NWNR300901 Organic chemistry and immunobiology of carbohydrates

Type
Lecture
Semester hours
2
Lecturer (assistant)
Zamyatina, Alla
Organisation
Organic Chemistry
Offered in
Wintersemester 2026/27
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

Discover how nature’s most abundant molecules drive life’s most complex systems in “Chemistry and Immunobiology of Carbohydrates.”
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Carbohydrates (saccharides) are among the most abundant molecules in nature and play central roles well beyond energy storage. Oligo- and polysaccharides (glycans) play fundamental roles in the development and function of all living organisms. They are most commonly covalently attached to proteins or lipids, forming glycoproteins/proteoglycans and glycolipids. These glycoconjugates form a dense, information-rich layer on the cell surface (the glycocalyx) that shapes how cells communicate with their environment. Because many microbes carry carbohydrate-binding proteins that recognize specific sugar patterns, surface glycans often act as the first “docking sites” for pathogens.
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This lecture course explores the chemical foundations of carbohydrates and their central roles in shaping key biological and immunological events such as signaling, cell-cell recognition, host-pathogen interactions, inflammation, and cancer.
Step into the fascinating world of carbohydrate chemistry and discover how oligo- and polysaccharides shape life at the molecular level, from building cell surfaces to orchestrating communication between cells. We will explore how glycans are assembled and remodeled by enzymes called glycosyltransferases and glycosidases, and how these complex molecules can also be constructed chemically.
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We will learn how microbial polysaccharides displayed on bacterial surfaces can activate the host immune system. By stimulating innate responses, glycans can function as immunomodulators, enhance antigen-specific adaptive immunity, and demonstrate adjuvant effects.
Previous knowledge expected

The lecture is aimed at students who are currently enrolled in master's programmes in:
•418 Biotechnology (UG2002)
•417 Lebensmittelwissenschaften und -technologie (UG2002)
•416 Natural Resources Management and Ecological Engineering
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• describe the structural and chemical principles of carbohydrates and distinguish between structures of most common biologically important mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides;
• explain how glycans are biosynthesized and modified in cells,
• relate carbohydrate structural diversity to biological function;
• explain how glycans are recognized by receptors, enzymes, antibodies, and other carbohydrate-binding proteins;
• analyze sugar–protein interactions at the molecular level, including the structural features of carbohydrate-binding sites;
• describe the roles of glycans in cell communication, immune recognition, host–pathogen interactions, and disease;
• explain how disease-associated changes in glycosylation can be used for biomarker discovery, diagnostics, and therapeutic development;
• evaluate how glycan–protein interactions and carbohydrate structures can be exploited in biotechnology and the development of novel therapeutics.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.