Glycobiology is the study of sugar chains called saccharides, and how they function in living systems.

At Cornell University, Matthew Paszek, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, researches the role these sugars play in diseases like cancer.

Every living cell in the body is coated in a sugary film called the glycocalyx, a carbohydrate-enriched polymer layer made up of saccharide molecules and surface proteins.

In healthy cells, this complex biomaterial acts as a protective barrier.

However, Paszek has found that in cancer cells the glycocalyx can expand dramatically, affecting cell signaling and leading to more aggressive cancers.

To study the glycocalyx, Paszek has partnered with Warren Zipfel, Biomedical Engineering, to develop cutting-edge microscopy techniques, enabling them to examine the glycocalyx at resolutions never seen before.

(Image developed in collaboration with Matthew DeLisa, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Christopher Alabi, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)

Not only is this research providing insight into cellular biology at a fundamental level, but it could also have future applications in safer, more precise cancer therapies.