This is an AAO appeal decision — a case denied once and appealed. It shows how the framework is applied; it is not the filing population.
The Petitioner, a postdoctoral cancer biology researcher, proposed to continue research into molecular mechanisms of lung and other squamous cancers to develop targeted therapies and improve personalized medicine.
Field: cancer biology · Read the decision (uscis.gov)
EB-2 threshold — addressed
Director already found Petitioner qualifies as an advanced degree professional; not disputed on appeal.
Prong 1 — national importanceestablished
Prong 2 — well positionedestablished
Prong 3 — balance of factorsestablished
How the evidence was treated
- recommendation letter · credited
- citations publications · credited
- degree · credited
- resume experience · credited
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Notable
AAO expressly relies on USCIS Policy Manual F.5(D)(2) 'strong positive factor' framework (Ph.D. + STEM + critical/emerging technology) to support the third prong, finding petitioner's contributions valuable even assuming other qualified U.S. workers are available.
Authorities this decision leans on
From the doctrinal survivor set — 187 authority tests across 47 distinct authorities cleared the differential-lift gates. Only those appear here.
- Poursina v. USCIS
- USCIS Policy Manual F.5(D)(2)
What this case teaches
Analyst reading of the decision text.
Petitioner's specific, ongoing research on lung cancer biomarkers, corroborated by expert letters and strong citation record, satisfied all three Dhanasar prongs with public-health-scaled importance.
Pair a concretely defined research endeavor with disease-burden/public-health statistics and independent citation evidence to establish both specificity and national scale.
specific
public_health · field_advancement
mixed
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