Glucocerebrosidase

A major initiative is our work in the area of "molecular pharming" - essentially the use of transgenic plants for large-scale production of human recombinant proteins of therapeutic value. This is an emerging but very challenging field that requires manipulation (at the genetic engineering level) of protein glycosylation and subcellular protein targeting in plant cells.

Lysosomal storage diseases are amenable to treatment by enzyme replacement strategies. However, current costs of commercially producing recombinant proteins for this purpose are prohibitively high. The objective of our work is to use plants as an economical system for producing these enzymes with the ultimate goal of using them in human enzyme replacement therapies for metabolic disorders.

Dr. Allison Kermode is a recipient of "2008 Career Investigator Award" from Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. 

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I
Gaucher Disease