Research

Kurt von Figura has studied metabolic disorders affecting lysosomes and the biogenesis of lysosomes since the early seventies, first at the University of Münster and since 1986 at the University of Göttingen. He has described the molecular defects of a number of lysosomal storage disorders and congenital disorders of glycoprotein synthesis. His studies on the structure and synthesis of recognition markers on lysosomal proteins, the identification of receptors thereof and of genetic disorders affecting the receptor mediated transport of lysosomal proteins have contributed significantly to the understanding of the biogenesis of these cellular organelles. In recent years he has studied the genetics and biogenesis of sulfatases. This led to the discovery of a protein modification, that is common to all sulfatases unique for this class of proteins, and the loss of which causes multiple sulfatase deficiency, a severe disorder characterized by the deficiency of all sulfatases.