Life Science Innovation - Trends in Single Cell Analysis #13
The Sugar Code of Circulating Tumor Cells - Glycosylation in Detection, Metastasis and Therapy
The glycocalyx of a tumor cell is not a passive coating. Its glycans regulate cell adhesion, receptor signaling, migration and recognition by the immune system. During malignant transformation, changes in glycosyltransferase activity and glycan structure can support invasion, metastatic spread and resistance to therapy.
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) carry this altered sugar code into the bloodstream. Their glycosylation may reveal functional properties that cannot be captured by genomic analysis alone and may provide new markers for CTC enrichment, characterization and therapeutic stratification. Yet glycan analysis on rare cells remains technically demanding and is still underexplored.
Three experts will connect complementary perspectives: the diversity and clinical relevance of the cancer glycome, tumor-specific O-mannosylation as a therapeutic vulnerability, and synthetic glycomimetics that target immune lectins.
📩 The Zoom link for online participation will be sent to you separately before the event.
Detailed programme: https://lifescience-dus.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/20261125_SingleCell13_2.pdf