Dr. Emil D. Kakkis is an advisor for BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. since March 2009; he has served in a number of capacities, including chief medical officer and senior vice president, since 1998. Dr. Kakkis developed Aldurazyme, a recombinant form of alpha-L-iduronidase, the enzyme deficient in MPS I patients.

From July 1994 to August 1998, Dr. Kakkis was an assistant professor of the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, division of genetics, department of pediatrics. Dr. Kakkis is the author of numerous published articles and abstracts on MPS I and alpha-L-iduronidase. He holds an MD and a PhD in biological chemistry from the Medical Scientist Training Program at the UCLA School of Medicine. Dr. Kakkis completed a fellowship in genetics at the UCLA Intercampus Medical Genetics training program and, prior to that, conducted his pediatric residency at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center; he is board-certified in pediatrics and medical genetics.