Field
Location (during time of takeover)
School/Institution
| Undergrad | San Francisco State University Vertebrate Physiology |
|---|---|
| PhD | University of California Berkeley Molecular and Cell Biology |
| JD | University of California Berkeley Intellectual Property Law |
Featured on July 26, 2020
Start the week right with our Pinoy Scientist Armbien Sabillo, PhD, a scientist and law student seeking to go into patent law and science policy.
Armbien graduated with a BS in Vertebrate Physiology at San Francisco State University, after which he pursued a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California Berkeley. During his PhD, he investigated the molecular regulation of cell fate and tissue shape.
Stepping away from the conventional scientist career path, Armbien then entered law school at UC Berkeley, where he is taking up his Juris Doctor, specializing in Intellectual Property Law. At UC Berkeley, he is the founder of the organization Bringing Law Into Science & Society (BLISS).
A fun anecdote about our Pinoy Scientist of the week: Armbien grew up in Leyte, Philippines right by the sea. Every low tide, he would walk out from the shore and come back with sea creatures to keep as pets: jellyfish, sea stars, octopus and many others.
Young Armbien would feed them his favorite food, rice and unsurprisingly, they all passed away. (Moderators note: It goes without saying, but PLEASE DON’T DO THIS!) Despite the rather grim outcome, the whole experience inspired Armbien to become a biologist to learn how living things grow and develop!
Let’s all welcome Armbien to the Pinoy Scientists fam!
Updates
Updated on March 1, 2025
When Armbien Sabillo, PhD, J.D. took over in 2020, he was taking up his Juris Doctor at the University of California Berkeley with a specialization in Intellectual Property Law. While he initially received his PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the same university, his interests have since turned to science policy and patent law.
Armbien has now completed his law degree with Pro Bono Honors with Highest Distinction. He is a registered Attorney in the state of California and is the Patent Counsel on Intellectual Property at Neurocrine Biosciences
