Through her work, Isabel Desgagné-Penix seeks to unravel the mysteries of the biosynthesis of alkaloids produced by medicinal plants, in particular plants of the Amaryllidaceae family, such as daffodils and snowdrops, as well as to make advances in synthetic biology for use in metabolic engineering.
His work has deepened our knowledge of the biological synthesis pathways of compounds such as galantamine, an alkaloid which shows promise for treating Alzheimer’s disease. Using innovative approaches, Isabel Desgagné-Penix has developed a synthetic biology platform where microalgae are used to produce metabolites. This platform serves as a miniature factory and has been adapted to produce virus fragments and vaccine components. She demonstrated all her versatility and social impact during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to her scientific contributions, Isabel Desgagné-Penix actively promotes diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and collaborates with Indigenous communities — demonstrating her commitment to equity and inclusion.
His research promises to revolutionize drug discovery, agricultural practices and biotechnology applications and generate real-world benefits for society through the resulting therapeutic compounds and sustainable production methods.
