The Carbohydrate Group is one of the Royal Society of Chemistry's many Interest Groups. The Interest Groups are member driven groups which exist to benefit RSC members, and the wider chemical science community, in line with the RSC's strategy and charter.
Scope
Glycotechnology is leading to new products and understanding in biomedicine, firstly via mammalian glycoconjugates and secondly via non-mammalian glycoconjugates and polysaccharides which are potential pharmaceuticals and targets for drug design.
For example, plants and seaweed have oligosaccharides with many pharmacological effects, microbial antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs contain monosaccharide components, and cell walls of micro-organisms are targets for immunotherapy.
Polysaccharides from the agricultural industry are multi-million pound commercial products in many industrial and domestic areas and are set to gain further prominence as green fuel sources and neutraceuticals (health from diet).
Why is Carbohydrate Chemistry Important?
Studies of interactions between carbohydrates and proteins are vital in understanding the potential controls of many biological processes. Nature has invested much time in devising enzymes and receptors which are highly specific in their interactions with carbohydrates.
Orders of magnitude of structural information and diversity can more readily be carried in carbohydrates in comparison with peptides of the same molecular size.
How to Join
RSC members can join the Carbohydrate Group by updating their details in the “My communities and subscriptions” tab of the online RSC membership area. Please click here to login and add to your list of Interest Groups.
Quick links
Awards
Information about current awards offered by the Carbohydrate Group
Forthcoming events
Forthcoming events organised by the Carbohydrate Group.
Contact the Secretary
For further information on the Carbohydrate Group you can contact the Secretary, Dr Aisling Ni Cheallaigh CSci CChem MRSC.
Support for interest groups
Useful information and resources for all RSC interest groups.
Downloadable files
Committee
Chair
Dr Clare Mahon MRSC
Treasurer
Dr Silvia Vignolini MRSC