Glicobiologia e Doença

At the end of the course unit the learner is expected to be able to:

• Associate the structure and biological function of glycans and the proteins that recognize them (lectins, adhesins);
• Interpret the structure of glycans according to their class and biosynthetic pathway:
• Determine the different ways in which glycosylation shapes the activity of immune receptors and impacts the immune response;
• Classify the proteins that recognize glycans according to their specificity and biological function;
• Name pathologies whose mechanisms involve glycans;
• Refer advanced methodologies in glycobiology for the study of glycans;
• Explain the basic principles of methodologies/technologies used to analyze the structure of glycans;
• Interpret results of simple diagnostic tests used in clinical practice for congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) and cancer;
• Explore the relationship between glycan structures and the pathophysiological mechanisms behind certain pathological conditions (e.g. cancer and CDG);
• List drugs based on glycans or glycoconjugates or on proteins that recognise and model them;
• Formulate questions related to the diversity, function and recognition of glycans and their relevance in pathologies such as CDG, infection and cancer
• Interpret scientific publications and to be able to provide a highlight in the field of GlycoSciences;