Research

Our research program is focused on elucidating the role of complex oligosaccharides involved in a host of biological processes of medical relevance by employing molecular tools created by synthetic chemistry. We are particularly interested in understanding the recognition events responsible for the interactions of oligosaccharides with proteins that control cell growth, cell differentiation, cell-cell interactions, bacterial attachment to target cells and signaling events involving the extracellular matrix.

To address these questions we are developing and applying techniques traditionally associated with the areas of organic synthesis, solid-phase chemistry, combinatorial chemistry, engineering and automation, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, enzymology, molecular biology, neurobiology, immunology and drug design.

The core interests our research program currently address the following areas:

1. Development of an automated oligosaccharide synthesizer (Details, pdf 52KB)

• Rapid access to monosaccharide by de-novo synthesis
• New protecting groups
• New Glycosylating Agents
• New linkers for solid phase carbohydrate synthesis
• Automation of carbohydrate synthesis

2. Total Syntheses of Biologically Important Oligosaccharide

• Tumor-associated antigens
• HIV-related oligosaccharide
• Bacterial cell-surface antigens
• N-linked glycoproteins

3. Chemical Synthesis and Biochemistry of Proteoglycans

• Modular synthesis of heparin
• Synthesis of hyaluronic acid
• Creation of heparin microarray
• Cloning, overexpression and characterization of heparin 3-O-sulfotransterase

4. Total Synthese and Biological Activities of Glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs)

• Total syntheses of GPIs
• Development of a synthetic GPI malarial vaccine
• Elucidation of the biosynthesis of GPI
• Immunological response to synthetic GPIs

5. Development of Cabohydrate-based Vaccines

• A fully synthetic malaria vaccine
• Leishmania vaccine
• Synthetic HIV vaccine
• Synthetic TB vaccine

6. Microreator for Organic Synthesis

• Silicon-base microreactor
• Ehrfeld Microreactor
• Total Synthesis in Microreactor

7. Carbohydrate Microarrays

• To define carbohydrate-protein interaction
• To study aminoglycoside antibiotics
• To study carbohydrate-cell interactions
• To screen blood for disease patterns (such as malaria)