I've always had a curiosity of the exploration of complex carbohydrate biosynthesis in bacteria, viruses, and animals using biochem tools. As you probably already know, most life on earth, from microbes to humans, utilizes the specific interaction of proteins with carbohydrates for recognition and adhesion between cells. My laboratory has been studying the biosynthesis of polysaccharides and oligosaccharides using the tools of biochemical analysis, carbohydrate chemistry and molecular biology. Although the main focus has been on glycosaminoglycans, a class of essential polysaccharides, which includes hyaluronan, heparin and chondroitin, I believe that too much time has been spent on these molecules and more concentration needs to take place in the extracellular space and/or cell surfaces throughout the human body where they play various roles in signaling, adhesion, recognition as well as structural elements. In computing the equations, i believe there is a tool that could be devised to cut through the time needed to gather necessary information to test specific theory, therefore pinpointing certain pathogenic bacteria coat themselves with the identical or similar polymers to enhance infection; I was giddy at the simplicity of it all and that my discovery and my name would be historically prominent forever and ever after i formulated all the specifics...unfortunately, the final episode of America's Next Top Model came on and i lost my momentum...God, I hate when that happens.

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