Journal of Glycobiology
Open Access

New tools to study and perturb the glycocalyx

Glycobiology World Congress

August 10-12, 2015 Philadelphia, USA

Thomas J Boltje

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Glycobiol

Abstract :

Our research is focused on identifying the specific structure and function of sugar molecules present on the surface of
cells. To achieve this we develop tools to block the biosynthesis of these molecules and metabolic precursors to follow
and perturb the function of sugars. In addition we assemble oligosaccharides by chemical synthesis to construct a screening
platform that can also be used to do SAR studies. The preparation of oligosaccharides is challenging and hence we develop new
chemical methodologies to make the process of glycosylation faster and more stereo selective. The most important application
of these technologies is to enable the design and synthesis of glycol medicine that target aberrant glycosylation patterns on
cancer cells and pathogenic bacteria either by small molecule glycolmimetics or oligosaccharide glycovaccines.

Biography :

Thomas J Boltje obtained his PhD degree in 2011 from the University of Georgia under the supervision of G J Boons. After a short Postdoctoral period at the Radboud
University Nijmegen (The Netherlands), he started his Current Position as a tenure track Assistant Professor of Chemical Biology in 2013 at the same university.