Welcome to the Mkhikian laboratory!
The Mkhikian laboratory aims to develop and apply new approaches to understanding the molecular mechanisms of normal biology and human disease. We are particularly interested in the role of complex carbohydrates (glycans) in regulating biology at the cell surface. Glycans (along with proteins and nucleic acids), are one of the major macromolecules of life. Like proteins and DNA/RNA, glycans are synthesized by combining many small building blocks (monosaccharides) into large molecules. However, because glycans are significantly more challenging to study than proteins and nucleic acids, they are largely ignored. They are therefore a potentially untapped source of new biology and disease-relevant information and may be particularly critical for problems where conventional (protein/DNA/RNA) approaches have failed.
Glycans are more challenging to study because 1) they are more structurally complex than proteins/DNA/RNA, 2) their synthesis is not template-driven, and 3) glycobiology tools are relatively underdeveloped.
We use cell biology, immunology, molecular biology, and biochemistry tools to explore the role of glycans in the context of the immune system. We are particularly interested in the role of glycans in regulating T cell aging and autoimmunity. We are also interested in developing new tools to tackle open glycobiology questions.
Major research questions in the lab are:
- How do glycans regulate receptor dynamics at the cell surface?
- How do cells and organisms regulate their cell-surface glycan/glycoprotein compositions?
- How are endogenous lectin-glycoconjugate interactomes structured?
- How can specific glycans be targeted to treat human diseases?
- How can disease states be effectively screened for disease-relevant changes in glycosylation?
Interested in joining the Mkhikian Lab? Contact Haik here: haik.m@uci.edu