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! ;)

---------------------------
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.

Read more...

Nutritional Supplements act as sources of radiation protectors

The word 'Nutraceuticals' is becoming the buzz word in quality effective nutritional supplements. Below is a gist of the tip of the iceberg of functional foods (nutraceuticals) yet to come.

Nutritional supplements, including trace elements and several plant materials like soya and amla, have been found to act as excellent sources of radiation protectors, radiation biologists say.

Nutraceuticals as exemplified by flavonoids and isoflavones and nutritional factors such as vitamin E have been demonstrated to have radioprotective properties, Dr V Srinivasan of Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Bethedsa, US, said at the International Conference on `Recent Trends in Radiation Biology' at BARC here.

"Low toxicity of nutraceuticals and nutritional factors is an advantage over well-known radioprotectors such as amifostine," he said, adding the Institute is working on new molecules like 5-AED and Vitamin E and gemistein are proving to be "very good" radioprotectors .