Theme 01
Building a functional map of cell surface glycans
Using functional genomics and glycoengineering, we showed that glycans are a key mediator of
immune evasion in acute myeloid leukemia. O-glycosylation and sialylation, particularly of
the glycoprotein CD43, forms a steric
shield that physically restrains immune cell interactions.
We are now asking how glycans remodel the architecture of the cell surface, and how their
dysregulation alters cell function in diseases like cancer.
Theme 02
Decoding how immune cells sense and respond to cell surface glycans
More than 100 immune receptors have evolved to recognize glycans as ligands, making glycans
powerful immunomodulatory motifs that transmit signals both biophysically and biochemically.
We investigate how glycans shape immune signaling and organize the immune synapse, using
functional genomics and proteomics to interrogate intercellular interactions at scale in primary immune
cells.
Theme 03
Engineering next-generation immune therapies
Cell surface glycans are abundant, tightly regulated, immune-evasive, and often specific to a
given tumor or cell type. They also form a biophysical barrier that impedes both immune cell
interactions and antibody binding.
Together these properties make the glycocalyx an especially attractive therapeutic target.
We are building on our work to develop glycoform-selective antibodies as well as antibody
and engineered cell therapies that remodel the cancer glycocalyx.