Chemistry and Chemical Biology of Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates play critical roles in a number of
biological processes including, protein folding, cellular adhesion and
signaling. Despite their importance, very little is understood about the
molecular basis of their activity. This is largely due to the fact that the only
source of pure oligosaccharides is tedious multi-step synthesis, which can take
months or even years to compete. Our research is focused on developing
methodologies, based on asymmetric catalysis, to streamline complex
oligosaccharide synthesis. Ultimately such methods will aid in the rapid and
routine preparation of oligosaccharides for biophysical studies and drug
discovery
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