Glycans News and Research

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Fleeting interactions between membrane sugar chains control cell division

Acting as an armor, a scaffold, and a communication platform in one, our cells' plasma membrane lies at the heart of many crucial cellular processes.

27 Aug 2026

Discovery could pave the way for future vaccines against genital herpes

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have identified a key protein that allows the virus that causes genital herpes to get into the nervous system.

9 Jul 2026

New HIV vaccine successfully generates broadly neutralizing antibodies in primates

A new HIV vaccine developed by La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), Scripps Research scientists, and IAVI has the potential to protect humans from developing HIV infection and AIDS.

6 Jul 2026

Scientists find mechanism behind bird flu infections in dairy cattle

When H5N1 bird flu first began infecting U.S. cattle in early 2024, diagnosis was elusive, because in cows, the disease looked completely different.

19 Jun 2026

Researchers map rare DHDDS disease mechanism using lab-grown mini brains

Variants in the DHDDS gene cause a severe neurodegenerative condition, characterized by tremors, seizures, coordination and learning difficulties, usually manifesting in early childhood. This Parkinson's-like condition is extremely rare, and until recently, parents were told that there was nothing that could be done to slow down its progression.

15 Jun 2026

Glucosamine may worsen Alzheimer’s by fueling abnormal brain glycosylation

A Nature Metabolism study identifies brain hyperglycosylation as a metabolic driver of Alzheimer’s disease, with increased N-glycan biosynthesis seen in human AD tissue and mouse models. Reducing glycosylation improved memory in AD mice, while glucosamine worsened memory deficits in 5xFAD mice and was associated with poorer outcomes in dementia patients.

14 Jun 2026

Flu drugs may reduce cognitive decline in people with HIV

A class of flu drugs may reduce cognitive decline and premature aging in people living with chronic viral infection, reports a new study led by Northwestern University that began with blood samples from people with HIV and extended into preclinical drug trials.

5 Jun 2026

Structural insights reveal unique bacterial β-1,2-glucan transport system

Even though sugars are often framed as simple sources of energy, they also serve as structurally complex and functionally diverse molecules that mediate interactions between organisms.

29 May 2026

New non invasive way to diagnose childhood epilepsy through blood sugar patterns

A study published in Engineering has demonstrated that the N-glycome of serum-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) can serve as a non-invasive biosignature for the diagnosis and classification of childhood epilepsy, offering a new tool for precision and longitudinal monitoring in clinical settings.

14 May 2026

Scientists use whole exome sequencing to discover a new rare genetic disease

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute and an international team of collaborators used a genetic sequencing technique called whole exome sequencing to discover a new rare genetic disease.

13 Apr 2026

Brain-specific enzyme drives branching and extension of O-mannose glycans

Gifu University scientists have uncovered how a brain-specific enzyme reshapes protein-linked sugar chains to facilitate the formation of complex glycans essential for normal brain function.

27 Jan 2026

New antibody mechanisms disrupt bacterial adhesion in urinary tract infections

Pathogens can create sticky situations. When microbes invade the body to cause an infection, often one of their first lines of attack is to cling tenaciously to the surfaces of targeted human cells.

7 Jan 2026

New nanoparticle vaccines show promise against multiple deadly filoviruses

Filoviruses get their name from the Latin word "filum," meaning thread-a reference to their long, filamentous shape. This virus family contains some of the most dangerous pathogens known to science, including Ebola, Sudan, Bundibugyo and Marburg viruses.

18 Dec 2025

Scientists engineer AbLecs to overcome cancer's immune evasion tactics

Researchers at MIT and Stanford University have developed a new way to stimulate the immune system to attack tumor cells, using a strategy that could make cancer immunotherapy work for many more patients.

16 Dec 2025

Cryo-EM reveals how proteins are protected during synthesis

Proteins are often called the building blocks of cells, but even those building blocks need to be built. One of the most important steps in the process of building proteins is glycosylation, when sugar molecules (glycans) are attached to the maturing protein.

19 Nov 2025