GLYCOSCIENCE TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

GLYCOSCIENCE IN MEDICINE
Scientists have learned that the presence of carbohydrate structures in clinical situations can serve as barometer for a system's state of health. For instance, finding a carbohydrate structure in need of repair may signal the presence of deeper problems. Just as likely, detecting certain carbohydrates may indicate some kind of "cure" process has been triggered.

Glycoscience is the study and classification of these phenomena, with the goal of developing medical applications to detect, prevent or treat disorders in living systems. Examples of research in this area include:

• Identifying carbohydrate structures that serve as recognition elements on cell surfaces, such as tumors.
• Recognizing when carbohydrates link improperly, at the wrong time or in the wrong location, as signs of disease.
• Distinguishing changes in how molecules linked to carbohydrates would normally act, as a signal for diseases such as cancer.

A significant number of drugs in use today rely on carbohydrates as part of their therapeutic action.