Julia Wijns

At the start of my academic journey I obtained a bachelor's degree in Biology and Medical Laboratory Research, but it was my fascination with the intersection of biotechnology and law that steered me towards a unique path. Intrigued by the complex landscape of patent law and biotechnology regulation, I pursued a second bachelor’s degree in Law at Leiden University. The interest in the interdisciplinary field further led to a master’s degree in Medical Biotechnology from Wageningen University, as well as a master’s degree in Law and Technology from Tilburg University. Alongside my studies I gained hands-on experience on the intersection of law and (bio)technology. I completed internships in intellectual property law at a patent attorney office and in a law firm, as well as an academic internship in environmental law at Erasmus university, conveying both my practical and academic approach.

My journey led me to a PhD project part of the HOTBIO doctoral network hosted by 3BIO in Ghent, Belgium, where I found my niche at the confluence of Intellectual Property Rights and Biodiversity. My PhD research revolves around navigating the complexities of Intellectual Property Rights on inventions based on or developed using genetic resources and Access and Benefit Sharing as stipulated in the Convention on Biological DIversity and its supplementary Nagoya Protocol. With a dedication to extend my knowledge and skills, I'm eager to keep growing and to make a meaningful contributions to the academic community.