New technology will advance our understanding of the role of complex sugar chains decorating the surface of cells in the body

If you're reading this blog you're aware of the amazing new science called Glycomics that has emerged within the past decade. We are in an age of advanced technology or should I say technological revolution? There are also advanced technologies emerging which enhance and make our lives easier. Below are bits and pieces I copied and pasted on a new technology for understanding sugars on cell surfaces. It's been stated that Glycomics technology is the next Frontier of medicine! ;)

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An international consortium of scientists led by Dr. James Paulson of The Scripps Research Institute has created a technology that will advance our understanding of the role of complex sugar chains (glycans or carbohydrates) that decorate the surface of cells in the body.

The technology, known as a functional glycan microarray, is a glass slide onto which are printed hundreds of different glycan chains.

Many proteins involved in communication between cells recognize glycan structures on cell surfaces. The functional glycan microarray will speed research in glycomics, because it will allow scientists to determine to which carbohydrate structures these proteins bind.

Carbohydrate structures are very much a part of the language of life. They are like the accents on spoken words—they change the meaning without changing the spelling. Some even call carbohydrates the third alphabet, behind DNA and proteins.

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