Newcastle University

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Analysis of carbohydrates today is a very advanced field relying heavily on separation technology, comparison with reference standards, and skilled application of sophisticated instrumental techniques such as nuclear magnetic response (NMR) and mass-spectrometry. Professor Hindsgaul’s group explore the development of new SIMPLE chemistry-based methods that will yield information on the identity and quantity of a carbohydrate solute (monosaccharide, complex oligosaccharide or glycoconjugate), with minimal (if any) use of sophisticated instruments.

Three current projects will be highlighted :

1. Labelling of oligosaccharides using solid “GlycoDisks“: A “dummy-proof” procedure.
2. Obtaining structural information on protein glycosylation using only the naked human eye.
3.  A new concept for carbohydrate-sensors : Demonstration for the detection of the bacterial monosaccharide keto-deoxy octulosonic acid (Kdo)

Ole Hindsgaul was a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Alberta, Canada, from 1981 to 2003 when he moved to the Carlsberg Laboratory in Copenhagen. His research interests are in areas of carbohydrate chemistry and biochemistry. Analysis of carbohydrates today is a very advanced field relying heavily on separation technology, comparison with reference standards, and skilled application of sophisticated instrumental techniques. Prof Hindsgaul’s group is exploring instead the development of new simple chemistry-based methods that will yield information on the identity and quantity of a carbohydrate solute with minimal use of sophisticated instruments.