Structural and Functional Studies of Carbohydrate-Carbohydrate Interactions

美国国家科学基金会化学部的有机和大分子化学项目支持布朗大学的Amit Basu教授，他概述了一种研究碳水化合物-碳水化合物相互作用（CCI）的方法，这种相互作用发生在髓鞘细胞表面的糖脂之间，髓鞘是神经系统中发现的多层膜。在建议的资助期内，Basu教授的小组将：1)继续使用已建立的模型系统和实验室开发的模型系统研究CCI；2)对CCI进行定量分析；3)研究利用糖缀合物结合和干扰少突胶质细胞中糖信号结构域的功能。这将通过制备半乳糖及其类似物的丙基糖苷，并将这些糖连接到树状大分子、二氧化硅纳米颗粒和聚合物来实现。这些糖缀合物与固定化糖缀合物的相互作用将使用表面等离子体共振测量来检查。最后，糖缀合物与少突胶质细胞的相互作用及其对细胞表面结构和信号转导的影响将被研究。细胞粘附是一种基本的生物现象，涉及胚胎发育、传染病、癌症和生物恐怖主义等具有重大社会影响的各个科学领域。巴苏教授的研究将使人们对细胞粘附有更清晰的认识。参与这些项目的学生将接受跨学科研究的培训。这项研究影响了有机化学、高分子化学、材料、神经科学和膜生物学等广泛的领域。巴苏教授参与了领导力联盟（Leadership Alliance），这是一个由33家机构组成的联盟，提供暑期研究实习机会，将代表性不足的学生培养成学术界、商界和公共部门的杰出领袖和榜样。巴苏教授在机构层面倡导促进和发展课程改革和创新，曾在大学科学与教育委员会任职，该委员会负责评估和改善布朗大学的科学教育，并在本科教育工作组任职，该工作组负责审查校园内的整个文科课程。他目前是科学中心顾问委员会的成员，并于2008年秋季被任命为学院顾问研究员（FAF）。后者是一个为期三年的任命，旨在加强教师与学生的咨询关系。作为一名FAF，巴苏教授发起了一个项目，在非正式的住宅环境中讨论研究机会，并为学生们带来科学研讨会。他积极参与外展活动，并计划今年冬天访问当地的一所幼儿园和一所小学，开展科学实践活动。

The Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program in the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation supports Professor Amit Basu of Brown University who outlines an approach for studying carbohydrate-carbohydrate interactions (CCI) that occur between cell surface glycolipids found in the myelin sheath, a multi-layer of membranes found in the nervous system. During the proposed funding period, Professor Basu's group will, 1) Continue to study CCI using both established model systems as well as those developed in their labs; 2) Develop a quantitative analysis of CCI; and 3) Investigate the use of glycoconjugates to bind to and perturb the function of glycosignaling domains in oligodendrocytes. This will be accomplished by preparing propargyl glycosides of galactose and its analogs, and linking these sugars to dendrimers, silica nanoparticles, and polymers. The interaction of these glycoconjugates with immobilized glycoconjugates will be examined using surface plasmon resonance measurements. Finally, the interaction of the glycoconjugates with oligodendrocytes, and their effect on cell surface architecture and signal transduction will be investigated.Research by Professor Basu will develop a clearer picture of cell adhesion, which is a fundamental biological phenomenon involved in various scientific fields with significant societal impact such as embryonic development, infectious disease, cancer, and bioterrorism. Students involved with these projects will be trained to conduct interdisciplinary research. This research impacts a broad number of fields such as, organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, materials, neuroscience, and membrane biology. Professor Basu is involved with the Leadership Alliance, a consortium of 33 institutions that provide summer research internships to develop underrepresented students into outstanding leaders and role models in academia, business and the public sector. Professor Basu is an advocate at the institutional level for promoting and developing curricular reform and innovation, having served on a University Science and Education committee tasked with evaluating and improving science education at Brown and the Task Force on Undergraduate Education, which examined the entire liberal arts curriculum on campus. He is currently a member of the Science Center Advisory Board and was appointed as a Faculty Advising Fellow (FAF) in Fall 2008. The latter is a three year appointment to a position that seeks to strengthen the faculty-student advising relationship. As a FAF, Professor Basu has initiated a program to discuss research opportunities and bring scientific seminars to students in an informal residential setting. He is actively engaged in outreach, and is scheduled to visit both a local kindergarten and elementary school this winter to lead hands-on activities in science.