The Carbohydrate Group is one of the Royal Society of Chemistry's many Interest Groups. The Interest Groups are member driven groups which exist to benefit RSC members, and the wider chemical science community, in line with the RSC's strategy and charter.
Scope
Glycotechnology is leading to new products and understanding in biomedicine, firstly via mammalian glycoconjugates and secondly via non-mammalian glycoconjugates and polysaccharides which are potential pharmaceuticals and targets for drug design.
For example, plants and seaweed have oligosaccharides with many pharmacological effects, microbial antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs contain monosaccharide components, and cell walls of micro-organisms are targets for immunotherapy.
Polysaccharides from the agricultural industry are multi-million pound commercial products in many industrial and domestic areas and are set to gain further prominence as green fuel sources and neutraceuticals (health from diet).
Why is Carbohydrate Chemistry Important?
Studies of interactions between carbohydrates and proteins are vital in understanding the potential controls of many biological processes. Nature has invested much time in devising enzymes and receptors which are highly specific in their interactions with carbohydrates.
Orders of magnitude of structural information and diversity can more readily be carried in carbohydrates in comparison with peptides of the same molecular size.
How to Join
RSC members can join the Carbohydrate Group by updating their details in the “My communities and subscriptions” tab of the online RSC membership area. Please click here to login and add to your list of Interest Groups.
Our awards
Haworth Memorial Lectureship
This lecture deals with advances in any area of carbohydrate chemistry, and is delivered in alternate years during the Carbohydrate Chemistry Group's spring meeting.
Dextra Carbohydrate Award
This award, which is sponsored by Dextra Laboratories, is presented to a scientist in the early/mid stage of their career for meritorious work in carbohydrate chemistry that has largely been conducted in the UK.
Early career researcher awards
We have two prizes and a number of poster prizes to recognise outstanding efforts made by Early Career Researchers in the community.
Quick links
Forthcoming events
Forthcoming events organised by the Carbohydrate Group.
Contact the Secretary
For further information on the Carbohydrate Group you can contact the Secretary, Dr Aisling Ni Cheallaigh CSci CChem MRSC.
Support for interest groups
Useful information and resources for all RSC interest groups.
Downloadable files
Annual report 2018Committee
Chair
Dr Clare Mahon MRSC
Treasurer
Dr Silvia Vignolini MRSC