUTRACEUTICAL COMPOUNDS | KWON, JOHN SEUNGJAI | — |
| 18772370 | Design of Acoustic Metamaterials Based on Liquid Crystal Skyrmions | OLSON, JENNIFER MAR B | — |
| 18761018 | ISOMER-SPECIFIC NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF NATURAL RESERVATROL | WERTZ, ASHLEE ELIZABETH | — |
| 18597113 | DELIGNIFIED BAMBOO SCAFFOLDS INCLUDING IMMOBILIZED ENZYMES AND METHODS FOR FORMING AND USING SAME | BOWERS, ERIN M | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 1626 | 2 |
| 3791 | 2 |
| 1619 | 2 |
| 1631 | 2 |
| 1795 | 2 |
| 1647 | 2 |
| 2843 | 1 |
| 2837 | 1 |
| 2474 | 1 |
| 1653 | 1 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19219061 | PLANNER PERFORMANCE BY LEARNING AND USING METADATA OF EXPERIENCES | KOESTER, MICHAEL RICHARD | — | §101§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 27, 2025 |
| 19209183 | DESIGN AND STRUCTURES OF HIGH-SPEED INTERCONNECTS FOR IMPROVED SIGNAL INTEGRITY | COLE, VICTOR | 2843 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 15, 2025 |
| 18813465 | METHODS AND FORMULATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE PHARMACOKINETIC PROPERTIES OF NUTRACEUTICAL COMPOUNDS | KWON, JOHN SEUNGJAI | — | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Aug 23, 2024 |
| 18772370 | Design of Acoustic Metamaterials Based on Liquid Crystal Skyrmions | OLSON, JENNIFER MAR B | 2837 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 15, 2024 |
| 18761018 | ISOMER-SPECIFIC NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF NATURAL RESERVATROL | WERTZ, ASHLEE ELIZABETH | 1626 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jul 01, 2024 |
| 18748743 | THERMODYNAMIC-BASED METHODS FOR FORMATION OF PROMOTED METAL CATALYSTS | MCCLAIN, STARFARI TESHAWN | — | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 20, 2024 |
| 18670031 | WIRELESS FEDERATED k-MEANS CLUSTERING WITH NON-COHERENT OVER-THE-AIR COMPUTATION | PEREZ FUENTES, LUIS M | 2474 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | May 21, 2024 |
| 18599450 | Using Limited Lead Device EEG to Predict Delirium | DOUGHERTY, SEAN PATRICK | 3791 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 20d | Pending | Mar 08, 2024 |
| 18597113 | DELIGNIFIED BAMBOO SCAFFOLDS INCLUDING IMMOBILIZED ENZYMES AND METHODS FOR FORMING AND USING SAME | BOWERS, ERIN M | 1653 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 06, 2024 |
| 18588120 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO MEDIATE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AUTOMATICALLY FOR USER SAFETY | PADUA, NICO LAUREN | 3626 | §101§103 | Final Rejection | 21d | Pending | Feb 27, 2024 |
| 18440036 | TRIGONELLINE MITIGATES CARDIOMYOPATHY CAUSED BY SARS-COV-2 SPIKE PROTEIN UNDER OBESITY | FETTEROLF, BRANDON J | 1626 | §112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Feb 13, 2024 |
| 18429626 | SLEEP DISRUPTIONS IDENTIFICATION FROM MILLIMETER-WAVE WIRELESS SYSTEMS | ROZANSKI, GRACE NMN | 3791 | §101§102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Feb 01, 2024 |
| 18506315 | PHASE STABILIZED GROWTH OF MONOCLINIC-GALLIUM OXIDE ON THERMALLY CONDUCTING MATERIALS | BRATLAND JR, KENNETH A | 1714 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Nov 10, 2023 |
| 18479393 | DUAL RESPONSIVE BRAIN TARGETED NANOPARTICLES FOR USE IN TREATMENT OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE | GREENE, IVAN A | 1619 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 4d overdue | Pending | Oct 02, 2023 |
| 18464761 | VERTICAL ALUMINUM GALLIUM NITRIDE DEVICES ON CRYSTALLINE METALLIC SUBSTRATES | SRINIVASAN, SESHA SAIRAMAN | 2817 | §103 | Final Rejection | 9d | Pending | Sep 11, 2023 |
| 18357658 | METHODS OF FORMING COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING COLLAGEN | KIM, TAEYOON | 1631 | §103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Jul 24, 2023 |
| 18304457 | AI METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTION OF REAL-TIME DAMAGE USING AE (ACOUSTIC EMISSIONS) | QUIGLEY, KYLE ROBERT | 2857 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | 71d | Pending | Apr 21, 2023 |
| 18302078 | DIELECTRIC BARRIER DISCHARGE PLASMA SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IN-SITU HYDROGEN PEROXIDE PRODUCTION | TAI, XIUYU | 1795 | §102§103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Apr 18, 2023 |
| 18302329 | MISTY PLASMA DIELECTRIC BARRIER DISCHARGE PLASMA SYSTEM FOR DISINFECTION | SARANTAKOS, KAYLA ROSE | 1799 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 9d | Pending | Apr 18, 2023 |
| 18300533 | ELECTRODES FOR FUEL CELLS AND ELECTROLYZERS | NEDIALKOVA, LILIA V | 1724 | §103 | Final Rejection | 15d | Pending | Apr 14, 2023 |
| 18245191 | Minimally Invasive and Semi-Automated Myocardial Injection Device | STIGELL, THEODORE J | 3783 | §103 | Final Rejection | 19d | Pending | Mar 14, 2023 |
| 18023070 | CO-GENERATION OF HIGH PURITY HYDROGEN AND HALIDE GASES BY ELECTROLYSIS | CONTRERAS, CIEL P | 1794 | §103 | Final Rejection | 30d | Pending | Feb 24, 2023 |
| 18105511 | USE OF DELTA-8-THC TO TREAT INFLAMMATORY AND AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES | BARSKY, JARED | 1628 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Feb 03, 2023 |
| 17986579 | TRANSFER OF WIDE AND ULTRAWIDE BANDGAP LAYERS TO ENGINEERED SUBSTRATE | VALENZUELA, PATRICIA D | 2812 | §103 | Final Rejection | 28d | Pending | Nov 14, 2022 |
| 17971694 | Preparation of a Brain Targeted Artificial Nano-Enzyme and Application | TAYLOR, JORDAN W | 1738 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | 12d | Pending | Oct 24, 2022 |
| 17839820 | TARGETING G3BP PROTEINS TO ACCELERATE NERVE REGENERATION | COFFA, SERGIO | 1658 | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 14, 2022 |
| 17781780 | STEEL MESH BASED CATALYST WITH SUPERIOR MECHANICAL STABILITY / MAGNETIC SEPARABILITY | PHAN, ANNETTE HOANG-ANH | 1736 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jun 02, 2022 |
| 17691262 | Regenerative Tissue-Mimetic Multilayer Fused Microgel-Cell Construct | HAGOPIAN, CASEY SHEA | 1617 | Other | Final Rejection | 46d overdue | Pending | Mar 10, 2022 |
| 17689557 | AI METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING CRACK LENGTH FROM HIGH-FREQUENCY AE (ACOUSTIC EMISSION) | LEATHERS, EMILY GORMAN | 2187 | §101 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 08, 2022 |
| 17533432 | ELECTROCHEMICAL DEHYDROGENATION OF ETHANE TO ETHYLENE USING SOLID OXIDE ELECTROLYZER | WONG, EDNA | 1795 | §112 | Non-Final OA | 15d | Pending | Nov 23, 2021 |
| 17504700 | Approaches for Fabricating N-Polar AlxGa1-xN Templates for Electronic and Optoelectronic Devices | NIX, NORA TAYLOR | 2891 | §103§112 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Oct 19, 2021 |
| 17504685 | Approach for Fabricating N-Polar AlxGa1-xN Devices | WINTERS, SEAN AYERS | 2892 | §112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Oct 19, 2021 |
| 17476803 | INHIBIN AS TARGETABLE REGULATORS OF ANGIOGENESIS | DEBERRY, REGINA M | 1647 | §103§112Other | Non-Final OA | 12d | Pending | Sep 16, 2021 |
| 17474178 | VITRO ASSAY FOR DRUG DISCOVERY OF VALVULAR HEART DISEASE | STAVROU, CONSTANTINA E | 1632 | §103 | Final Rejection | 14d | Pending | Sep 14, 2021 |
| 17370101 | DECELLULARIZATION OF TISSUES USING SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE | WHEELER, THURMAN MICHAEL | 1619 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | 56d | Pending | Jul 08, 2021 |
| 17242647 | Method For The Degradation Of Endogenous Protein | BUTTICE, AUDREY L | 1647 | §103 | Non-Final OA | 29d | Pending | Apr 28, 2021 |
| 17212021 | Nanopore Method for Identifying Single Amino Acid in Oligopeptides | ADAMS, MICHELLE | 1797 | §102§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Mar 25, 2021 |
| 17071020 | Cell-Based Biosensor for Early Alzheimer's Disease Detection | MIANO, JOSEPH PAUL | 1631 | §101§103 | Non-Final OA | 4d overdue | Pending | Oct 15, 2020 |
| 16707449 | Method for Tuning Topology of Polymer Particles | ROGERS, JAMES WILLIAM | 1618 | §103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Dec 09, 2019 |
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