1. Curriculum Vitae Michael B. Tropak, PhD
731 Milverton Blvd, Toronto, ON, M4C 1Y2
mb.tropak@utoronto.ca
Education
1986-1996 Ph.D., University of Toronto, Dept. of Molecular and Medical Genetics
Thesis Title: Myelin Associated Glycoprotein: An I-type lectin.
1979-1983 B.Sc.
University of Toronto, Dept. of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology
Areas of Expertise
Research Experience
2013-present Research Associate, Dr. Jason Maynes, Programme in Molecular Structure and
Function, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Sickkids, Toronto
2001-2013 Research Associate, Dr. Don Mahuran, Division of Genetics and Genome
Biology, Sickkids,
2006-2011 Research Associate, Dr. Andrew Redington, Dept. of Cardiology and Dr. John
Molecular Biology Protein Biochemistry Cell Biology
CRISPR Knockout –HEK/HeLa,HT1080
Enzyme kinetics
(Glycosidase/transferase) activity
DNA transfection (liposomal, Nucleofection),
established cell lines
(HEK, HeLA, C2C12,HL1, SHSY5Y)
CRISPR Knockin – luciferase tagging Enzyme-based assay development
Primary cell culture, Oligodendrocyte,
Dorsal root ganglion, cerebellar neurons(rat)
Piggybac/FLP recombinase transgenic
Cell lines
Thermofluorescence denaturation
shift assay
Lentiviral production (HEK293F),
infection (C2C12, IPSC CM, HL1)
Mutagenesis: PCR/QuikChange/Q5
Drug screening campaigns using
Assays described above
Immunofluorescent staining endogenous/
Recombinant tagged antigens
Cloning: Gateway, Type IIS,
Gibson Assembly, PCR/TOPO/TA
Protein production (+/-N15
)
purification from E.coli, Pichia, HEK293F
Nickel,GST, proteinA,Myc affinity tags
Epifluorescence (deconvolution)
Confocal imaging, spinning, scanning,SIM
PCR: Genomic, Realtime Crystallization Screening
High Content Imaging (Cellomics), Image
Analysis CellProfiler, ImageJ, Volocity
immunoprecipitation and sample
prep (+/- isotopic label) for
LC/MS proteomics
subcellular fractionation of lysosomes and
mitochondria using dextran/Ab coated magnetic
beads or via sucrose density fractionation
Sample Preparation for targeted
MS-based metabolomics
Cell-based drug screening campaigns
(enzyme, luminescent promoter reporters)
Gel electrophoresis (1D/2D), Westerns
Cell-based Impedance Spectroscopy
(ACEA/Excelligence)

2. Callahan, Division of Genetics and Genome Biology, Sickkids,
1996-2000 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr. James M. Rini, Dept. Biochemistry,
University of Toronto.
1986 -1996 PhD, Graduate Studies, Dept. Molecular and Medical Genetics; University of
Toronto. Supervisor: Dr. John C. Roder
1983 – 1986 Technician. Dept. of Genetics. Hospital for Sick Children. Supervisor: Dr. Roy
Gravel.
Grants (written as Co-investigator):
2005-2007 NIH: High Throughput Cell based screen for compounds enhancing
glucocerebrosidase activity in patient cells PI: D. Mahuran Co-Investigator: M.B.
Tropak
2007-2012 CIHR Team Grant: CIHR Team in lysosomal storage disease pharmaco-
therapeutics. Team Leaders: D. Mahuran (West), S. Withers (East) Co-PI: JTR
Clarke, EB Brown, C. Lingwood, M. James, L. Clarke, M. Cuifolini Co-
Investigator: M.B. Tropak
2010--2013 APBDRF: Identifying pharmacological chaperones for Adult Polyglucosan Body
Disease PI: D. Mahuran, Co-Investigator: M.B. Tropak
Grants (Written but requested salary precludes co-investigator status):
2010-2015 CIHR: Emerging Team Grant in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular
Cardiomyopathy Team Leader: Robert Hamilton Co-PI/Investigators: S.
Scherer, D. Mahuran, I Stagljar, G. Wilson, C. Ackerly, N. Kumar, A. Gramolini,
M.B. Tropak:
2012-2013 CIHR Proof of Principle Grant 1: Treatment of Parkinson
Disease Progression with GCase Activity Enhancers
PI: D. Mahuran
Co-PI/Investigators: D. Mount and A. Tandon (Univerity of Toronto)
Industrial Partner: Exsar Inc.
Teaching Experience

3. 2010-present Lecturer, Waterloo University, Dept of Biology, year undergraduate course in
Glycobiology, Course Coordinators – Dr. David Rose and Dr. Warren Wakarchuk.
Two 2 hr lectures on Glycosphingolipidoses and Congenital Disorders of
Glycosylation
1999-2000 Lecturer, Ryerson University, Dept. of Chemistry and Biology, 2nd
year
undergraduate course in Biochemistry and Microbiology. Department Head -Dr.
Deborah Foster.
1999-2000 Lecturer, University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, Botany and
Zoology 3rd
year undergraduate course in molecular genetics (JLM349): Course
Coordinator-Dr. Sue Varmuza
1993-1996 Teaching assistant, University of Toronto, Molecular Genetics and Biology
program, 4th year undergraduate molecular biology laboratory course
(MGB430H): Course Coodinator -Dr. Marvin Gold. Awards
Ad Hoc Committees
Service Excellence Communications Task Group Lead: John Pires (Sept. 2010 – Jan
2010) Purpose: The Fire Starter Campaign -Implementing a culture of service excellence
at SickKids over the next three to six months.
Connecting Artists at OCAD with Scientists at Sickkids Members: Tropak, Di Carlo-
Ancic (Communications at Sickkids), Spicanovic (Dean of Art, OCAD). (April 2013 – Aug
2013) Purpose: Communicating Science through different Art Media: Exploring an Art
installation at the Research and Learning Centre in collaboration with OCAD.
Publication Summary (1983-2016)
Publication Record Summary (2016): h_index: 27, Total 64 publications: Undergrad (1983-84)2,
Tech (1986-88)4, PhD (88-96):12 PDF (97-2000); 3, RA (2001-2016) 43
Peer Reviewed Publications (Selection from last 5 years)
1. Tropak, M. B.; Zhang, J.; Yonekawa, S.; Rigat, B. A.; Aulakh, V. S.; Smith, M. R.; Hwang, H. J.; Ciufolini, M.
A.; Mahuran, D. J. Pyrimethamine Derivatives: Insight into Binding Mechanism and Improved Enhancement of
Mutant beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase Activity. J Med Chem 2015, 58, 4483-93.
2. Tropak, M. B.; Yonekawa, S.; Karumuthil-Melethil, S.; Thompson, P.; Wakarchuk, W.; Gray, S. J.; Walia, J. S.;
Mark, B. L.; Mahuran, D. Construction of a hybrid beta-hexosaminidase subunit capable of forming stable
homodimers that hydrolyze GM2 ganglioside in vivo. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2016, 3, 15057.
3. Rigat, B. A.; Tropak, M. B.; Buttner, J.; Crushell, E.; Benedict, D.; Callahan, J. W.; Martin, D. R.; Mahuran, D.
J. Evaluation of N-nonyl-deoxygalactonojirimycin as a pharmacological chaperone for human GM1
gangliosidosis leads to identification of a feline model suitable for testing enzyme enhancement therapy. Mol

4. Genet Metab 2012, 107, 203-12.
4. Goddard-Borger, E. D.; Tropak, M. B.; Yonekawa, S.; Tysoe, C.; Mahuran, D. J.; Withers, S. G. Rapid
assembly of a library of lipophilic iminosugars via the thiol-ene reaction yields promising pharmacological
chaperones for the treatment of Gaucher disease. J Med Chem 2012, 55, 2737-45.
5. Rempel, B. P.; Tropak, M. B.; Mahuran, D. J.; Withers, S. G. Tailoring the specificity and reactivity of a
mechanism-based inactivator of glucocerebrosidase for potential therapeutic applications. Angew Chem Int Ed
Engl 2011, 50, 10381-3.
Peer Reviewed Publications (Selection from beyond 5 years)
1. Bateman, K. S.; Cherney, M. M.; Mahuran, D. J.; Tropak, M.; James, M. N. Crystal structure of beta-
hexosaminidase B in complex with pyrimethamine, a potential pharmacological chaperone. J Med Chem 2011,
54, 1421-9.
2. Clarke, J. T.; Mahuran, D. J.; Sathe, S.; Kolodny, E. H.; Rigat, B. A.; Raiman, J. A.; Tropak, M. B. An open-
label Phase I/II clinical trial of pyrimethamine for the treatment of patients affected with chronic GM2
gangliosidosis (Tay-Sachs or Sandhoff variants). Mol Genet Metab 2011, 102, 6-12.
3. Maegawa, G. H.; Tropak, M. B.; Buttner, J. D.; Rigat, B. A.; Fuller, M.; Pandit, D.; Tang, L.; Kornhaber, G. J.;
Hamuro, Y.; Clarke, J. T.; Mahuran, D. J. Identification and characterization of ambroxol as an enzyme
enhancement agent for Gaucher disease. J Biol Chem 2009, 284, 23502-16.
4. Shimizu, M.; Tropak, M.; Diaz, R. J.; Suto, F.; Surendra, H.; Kuzmin, E.; Li, J.; Gross, G.; Wilson, G. J.;
Callahan, J.; Redington, A. N. Transient limb ischaemia remotely preconditions through a humoral mechanism
acting directly on the myocardium: evidence suggesting cross-species protection. Clin Sci (Lond) 2009, 117,
191-200.
5. Tropak, M. B.; Kornhaber, G. J.; Rigat, B. A.; Maegawa, G. H.; Buttner, J. D.; Blanchard, J. E.; Murphy, C.;
Tuske, S. J.; Coales, S. J.; Hamuro, Y.; Brown, E. D.; Mahuran, D. J. Identification of pharmacological
chaperones for Gaucher disease and characterization of their effects on beta-glucocerebrosidase by
hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. Chembiochem 2008, 9, 2650-62.
6. Maegawa, G. H.; Tropak, M.; Buttner, J.; Stockley, T.; Kok, F.; Clarke, J. T.; Mahuran, D. J. Pyrimethamine as
a potential pharmacological chaperone for late-onset forms of GM2 gangliosidosis. J Biol Chem 2007, 282,
9150-61.
7. Tropak, M. B.; Blanchard, J. E.; Withers, S. G.; Brown, E. D.; Mahuran, D. High-throughput screening for
human lysosomal beta-N-Acetyl hexosaminidase inhibitors acting as pharmacological chaperones. Chem Biol
2007, 14, 153-64.
8. Tropak, M. B.; Reid, S. P.; Guiral, M.; Withers, S. G.; Mahuran, D. Pharmacological enhancement of beta-
hexosaminidase activity in fibroblasts from adult Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff Patients. J Biol Chem 2004, 279,
13478-87.