Glycoscience is the study of carbohydrates (sugars) and their roles in biology. Today, we are focusing on lectins. Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are highly specific for sugar groups that are part of other molecules, so cause agglutination of particular cells or precipitation of glycoconjugates and polysaccharides. Lectins have a role in recognition at the cellular and molecular level and play numerous roles in biological recognition phenomena involving cells, carbohydrates, and proteins. Lectins also mediate attachment and binding of bacteria, viruses, and fungi to their intended targets. Our guest today is Anne Imberty, senior researcher at CNRS Grenoble, whose present research projects are centered on lectins from opportunistic bacteria that are involved in the first steps of infection. Structural characterization of these lectins and of their interaction with human glycoconjugates is opening the route for the design of glycocompounds with anti-bacterial activities.

Anne Imberty has decades of experience in Glycobiology,  she worked at different institutions of CNRS (Grenoble, Nantes, Paris) also at University of Toronto. She is the author of over 300 papers, leads diverse fields of research teams in glycoscience, actively participates in education and spreading knowledge.