Structure and modification of polysaccharides

The research in the SMP group is focused on the structural characterization of oligo-and polysaccharides, their selective chemical modification and the build-up of new polysaccharide materials for different applications.

 


Taking advantage of the specific properties of water-soluble natural polymers, we seek to develop new gelling agents, thickeners, complexing agents, dispersing agents or stabilizers for various uses (hydrogels as support for tissue regeneration, biocompatible injectable matrices, self-repairing materials, micro-and nanosystems for controlled drug release...). These polysaccharides can have an amphiphilic character, show capabilities of association, can bear various (bio)active hydrophilic / hydrophobic molecules, respond to environmental stimuli and/or form assemblies with inorganic nanomaterials...

The design of these macromolecular systems requires the use of a whole range of chromatographic techniques for the purification and structural characterization of oligo-and polysaccharides, as well as techniques for the characterization of macromolecules in solution (Size-Exclusion Chromatography, Rheology , NMR, Drop tensiometer). The synthesis of modified polysaccharides relies on methodologies taking into account the concepts of green chemistry.

 

1. Hydrogels: materiaux injectables ou supports solides à base d'acide hyaluronique et de dérivés de cellulose.
2. Microcapsules de chitosane/hyaluronane alkylé pour la vectorisation du taxol.
3. Nanoparticules thermosensibles obtenues à partir de conjugués hyaluronane-polymère.
4. "Chimie clic" - nanogels de polysaccharides

List of publications (5 last years)

Voir aussi dans «The Teams»

Chemistry and Biotechnology of Oligosaccharides The CBO team's research focuses on the development of chemical and enzymatic tools for the production of glycans (oligo-, polysaccharides) and glycoconjugates Self-Assembly of Glycopolymers The objective of the research project is the development of synthesis strategies to precisely modify biosourced carbohydrates in order to bring new functionalities. For instance, some of the goals are to produce polysaccharide mimetics, electrospun glyco-nanofibers, self-assembled glyco-nanoparticles and thin films or carbohydrate coatings via surface biomimicry for a variety of applications: molecular recognition (sugars, proteins), biosensors, selective filtration, control released, drug delivery, new lithographic template (biodegradable saccharide mask), flexible electronics (conducting glycopolymers), etc. Structural and molecular glycobiology The structural and molecular glycobiology team aims to unravel the structure/function relationships of proteins with complex glycans such as glycoconjugates and polysaccharides. Its research is at the chemistry-biology interface with multidisciplinary expertise in bioinformatics, molecular biology, biochemistry and enzymology, X-ray protein crystallography, analysis of protein-carbohydrate interactions and molecular modeling methods. Its research activity is conducted along the following topics: -The biosynthesis of complex carbohydrates by glycosyltransferases (GTs). -The degradation of complex polysaccharides by Polysaccharide Utilisation Loci (PULs). -The recognition of glycoconjugates by lectins. -The structural analysis of oligo- and polysaccharides.