Nancy Da Silva

Research:
Dr. DaSilva is interested in molecular biotechnology. Within this field, she focuses on cloned gene expression, gene amplification and integration, metabolic engineering, and protein secretion. Her research involves host/vector design, optimization of fermentation strategies, and mathematical modeling. She also works in the area of the microbial degradation of toxic substances.

Dr. DaSilva and her graduate students are currently working on the regulated integration of multiple cloned genes in yeast, concentrating on the amplification and stabilization of foreign genes in yeast through either homologous recombination or retrotransposition into the yeast genome; the enhancement of recombinant Kluyveromyces lactis expression systems, focusing on cloned gene stabilization, inducible expression systems. She also is studying metabolic engineering applications; expression and secretion of recombinant lignin peroxidase, centering on enhancing the production and secretion of LiP by employing alternate hosts; and the development of reusable selection cassettes for mammalian cell systems, a project that focuses on the development of effective, reusable selection cassettes for gene integration or disruption in cells.