We use chemistry to decode the biology of glycans.

Glycans are the most abundant biomolecules on Earth and are central to processes from immunity to global carbon cycling.

However, the immense structural diversity of glycans has long impeded precise molecular understanding of their roles, earning them the nickname “the dark matter of the biological universe”.

We combine organic synthesis and chemical biology to understand how glycan structure shapes function across different biological systems.

Algal Glycans

We synthesise algal glycans and chemical probes to understand how their structures contribute to biological effects in humans and to carbon storage in the ocean.

Gut Microbes & Host Glycans

We develop inhibitors to understand how gut microbes influence host health and disease with a focus on gut mucins.

We are based at the TCD School of Chemistry within the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute (TBSI).