Molecular Dissection of Immunomodulatory Function of Polysaccharides

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Edible polysaccharides from plants and microbes have attracted much attention because of their potential functions to improve our health. Although several polysaccharide products have been commercialized, the mechanism by which such polysaccharides benefit our health is yet unclear. I hypothesize that such polysaccharides may modulate the immune function through interaction with the glycan-binding protein (GBP) receptors on immune cells.
To test the hypothesis, I will take a multidisciplinary approach involving immunology and biology of carbohydrates (glycobiology). My aims are: (1) to evaluate the effect of polysaccharides on primary human and mouse immune cells; (2) to analyse the interaction between polysaccharides and the immune cells in vivo by state-of-the-art flow cytometry; (3) to identify the GBP partner for each polysaccharide by a facile reporter assay system. This research will deliver crucial knowledge on how polysaccharides function, and the potential impacts are far-reaching as the results will inform the design, development and efficacy-testing of potent novel carbohydrate-based foods, therapeutics and healthcare products.

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