Matthew A. Smith, Ph.D., is counsel in Sterne Kessler’s Biotechnology & Chemical Practice Group. Matt assists in the preparation and prosecution of U.S. and foreign patent applications. He also assists in the preparation of validity, infringement, freedom to operate, and patentability opinions.

Matt has been selected as a Washington DC “Rising Star” for five consecutive years by Super Lawyers since 2019.

Matt’s technical expertise focuses on molecular biology and biochemistry. While earning his Ph.D., Matthew discovered the degradation mechanism of renal calpain 10. Additionally, he determined that in vitro loss of renal calpain 10 caused mitochondrial dysfunction, increased mitophagy, and increased cell death. While in vivo loss of renal calpain 10 caused increased mitophagy and renal dysfunction. Matthew also has experience in bacteriology as well as the preservation of eukaryotic cells using freeze-drying techniques. He received a National Institutes of Health Environmental Stress Signaling Pre-doctoral training grant.

In law school, Matt was a notes editor for George Mason Law Review and president of George Mason’s Intellectual Property Law Society. Additionally, Matt received the Law Service Award from George Mason School of Law, a Founder’s Scholarship from the Federal Circuit Bar Association, and the Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox Scholarship at George Mason School of Law.

Prior to joining the Sterne Kessler, Matt worked at a boutique intellectual property law firm in McLean, VA where he assisted with patent prosecution.

Matt received his J.D., Patent Law Track, cum laude, from the George Mason University School of Law, his Ph.D. in pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences from the Medical University of South Carolina, and his B.S., magna cum laude, in biochemistry and a B.A. in Chemistry from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Technical Publications

  • Smith, M.A. and Schnellmann, R.G. Calpain 10. Handbook of Proteolytic Enzymes, 3rd Edition, 2013.
  • Smith, M.A., McInnes, C., Whitaker, R.M., Lindsey, C.C., Comer, R.F., Beeson, C.C., and Schnellmann, R.G. Calpain 10 Homology Modeling with CYGAK and Increased Lipophilicity Leads to Greater Potency and Efficacy in Cells. ACS: Chemical Biology, 7(8): 1410-1419, 2012.
  • Smith, M.A. and Schnellmann R.G. Calpains, Mitochondria, and Apoptosis. Cardiovascular Research, 96(1): 32-37, 2012.
  • Smith, M.A., Covington, M.D., and Schnellmann, R.G. Loss of Calpain 10 Causes Mitochondrial Dysfunction During Chronic Hyperglycemia. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 523(2): 161-168, 2012.
  • Smith, M.A. and Schnellmann, R.G. Mitochondrial Calpain 10 is Degraded by Lon Protease After Oxidant Injury. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 517(2): 144-152, 2012.

  • Super Lawyers, “Rising Star – Washington DC” (2023 – 2019)

  • J.D., Patent Law Track, George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School, cum laude
  • Ph.D., Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina
  • B.S., Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, magna cum laude
  • B.A., Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

  • District of Columbia
  • United States Patent & Trademark Office
  • Virginia

Related Resources

From Matthew A. Smith, Ph.D.

Press Release

March 25, 2024

Sterne Kessler Promotes Eight Attorneys to Counsel

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox

Press Release

April 24, 2023

Super Lawyers Recognizes 14 Sterne Kessler Attorneys as 2023 “Super Lawyers” and “Rising Stars”

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox

Press Release

May 1, 2022

Super Lawyers Recognizes 14 Attorneys as 2022 “Super Lawyers” and “Rising Stars”

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox

Press Release

April 30, 2020

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox Attorneys Named 2020 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

Bylined Articles

April 6, 2018

Trans-Pacific Partnership Lost Important IP Provisions

Law360 Jeremiah B. Frueauf, Matthew A. Smith, Ph.D.

Bylined Articles

August 29, 2017

How Courts Treat USPTO Subject Matter Eligibility Guidelines

Law360 Multiple Authors

Global Patent Prosecution

May 15, 2017

Global Patent Prosecution Newsletter - May 2017

Multiple Authors

Bylined Articles

May 15, 2017

Patent Grace Periods and Public Disclosures: Finding a Saving Grace (Period) to Minimize Impact of Pre-Filing Public Disclosures

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox Jeremiah B. Frueauf, Matthew A. Smith, Ph.D.

Bylined Articles

May 15, 2017

Patent Grace Period Laws in the IP5 Patent Offices: Some Similarities But Largely Different

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox Jeremiah B. Frueauf, Matthew A. Smith, Ph.D.

Bylined Articles

March 9, 2016

Navigating Foggy Water

MSBA Bar Bulletin Gaby L. Longsworth, Ph.D., Matthew A. Smith, Ph.D.

Bylined Articles

February 19, 2016

Public Disclosure Grace Periods And The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Member States Seek Harmonization with the America Invents Act

Bloomberg BNA's Patent, Trademark & Copyright Journal Jeremiah B. Frueauf, Matthew A. Smith, Ph.D.

Bylined Articles

February 19, 2016

Public Disclosure Grace Periods And The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Member States Seek Harmonization with the America Invents Act

Jeremiah B. Frueauf, Matthew A. Smith, Ph.D.

Bylined Articles

October 29, 2014

An Alternative Attack in Inter Partes Review

Law360 Multiple Authors

Bylined Articles

September 16, 2014

Patent Armoring via Reissue Proceedings

Law360 Multiple Authors