Core Services
GlycoNet has centralized research facilities to provide access to technical expertise. These core services allow researchers to access essential scientific infrastructure at a reasonable cost that would otherwise be cost prohibitive. Our core services include:
Carbohydrate Synthesis
The chemical synthesis of glycans is a highly specialized research area, requiring individuals with exceptional expertise. The Network has one of the highest concentrations of glycan synthesis scientists worldwide. In addition to expertise, we serve as one of only three beta test sites for novel automated instrumentation for synthesizing glycans. We also have the infrastructure and expertise to analyze and characterize the structure-function relationships of carbohydrates and provide consulting and troubleshooting. Synthesis scale-up could be provided by our partners. Examples of carbohydrate synthesis include: Oligosaccharides, building blocks, sugar nucleotides, cyclodextrins, rhamnolipids, sphingolipids, glycopeptides, Kdo glycosides, solid-phase oligosaccharide synthesis, chemoenzymatic synthesis, solid-phase synthesis using your building blocks, glycoconjugation methods, glycoconjugate synthesis, and more. Please inquire for a quote.Glycan Structure Analysis
We offer a unique set of services and expertise for solving your problems in glycomics research. We are experienced in the analysis of complex glycans and glycoproteins and can provide routine analysis or help to interpret complex data.
NMR
- Routine characterization of oligosaccharide samples for QC and analysis
- Complex structure determination, including high-resolution conformational analysis and protein-carbohydrate complexes
- 1D/2D NMR (300, 400, 500, 600, 700 MHz), STD-NMR
- Compositional analysis (stoichiometry) of polysaccharides
Mass spectrometry
- Oligosaccharide/Glycan sequencing
- Determination of unusual or modified glycan structures
- Nano-ES, MALDI TOF/TOF, FT-ICR
Molecular modeling
- Molecular dynamics of glycoproteins and protein-carbohydrate complexes
- AMBER (GLYCAM)
- Gaussian
Biomolecular interactions
- Surface Plasma Resonance (BIAcore)
- Microcalorimetry
Glycan analysis is often complex and can require advanced training. We will work with you to interpret data from even your most complex samples.
Library Screening
Glycan Screening Facility
The Glycan Screening Facility uses advanced electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) instrumentation and methods to screen carbohydrate libraries and other classes of compounds against target proteins. This can be used to identify novel inhibitors and natural receptors for developing new and effective treatments for a variety of diseases including bacterial and viral infections.
Our carbohydrate collection includes over 250 compounds (including ABH and Lewis histogroup antigens, human milk oligosaccharides, gangliosides, and plant and bacterial oligosaccharides). The Glycan Screening Facility is dedicated to developing novel ESI-MS methods which allow identification, characterization, and quantification of protein-carbohydrate interactions in vitro. Researchers may access the Glycan Screening Facility through research collaborations or on a fee-for-service basis.
48Hour Discovery Inc.
48Hour Discovery Inc. launched as a self-sustaining company in February 2017 with the support of GlycoNet, in partnership with the Alberta Glycomics Centre. This accelerated service is designed to help academia and industry in molecular discovery in the areas of therapeutics, diagnostics, and probe development.
At 48Hour Discovery, a client mails the protein solution for analysis and in as few as forty-eight hours later, scientists provide a list of molecules that bind to the protein. The screening services provide risk management, expert analysis and partnerships with the Network’s academic and industrial collaborators.
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