Zinkl, Gregory

Greg has successfully navigated the transition from the petri dish to the patent office. A cell biologist turned IP attorney, he currently serves as Senior Counsel Specialist and Assistant General Counsel at Genentech, where he "wrangles" patents for large-molecule pharmaceuticals and cell therapies. As a key member of the Discovery Technology and AI IP team, Greg translates breakthrough science into protected innovation through strategic portfolio management and patent prosecution.

His career path took the "scenic route" through academia, boutique law firms, and an agricultural biotech startup before landing at Genentech. While Greg is licensed to practice before the USPTO and two state bars—bringing rigorous scientific precision to his legal work—he admits that same precision rarely extends to following his personal trainer’s dietary advice.

When he isn’t shepherding patents, Greg can be found tending his garden, making music, or relaxing at home in San Francisco with his husband, Tom. Their household is rounded out by two four-legged managers: Tula the cat and Amica the greyhound.