Professor Ari Zimran was the founder and director of the Gaucher Unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem from 1990 to 2018, and is currently a senior physician in the Unit. This is the world’s largest referral centre for Gaucher Disease (GD), having monitored more than 850 patients to date, and currently treating about 350 patients with enzyme replacement therapy.

Professor Zimran developed his interest in GD during his fellowship at the Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine in La Jolla, California under the mentorship of Professor Ernest Beutler.

Professor Zimran has published more than 310 professional papers and reviews and has edited three books, and has been a leader in clinical trials for new treatments for GD, including Cerezyme™, Zavesca™, VPRIV™, Elelyso™, Cerdelga™ and Ambroxol. His most recent research focuses include the relationship between Gaucher disease and Parkinson, the development of oral enzyme replacement therapy, and gene therapy.