The Ivanov Lab at Northeastern University is paving the way to a whole variety of diagnostic tests that are possible off of a single blood draw, including — someday — cancer.
Every cell in your body has a thin covering of carbohydrates called glycoconjugates — ”conjugates” as they’re formed when the carbohydrates are chemically connected to proteins, lipids and other cell surface molecules.
These carbohydrates — also called glycans — play a significant role in both cell communication and the cell’s ability to respond to disease.
For instance, says associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology Alexander Ivanov, common blood type tests “are based on glycan analysis.”
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Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University.
