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SearchIn the Cleveland Clinic Innovations profile series, members of the Innovations team share their journey to joining the Innovations department at Cleveland Clinic, what they find inspiring about their role and what innovation means to them.
In our latest Innovations Profile spotlight feature, Mutua Mattu, PhD, Innovations Patent Agent, discusses his journey that led him to Cleveland, Ohio, how he ended up with Cleveland Clinic Innovations and what he finds inspiring about his role.
Q: Can you share your background story? What led you to Cleveland?
A: My journey began in Kenya, where I pursued my undergraduate degree at Kenyatta University. During my time there, I played basketball for the college team, and it was through this sport that I befriended Dave Chimoskey, an American exchange student. I had always been interested in studying in the U.S., and he introduced me to a professor from Ohio University, Athens, who was on sabbatical at Kenyatta University.
I met with Professor Hubertus Bloemer (rest in peace), who encouraged me to apply to Ohio University’s Chemistry Department. Thanks to his recommendation and the strength of my transcripts, I secured a full scholarship and a teaching assistantship. Armed with an air ticket and some initial funds from my parents, I made the life-changing journey to Ohio. Upon arriving in Athens, I discovered that half the building was dedicated to chemistry and physics, and the other half to geography, revealing the strong connection between the two departments.
At Ohio University, I completed my PhD in Chemistry, focusing on the Quantitative Analysis of Noninvasive NIR Measurement of Blood Glucose. After graduation, I moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where I worked at Sensys Medical, Inc., a startup developing noninvasive blood glucose monitoring devices. It was during my time there that I decided to pivot my career from Principal Scientist to Patent Agent to gain more flexibility while staying connected to my scientific background.
After passing the Patent Bar exam, I relocated to Boston, MA and gained valuable patent experience at Lambert Shortell & Connaughton law firm. Later, I transitioned back to the chemistry industry at Avery Dennison in Mentor, Ohio. It was through a former colleague, Amber Dowd, now Senior Counsel at Cleveland Clinic, that I found my way to Cleveland Clinic Innovations.
Q: Could you please explain your role within Cleveland Clinic Innovations?
A: When I first joined Cleveland Clinic, there was no specific patent agent role in place. I took the initiative to understand the expectations of key stakeholders within the organization, including meeting with Jim Ellis, JD, MBA, Managing Director, Pre-Market Innovations, Mohamed Ramadan, PhD, MBA, General Manager (GM), Innovations Development, Heather Callahan, PhD, JD, MBA, General Manager, Innovations Business Development and Licensing, and Robin Crotty, MA, Innovations Operations Administrator. Each of them had different perspectives on why they needed to fill this position. It became clear to me that I needed to define and shape the role myself to align with Cleveland Clinic Innovations' goals.
During my first 90 days, I engaged with various teams—Engagement, Assessment, Development, Business Development and Licensing, and Proof of Concept—to understand how I could contribute. Drawing on my experience at Avery Dennison, where I collaborated globally with inventors, businesses, and patent associates on patent drafting, application, prosecution, and maintaining legal protection for inventions, I developed a strategy that leverages my expertise where it’s most impactful, aligns with the Innovations’ goals for high-quality patent applications, efficient IP management, and commercialization support. The proposed strategies are still a work in progress.
At Cleveland Clinic, while the drafting and prosecution of patents are outsourced to external law firms. In-house, these responsibilities are handled by the Development team. Thus, my role is evolving to focus on ensuring oversight of external law firms to control costs and streamline the prosecution process and emphasizing the importance of involving inventors throughout the patent drafting and prosecution process to capture the full scope of their inventions. This involves close collaboration with the Development team and external legal partners to safeguard the clinic’s innovations and align IP strategies with the organization’s broader goals. My goal is to keep identifying key areas where I can add value.
I also recognized the importance of educating employees about the patent process, a perspective strongly supported by leadership, the GMs, and particularly by Mohamed Ramadan. Together, Mohamed and I are developing an Intellectual Property (IP) playbook, designed to be a comprehensive resource for inventors and stakeholders across the Cleveland Clinic. This initiative highlights our commitment to creating a unified approach to IP management, ensuring alignment with patent processes and objectives throughout the organization. By continuously evolving my role and responsibilities, I aim to make a lasting impact on Cleveland Clinic Innovations’ overall patent strategy and effectiveness.
Q: Compared to your other role, which wasn’t so much healthcare focused, what drew you to Cleveland Clinic??
A: The opportunity to work at Cleveland Clinic was particularly appealing because it allowed me to directly contribute to healthcare innovations that improve people's lives. My previous role wasn’t as focused on healthcare, but here, the focus on medical devices, therapeutics and diagnostics, and digital health provides a tangible connection to improving patient outcomes, which is both inspiring and rewarding.
Q: Are there any publications or podcasts that you stay up to date with?
A: I keep up with digital health publications and podcasts, particularly those focused on software-related inventions, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Staying current on case law and trends in these fields across various jurisdictions is essential in my field, as it helps me navigate the evolving legal landscape and its impact on healthcare innovations.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in inventing who may be intimidated by the process?
A: My biggest piece of advice is to take the leap and go for it. The process might seem overwhelming at first, but don’t let that stop you. When I transitioned from a research role to patent work, I faced the same fears, but I learned that being open to learning and adapting is key.
It’s also important to seek help. Don’t hesitate to reach out to experts or mentors who can guide you through the process. And if you’re working on an invention, don’t worry about making mistakes—submit your Invention Disclosure Forms and trust that the experts are here to help.
Lastly, never underestimate the power of collaboration. During my time at Avery Dennison, I regularly visited the adhesive manufacturing plant in Mill Hall, PA to learn from the polymer chemistry experts there while sharing my patent knowledge. This kind of collaboration can lead to innovative solutions that benefit everyone. Inventing is a challenging but rewarding journey. Embrace the opportunity to learn and grow and remember that there are always resources and people ready to support you every step of the way.
