1. INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT OF STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF SACCHARIDES

2. Staff: 6 scientists 2 technicians 2 PhD students Main instruments used in research: 3 computers Quantum Cube 1 computer Silicon Graphics Origin 200 2 Linux clusters High-resolution NMR spectrometer 300 MHz Bruker DPX 600 MHz Varian Unity Mass spectrometer Finnigan SSQ 710

3. Projects International:Projects within 5 th and 6 th Framework Program EU Mitzutani grant Slovak agencies: APVV and VEGA projects International collaboration : Italy: “ G.Ronzoni Institute for Chemical and Biochemical Research, Milan Politechnico di Milano, Milan Germany: Institute for Chemistry, Medical University Lübeck, Lübeck Spain: Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, Madrid France: CERMAV, CNRS, Grenoble SEESIB, University B. Pascal-CNRS, Aubiere INRA, Theix, Clermonf-Ferrand Canada: Trend University, Petersborough USA: NIH, Bethesda Czech Republic: Institute of Analytical Chemistry, CAS, Brno

4. Main research areas 1. Structure of saccharides in solution Saccharides investigated:glycosaminoglycans, heparin-like oligo- and polysaccharides 2-C-branched saccharide derivatives nucleosides, nucleotides, uronic acids plant polysaccharides, lipolysaccharides Methodology: 1D and 2D NMR methods in solution (COSY,HSQC, HMBC, NOESY,..) MALDI, ES, GC-MS Quantum chemical and DFT calculations, (Jaguar, ADF, Gaussian) 2. Dynamics of saccharides in solution Saccharides investigated: glycosaminoglycan oligosaccharides and polysaccharides Methodology:2D NMR heteronuclear relaxation data (T1, T2, NOE)

5. 3. Degradation of plant polysaccharides Saccharides investigated: plant polysaccharides Methodology:2D NMR (COSY, HSQC, HMBC) solid-state NMR 4. Intermolecular interactions a) protein-carbohydrate interactions Systems investigated: interaction of oligosaccharides with glycosylhydrolases, glycosyltransferases, growth factors, heparanase, antithrombin Methodology:Quantum chemical, DFT, QM-MM methods (ADF, Gaussian, Jaguar) 2D NMR (transferred NOESY, STD) b) transition metal complexes of carbohydrates Systems investigated:Mo(VI) complexes with saccharides derivatives Methodology: 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC, HMBC) solid-state NMR, X-ray

6. 6. Development of new theoretical methods Methodology:New quantum chemical methods for analysis of 3D saccharide structures