Getting to Know Matt Quinn, Ph.D.

Clients look to Matt Quinn, Ph.D., Research Consultant for Womble Bond Dickinson’s Medical and Scientific Solutions team, to help them understand the complex science behind litigation, IP, and regulatory legal matters. Matt brings more than 15 years of research—as well as experiences that help him relate to clients’ real-world needs.

The Texas native and avid volleyball/dodgeball player recently offered a few thoughts on his extensive research background and how that work translates to what he now does at Medical and Scientific Solutions.

You have an extensive background in science and medicine. What did you do before coming to Womble?

After college, I worked for a year in a biomedical research lab as a technician and I really enjoyed the subject matter and the hands-on work I was doing. So, I enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Medical Sciences at Texas Tech University, finished that in 2013, and moved to the Raleigh/Durham area for a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. There, I focused on molecular mechanisms underlying inflammation and metabolism.

After finishing my fellowship, I was recruited to the Wake Forest University School of Medicine as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Pathology and Internal Medicine departments. I worked there for five years, leading a research lab of about 15 people and taught courses in genetics, endocrinology, ethics, and translating biomedical science to therapeutics.

What do you do as part of the Medical & Scientific Solutions Team? How do you apply your skills and knowledge to work for clients?

When someone is a Ph.D. level scientist, they get pigeonholed as just a scientist. But when we go through the graduate process, we also pick up a lot of “soft skills” that help us communicate. And those skills can be applied to any field.

At MSS, we represent many clients facing medical or scientific claims. My background in molecular biology allows me to assess those claims, and those soft skills help me communicate those issues to people who may not have a background in that subject.

A plaintiff may make claims that aren’t supported by the science. We have the ability to challenge other scientists and plaintiffs’ experts when the data doesn’t support the claims they are making. We also work with defense experts to make sure their positions are supported by scientific evidence.

I’ve published over 40 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and serve as editor on several peer-reviewed journals. That helps me look at science through a critical lens.

You mentioned the communication skills you’ve developed as a researcher. Beyond your scientific knowledge, what other skills do you bring to clients at MSS?

When you start an independent research laboratory, you basically are running a small business. I got $2 million in seed funding and was responsible for hiring, HR, personnel management, training, and more. That experience taught me how to think on my feet and how to reach out to resources.

Also, I’m going to be thinking big picture—what is the future and how do we combine science and strategy to get there?

What are you most excited about at Medical and Scientific Solutions?

What’s exciting about our team is that we are looking to grow and expand. Historically, we have focused on mass torts litigation. But we also serve intellectual property and FDA regulatory clients, particularly in the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries. We have the skillsets to really help clients in those arenas.

What do you see as the intersection between MSS and life sciences/pharma clients?

Both IP and regulatory work have core components we already perform within mass torts, such as scientific literature analysis. For example, if a client is going to file a patent or wants FDA approval for their newest therapy, they need to show what is different about this drug versus the existing drugs on the market.

We can help clients with experimental design to help them make that claim. At MSS, we have Ph.D. scientists with decades of experience in technical writing.

Want to learn more? Visit Womble Bond Dickinson’s Medical and Scientific Solutions team page.