Prof. Manfred Wuhrer highlights glycomics’ impact on immune responses
On 12 November, Prof. Manfred Wuhrer from Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands, presented a hybrid Eurolife Distinguished Lecture entitled Glycomics of human immune responses hosted by Karolinska Institutet.
In his lecture, Prof. Wuhrer captivated the audience as he presented an overview on the mass spectrometry-based methods developed and applied for the characterization of protein and antibody glycosylation in his lab, followed by examples of how alterations in glycosylation influence immune responses.
Career and Contributions
Prof. Wuhrer is head of the Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics at Leiden University Medical Center and has dedicated his scientific career to unraveling the structure, regulation and function of glycans using mass spectrometry. He is one of the steering committee members of the Human Glycome Project, and is actively engaged in propelling glycan-based biomarkers toward clinical applications. His presentation attracted over 70 attendants and was followed by vivid discussions, after which he was awarded the Eurolife Medal in recognition of his achievements in the field of Life Sciences.
Collaborative ERC Funded Project
Beyond his lecture, Prof. Wuhrer engaged with researchers at KTH, the Royal Institute of Technology and Karolinska Institutet over a two-day kick-off of the collaborative ERC funded project D-MAP: Dissecting the Functional Role of Mucosal IgA Clonal and Glycoprofiles for Effective Humoral Mucosal Protection. Coordinated by Dr. Charlotte Thålin (Karolinska Institutet), the team aims for the in-depth characterization of IgA glycoforms in clinical samples, paving the way for next-generation recombinant IgA therapeutics.
These interactions are expected to lead to joint research initiatives, exchange of expertise, and possibly new projects that build on the findings of the D-MAP project. Such collaborations are crucial for advancing the field of glycomics and translating research findings into clinical applications.
Eurolife
Eurolife, a network of nine European universities, plays a key role in facilitating collaborative research and education activities. By organizing events like the Eurolife Distinguished Lecture Series, Eurolife promotes the exchange of researchers and students, fostering a vibrant academic community. The network's efforts in creating new research opportunities within Life Sciences (Biomedicine and Medicine) are instrumental in driving innovation and enhancing the impact of scientific discoveries across Europe.