The Glycosciences Laboratory, founded by Prof. Emer. Ten Feizi directed by Dr Yan Liu, is an internationally recognised centre for glycosciences research, based at Imperial College London’s Hammersmith Campus on the fifth floor of the Burlington Danes Building.

Our multidisciplinary team brings together expertise in glycobiology, immunochemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, creating a highly collaborative environment in which complementary technologies and scientific perspectives are integrated to address fundamental questions in biology and medicine.

At the heart of our research is the elucidation of carbohydrate-recognition systems of biological and medical importance. A particular focus of the Laboratory is the discovery and characterisation of oligosaccharide (glycan) ligands recognised by proteins involved in innate and adaptive immunity and in pathogen–host interactions, as well as the investigation of developmentally regulated and cancer-associated carbohydrate antigens.

A major strength of the Laboratory is its exceptional collection of carbohydrate materials, which represents one of the largest and most diverse glycan libraries worldwide. This unique resource underpins our advanced glycan microarray technologies and enables the systematic exploration of carbohydrate–protein interactions across a broad range of biological systems.

Our state-of-the-art Carbohydrate Microarray Facility, managed by Dr Antonio Di Maio, provides powerful platforms for defining the glycan-binding specificities of antibodies, lectins, microbial proteins and other carbohydrate-recognising molecules. Together with our dedicated mass spectrometry capabilities, directed by Dr Wengang Chai, established with support from the Wellcome Trust, these resources provide an integrated platform for glycan discovery, structural characterisation and functional investigation.

We are a multidisciplinary, multicultural and internationally diverse team, united by curiosity, enthusiasm and a collaborative spirit. We foster an open, friendly and enjoyable working environment and actively welcome collaborations with academic, clinical and industrial researchers across Imperial College London, the UK and internationally who are seeking expertise in glycosciences, glycan–protein interactions, carbohydrate microarrays, glycan analysis and structural characterisation.

The Laboratory actively engages with the wider scientific community, offering carbohydrate microarray screening and analysis and developing follow-on collaborations that transform initial glycan-binding discoveries into deeper mechanistic and biomedical insights. Through the combination of unique glycan resources, advanced analytical technologies and extensive expertise in carbohydrate recognition, we aim to advance our understanding of the roles of glycans in immunity, infection, development and disease.