Inducing enzymes to make new glycans for Supramolecular Chemistry
Navn på bevillingshaver
Sophie Beeren
Titel
Professor
Institution
Technical University of Denmark
Beløb
DKK 12,996,519
År
2025
Bevillingstype
Semper Ardens: Accomplish
Hvad?
The ability of molecules to selectively bind and recognise one another is arguably the basis for all biological function. Supramolecular chemists study these recognition processes so we can design better drugs, diagnostic tools and smart responsive biomaterials. This project will develop new enzymatic approaches to synthesise molecular containers made from sugar.
Hvorfor?
While scientists have unravelled how sequences of amino acids and nucleic acids translate into predictable 3-D structures, the folding and assembly of glycans (sugar oligomers) remains poorly understood. Glycans are notoriously difficult to synthesise and analyse, which has limited their use in supramolecular chemistry and materials science, despite being the most abundant biopolymers on Earth.
Hvordan?
We will devise new strategies that combine supramolecular chemistry with enzymology to synthesise glycans and gain fundamental understanding of how glycan sequence and structure give rise to molecular recognition capabilities. We will target families of unusual cyclic glycans (cyclofructans and cyclodextrans) and mechanically interlocked molecules with complex topology.