Success Stories: EB-1A Approved for Biochemistry Researcher Advancing Protein Structure and Function Characterization

Client’s Testimonial:

“Wegreened has been professional, responsive, and meticulous during the entire application. They helped me assemble the application materials efficiently, which saved me a lot of time. Their scrutiny helped me avoid mistakes and maximized the chance for a successful application. I appreciate all their support.”

On February 26^th, 2025, we received another EB1A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability) approval for a Postdoc Associate in the field of Biochemistry (Approval Notice).

General Field: Biochemistry

Position at the Time of Case Filing: Postdoc Associate

Country of Origin: China

State of Residence at the Time of Filing: North Carolina

Approval Notice Date: February 26^th, 2025

Processing Time: 1 year, 1 month, 10 days

Case Summary:

We are pleased to share the success story of an EB-1A petition approval granted to a biochemistry researcher whose pioneering work in protein structural elucidation and enzymatic mechanism has opened new avenues in drug discovery and metabolic regulation. At filing, the client held a research scientist position at a U.S. medical research institution, leading projects that resolve enzyme architectures and characterize function under physiological conditions.

Research Focus and Contributions

The petition detailed the client’s original investigations, including:

Determining the high-resolution structure and catalytic mechanism of a key lipid-metabolizing enzyme to inform obesity-related therapeutics
Solving conformational states of membrane sugar transporters through combined crystallography and simulation to elucidate transport pathways
Characterizing metal-ion transporter inhibition mechanisms, guiding strategies for iron homeostasis disorders
Revealing architectural features of fungal cell-wall synthesis enzymes to support novel antifungal drug design

Research Impact and Metrics

To demonstrate extraordinary ability, the petition assembled quantitative evidence:

11 peer-reviewed journal articles showcasing first-in-field structural and mechanistic discoveries
280 citations, placing the client among the top 1% most-cited authors in protein science over the past decade
13 invited manuscript reviews for leading journals, underscoring recognition as an authority in biochemistry

Here is a compelling excerpt from one of the recommendation letters that highlights how the client’s research benefits the United States:

“Using cysteine-crosslinking and single-molecule FRET, the [client] captured both outward- and inward-facing conformations of the EIIC transporter, revealing the essential rigid-body motions of the sugar-binding domain that drive substrate translocation.”

Demonstrating Significance in the Petition

The petition highlighted how these structural and mechanistic advances address urgent biomedical challenges, enabling rational design of antifungal agents, informing metabolic-disease therapeutics, and guiding drug candidate development. Independent expert letters and major NIH funding endorsements corroborated the national importance and high impact of the client’s work.

Well Positioned to Advance Extraordinary Research

The submission documented the client’s advanced academic training (Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology), extensive postdoctoral experience, and current leadership of enzyme-structure projects at a prominent U.S. research center, demonstrating exceptional capacity to drive further breakthroughs in protein science.

Approval and Outcome

Filed January 16, 2024, and approved February 26, 2025, in 1 year, 1 month, 10 days without any RFE issuance, the EB-1A petition underscores the United States’ commitment to retaining top-tier talent in critical scientific fields. NAILG is proud to have guided this client through a seamless EB-1A process and looks forward to his continued leadership in biochemistry and global health innovation.

--------------------------------------------

North America Immigration Law Group (Chen Immigration Law Associates) is a U.S. immigration law firm dedicated to representing corporations, research institutions, and individuals from all 50 U.S. states regarding I-140 immigration petitions. We specialize in employment-based immigration petition and have a proven record of high success rate for the categories of: EB2-NIW (National Interest Waiver), EB1-A (Alien of Extraordinary Ability), EB1-B (Outstanding Researcher/Professor) and O-1 (Alien of Extraordinary Ability).

Our Ten Thousand I-140 Approvals Provide Unprecedented Insight into the USCIS Adjudication Trend

With more than 58,000 EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-2 NIW and O-1 cases approved, we have first hand information on the manner in which the USCIS adjudicate I-140 cases. As the USCIS has constantly changed its adjudication standards for the EB-1A, EB-1B and EB-2 NIW categories, our firm's huge database of successful cases gives you unprecedented insight to USCIS adjudication trends. We carefully analyze the data for all of our cases and apply the results of our analyses toward giving our clients up-to-date advice and adapting our strategies such that we remain on par with the ever-shifting landscape of immigration law in the U.S. With us, you will always have access to important updates, strategies, and information so that you can make the most informed decisions about your case.

We Have Helped Hundreds and Thousands of Clients with Credentials and Backgrounds Similar to Yours

With our exceedingly large number of successful petitions, no matter what credentials you have, no matter your background and field of expertise, no matter your visa status or nationality, chances are we have helped hundreds or even thousands of clients just like you. Our clients are usually impressed with how well we understand their research and work. Our insight and understanding stems from the fact that we have handled many cases with elements similar to yours already, and this helps us devise the best strategies for each individual petition.

Vast Majority of Clients Came to Us Because of Referrals

For years, our firm has attracted new clients based solely on word of mouth, recommendations, and the positive collaboration experiences shared with them by their friends and family. We take pride in our reputation and work hard to ensure that we provide a green card application experience that our clients are happy to share with their friends and colleagues. That is how our cumulative total of approved cases grew from 600 in 2013 to over 58,000 in 2025.