Case Summary:

The I-140 NIW or the National Interest Waiver is a type of nonimmigrant visa for those foreign nationals who can produce evidence that their work is significant to the United States. Thus when an expert in the field of neuroscience from South Korea came to us seeking help with his NIW application, we made sure to give him the best service possible. His proposed endeavor was to continue his identification of novel protein regulators involved in learning and memory, the analysis of synaptic proteins in brain function, and the characterization of post-transnational synaptic protein modification in order to produce valuable brain proteome datasets, develop a spatiotemporal neuronal protein map, and identify novel therapeutic targets for neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders.

His research advancing his proposed endeavor was of great importance because it contributes to improving the understanding of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and helps in the development of effective therapeutic strategies. His research thus helps in the identification of novel protein targets which are important for normal brain functions and higher cognitive functions or the progression of neurological and psychiatric diseases as well as intellectual disability. His research assists in understanding the functions of the human brain in normal conditions and how these functions are changed or affected under abnormal conditions such as autism, intellectual disability, addiction, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease, among several others. His research undertakings recognize the novel targets which are applicable to curing neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders.

This is why two of his 4 recommendations said the following about the significance of his work for the U.S.:

“Alzheimer’s disease affects approximately five million Americans. This neurodegenerative disease, which progressively extirpates cognitive function, is therefore a pressing threat to national public health. [The client’s] foundational findings on synaptic long-lived proteins and their role in synaptic plasticity and memory have identified a molecular process that contributes to healthy neurological functioning and maintenance. This insight, in turn, is facilitating the identification of novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, [the client’s] completed and ongoing research is directly addressing national public health challenges.”

“[The client] has produced a novel proteomics-based tool for hydrophobic membrane protein identification and characterization. These proteins are integral to cellular processes, such as immune response, signal transmission, and metabolism, and by acting as receptors and transporters, they offer distinct utility to drug development. This tool has already produced a brain proteome dataset that is facilitating novel therapeutic target identification and drug development. His contributions to neuroscience possess acute national importance.”

At the same time, his research has in fact been supported with funding from the National Institutes of Mental Health. And due to his knowledge and expertise in the field, he has been regularly invited to conduct peer reviews for elite journals in the field and has completed at least 2 peer reviews to date. His research has also resulted in 19 peer-reviewed journal articles (8 first-authored and 3 co-first-authored) and 5 peer-reviewed conference proceedings papers (two first-authored). Not only this but his research has also gone on to influence his peers. That is, these publications have been cited a total of 272 times.

Thus, our client has pursued research directly related to his proposed endeavor for 14 years till now indicating that he has immense experience in the field. This helped us win his approval without an RFE despite the delay. We are glad to have worked with him and we thank him for choosing our firm for representing him.