New software to speed up the characterisation of complex glycans

New software produced by Biosoft is to be co-marketed in conjunction with Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, which will lead to advanced glycobiology results produced by Thermo Scientific mass spectrometer systems.

The technology will speed up the characterisation of complex glycans through automated interpretation of the rich data produced by mass spec systems

Bioinformatic tools that can simplify and expedite structural elucidation of glycans can greatly assist the scientific community and pharmaceutical industry, as glycans have the potential to serve as markers for disease. Changes to glycans in a biologically based drug can also affect the drug's function.

Mass spec is an effective tool for glycan structural elucidation given its sensitivity and ability to analyse complex glycan mixtures.

However, they create large volumes of data that can take a substantial amount of time to analyse manually. Biological information about the proposed glycan structure is also highlighted via interactive links.

Posted by Neil Clark