Our Research
How do carbohydrates modulate cellular function?
In order to address this question,
chemistry as the vector into biology is emphasized.
Why Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are one the essential building blocks of all life. Understanding how they interact and their significance in biological pathways leads to enhance therapeutics, drug discovery, vaccine development, and more!
In addition, studying the glycosidic bond formation is crucial in the central reaction of glycochemistry and glycosciences as carbohydrates play significant roles in biological events and the progress of various diseases.
Research Focus
Synthesis of Naturally Occurring Carbohydrates / Polysaccharides
Preparation of well-defined zwitterionic polysaccharides (ZPS), in which the oligosaccharide is amenable to chemical modifications for the development of bioprobes.
Carbohydrate-Based, Diversity Oriented Synthesis
Examination of a diversity oriented synthesis (DOS) approach toward the construction of a class of compounds containing carbohydrate scaffolds as potential therapeutic agents.
Carbohydrate-Based Vaccines
Our objective is to prepare well-known carbohydrate antigens, such as the well-defined polysaccharide (Man9GlcNAc2-HIV gp120), in which the oligosaccharides are linked to a T-cell inducing ZPS for the development of carbohydrate-based vaccines.
Combinatorial Carbohydrate Libraries and Carbohydrate-Based Micro Arrays
To determine whether an alternating charge character is necessary to elicit a T-cell response using solid support, split-pool concept of combinatorial chemistry and develop a carbohydrate-based library with electrostatic charge character. It is of great interest to determine, systematically, how the electrostatic charges of ZPSs interact with various modulators of APCs.
Small Molecule Synthesis
The proposed small molecule synthesis ties in extremely well with a platform for the development of modulators (Chemical Genetics) of the immune pathway to determine mechanistic insights of carbohydrate processing in the antigen presenting cell or dendrite cell.
Impact
Ground-breaking Therapeutic Solutions
Our study of carbohydate and glycoconjucate structures and function enables the development of numerous therapeutic approaches that target the disease-associated enzymes and events in which they are involved.
Vaccine Development
The therapeutic potential of carbohydrates is vast. Glycoconjugates are essential for recognition and adhesion in living cells. Our goal is sythesize more effective and targeted carbohydrate vaccine antigens.
Enhanced Cancer Therapeutics
Discoveries that have lead to more effective carbohydrate-based cancer treatments, including vaccine design and the development of glycoconjugate prodrugs, glycosidase inhibiting iminosugars, and early cancer diagnosis.
