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The expertise of the Center is built on a history of innovation.  Significant innovations, inventions and discoveries by the Center's investigators and collaborators include:

• Isolation of Gal4: Gal4 regulatory protein has been a paradigm for transcription studies.
• Mitochondrial transformation: First stable introduction of DNA into this organelle.
• Pathogen-derived resistance: Simple method to make cells resistant to viral infection.
• TEV protease: A widely used protease for proteomic research.
• Gene gun: a simple devise to “shoot” gene-coated gold microprojectiles into cells of intact animals.
• Genetic immunization: Method to immunize by shooting in plasmids encoding antigens.
• Expression Library Immunization: Technique to reduce a pathogen genome to vaccines.
• Linear Expression Elements: System to transform cells without cloning genes.
• High-throughput antibody production: Developed system to make antibodies in high number.
• In vivo pathogen gene expression analysis: arrayed technologies to measure global gene expression of the pathogen in host.

This project has two related objectives. The first is to develop a uniform system to mobilize the genomic sequences of pathogens into modern, effective subunit vaccines.  Our invention in the past of the gene gun, genetic immunization, expression library immunization and linear expression elements make this goal feasible.  We want to optimize this system to reduce as many pathogen genomes as possible into the genes that encode the best vaccines, with special emphasis on neglected pathogens of developing countries and new uses for vaccines.  Our goal is to do enough of these pathogens that we will discover the rules to predict the best vaccine for any pathogen. 

The second objective is to develop genetic immunization as a widely used method to deliver vaccines.  Since the initial excitement in 1992 when we first reported this technology, enthusiasm has waned on difficulties in applying it to humans.  Our goal is to solve these technical problems to bring this remarkably simple technology to full fruition.  We envision developing the technology to identify and quickly chemically synthesize a vaccine for any pathogen. 

The object is to create an instrument that would be in households that would allow people to take their personal “Biosignatures” of health on a regular basis.  Unlike current approaches, which use and "average" for measurement, this would allow more accurate, individualized signatures. But most importantly it would instigate a revolution in medicine to emphasize treating illness before the onset of symptoms.  Realizing this goal will require the efforts of molecular biologists, chemists, computer scientists, engineers and clinicians.  We have assembled a team of these scientists toward this goal.  The biggest challenge will be to develop the huge number of binding agents for all the components of blood.  This proteomic effort takes the most resources and innovation at this time. 

Our premise is that by thinking of cancer as a eukaryotic infection it opens up new ways to view treatment.  We believe we have found a common “distinction” for all cancers.  This distinction creates the opportunity in the first phase of application to routinely develop a therapeutic vaccine for a tumor.  However, the second phase of the project is to create a universal diagnostic for very early cancer events.  If this phase holds promise, we will push to produce a universal, prophylactic vaccine for cancer. The goal is to create a vaccine to give everyone to prevent cancer.

Present and Proposed Research Areas

The Unit for Glycosciences and Technology is undergoing a rapid expansion of its research capabilities including the targeted recruiting of all levels of scientific expertise. This unit is also interested in exploring other areas of glycobiology. Some of the representative examples are:

• GlycoSignature and GlycoSensor
• Neuro-Glycobiology
• Stem-Cell and Immuno-Glycobiology
• Glyco-Informatics
• Stress-Induced Glycosylation Alterations
• Carbohydrate Chemistry
• Glycopathology
• Glyco-engineering
• Evolutionary Glycobiology

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The Center has three projects currently under pursuit. Each project is at different stages of maturity. Efforts begin as blue-sky, high risk pursuits. These are then developed into solid applications to ensure adoption by the commercial or clinical sector. Our emphasis is on impact, innovation and training. Graduate students are assured projects that develop basic training in a discipline and in pursuing independent efforts.