Publication of White Paper (12/02/2015)
Summary
Glycoscience is a term used to describe all the areas which relate to complex carbohydrates, their synthesis and biosynthesis, analysis, function and applications.
Glycoscience is a rapidly expanding and exciting field that is relevant to many areas of chemistry, biology and medicine. A significant number of European laboratories are being considered to be at the forefront of current glycoscience research, and the current programme aims to strengthen that position. Whilst important discoveries have been made in the individual disciplines of glycoscience, it is generally recognised that future successes will rely on large interdisciplinary consortia which have sufficient tools and resources to address the complex questions that lie ahead.
From our current studies it is apparent that a true understanding of the role of glycosylation in complex biological systems will rely on close collaboration between physical scientists skilled in glycoscience technologies and scientist working in cell biology and medicine. The nuclei of such consortia have already formed in Europe and the current proposal is to foster such efforts and provide an umbrella organisation, the ‘EuroGlycosciences Forum’ that will establish a cohesive research landscape for glycoscientists on which to build future successes.
The Euroglycosciences Forum will aim to provide convenient and active links between the leading research groups in the field through a series of meetings and workshops. It will also promote the establishment of key resources for glycoscientists, such as bioinformatics tools, microarray technologies, chemical synthesis of glycans, novel methods in structural analysis of carbohydrates, enzymology of proteins involved in glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, and molecular and cell biology of carbohydrate-binding proteins. Availability of these resources will ultimately lead to wider applications such as carbohydrate based therapeutics, diagnostics and materials both in academia and industry.
Duration
Five years, from the first Steering Committee meeting (20 April 2009).
For more information please contact, the chair of the programme: sabine.flitsch[at]manchester.ac.uk
Brochure
