Jerry Turnbull is a biochemist turned molecular glycobiologist who has pioneered research into the structure and activity of a specialized class of glycoproteins called heparan sulphates (HS). They are a family of complex sulphated polysaccharides present on the cell surfaces and in the matrix surrounding cells and have critical roles as multifunctional regulators of proteins including growth factors, receptors, enzymes and matrix proteins.

His laboratory works on the glycobiology of heparan sulphates in the nervous system in development and disease. Current interests include dynamic HS biosynthesis and functions in differentiation (mouse brain, neural stem cells); development of innovative technologies for “glycomics” studies on HS structure-function (sugar libraries, sequencing & microarrays); the role of HS in neurodegenerative diseases (Alzhemier’s & prion diseases); and functional studies on HS in a model organism (the nematode C elegans).

A multi-disciplinary set of experimental approaches are used in the lab, including biochemistry (protein expression, carbohydrate analysis), molecular biology (gene cloning & expression, RNA interference), cell biology (cell culture, immunofluorescence) and chemistry (semi-synthetic carbohydrates).