Customizing sugar structures on proteins for better disease understanding

Microscale Enzymatic Remodeling of Molecular Glycosylation

NIH-funded research West Virginia University · NIH-10791084

This study is exploring how certain sugars attached to proteins can affect diseases, and it's creating a new way to easily change these sugars so that researchers can better understand their impact on health and find new treatments.

Quick facts

Grant typeR21 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionWest Virginia University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Morgantown, United States)
Project IDNIH-10791084 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on the role of specific sugar structures, known as glycans, that are attached to proteins and how they influence disease processes. By developing a new automated method to modify these glycans, researchers aim to create customized glycan standards that can be used in various biomedical applications. The approach involves using a specialized technique called capillary electrophoresis to quickly and efficiently alter glycan structures, making it easier to study their effects on health. This could lead to better insights into diseases and potentially new therapeutic strategies.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with conditions influenced by glycosylation, such as certain cancers or autoimmune diseases.

Not a fit: Patients who do not have conditions related to glycosylation or who are not involved in the research process may not benefit from this work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of diseases and lead to improved treatments by providing tailored glycan structures for therapeutic use.

How similar studies have performed: While the specific approach of automated glycan remodeling is innovative, similar research has shown promise in understanding glycosylation's role in health and disease.

Where this research is happening

Morgantown, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Autoimmune DiseasesCancers
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.