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Biotechnology / Areas of research / Glycobiotechnology

Glycobiotechnology

Energy content, sweets, overweight and cavities - these are what many people think of when you mention the word sugar. However this is by no means the extent of its functions, as sugar compounds are very diverse and interesting from a biological - medical point of view.

: Schematic presentation of the hormone erythropoetin responsible for hematopoiesis. Fine branching sugar structures are an important requirement for its functioning.

Not least due to the great complexity of sugar structures, up until a few years ago very few chemists and biochemists dealt with its significance for biological regulation. Only important technical innovations - for example the structural analysis of sugar complexes or the possibility of developing complex sugar structures in a laboratory - made the leaps of knowledge of the last few years possible.

Glycobiology is dedicated to investigating the functions of sugar molecules in life processes, because they are much more than "just" a supplier of energy. Complex sugar structures appear as modifications on the surface of proteins (glycoproteins) or in cell membranes (glycolipids) and play an important role in cell communication, immune response and tissue organisation among other things due to the considerable structural variability. By now it has been possible to describe specific samples of sugar structures on the surface of affected cells for a whole range of illnesses, such as cancer, infections or inflammations. Such ”revealing“ sugar structures open up new methods in diagnostics or can be used as a starting point for new therapies.

Knowledge of glycobiology is used in medicine, by biotechnologically manufacturing protein based medications (insulin or erythropoietin). Due to optimised production strains the protein molecules are provided with a suitable sugar structure at the same time and therefore are significantly more effective. Furthermore glycobiology supplies the impulse for innovative biomaterials, which can be used in implants or prostheses. A targeted surface design with sugar structures contributes to increasing the compatibility of the substances used.

In light of this type of progress the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) wants to support the new promotional focus of ”glycobiotechnology“ with a total of €20 million. At the same time an internationally outstanding excellence development with top executives from inland and abroad is planned to be established.

When science focuses on sugar

You can find further information about glycobiotechnology, central questions of research and promotional activities in this sector on the portal biotechnologie.de. More …

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Like to know more about the sweet times ahead in glycobiotechnology, regenerative medicine or the biotechnology regions of Germany?

There are brochures and flyers that you can download on these subjects and many more besides. More...