Synthesis and self-assembly of glycomimetics

在化学系大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目资助的该项目中，新奥尔良大学王桂君教授的研究小组设计和合成了新型糖缀合物，并研究了这些基于碳水化合物的分子实体形成自组装系统。 碳水化合物是地球上丰富的天然产物和可再生资源。 本研究的目的是进一步了解糖模拟物的分子结构与宏观性质之间的相关性，并利用可持续的资源来生产具有潜在应用前景的生物相容性材料，如光响应材料或适合作为碳水化合物结合蛋白配体的独特超分子结构。碳水化合物在生物系统中也起着重要的作用，如介导信号传导、细胞生长和粘附等。本研究利用可持续资源作为基础，形成对包括光和热在内的各种刺激做出响应的智能材料。 开发具有所需功能的糖模拟物的新合成方法将能够产生潜在用于生物医学和生物材料的新系统。 该项目影响更广的活动还包括让儿童接触有趣的科学氛围的外联活动，制药公司的实习机会，以及对本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员（包括代表性不足群体的成员）的多学科研究培训。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, the research group of Professor Guijun Wang of University of New Orleans designs and synthesizes novel classes of glycoconjugates and studies the formation of self-assembling systems from these carbohydrate-based molecular entities. Carbohydrates are abundant natural products and renewable resources on earth. This research aims to advance our understandings on the correlation between molecular structures and macroscopic properties of glycomimetics and to take advantage of the sustainable resource to yield biocompatible materials that have potential applications as light responsive materials or unique supramolecular architectures suitable as ligands for carbohydrate-binding proteins.Besides being food and energy sources, carbohydrates also play important roles in biological systems such as mediating signal transduction, cell growth and adhesion, etc. This research utilizes sustainable resource as the bases to form smart materials that are responsive to various stimuli including light and heat. The development of new synthetic methods for glycomimetics with desired functionality would enable the generation of novel systems that are potentially useful for biomedicines and biomaterials. The broader impact activities of this project also include outreach activities to expose children to a fun science atmosphere, internship opportunities at pharmaceutical companies, and the multidisciplinary research training of undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral researchers (including members of underrepresented groups).