Welcome
Welcome to the website for the Alliance of Glycobiologists for Detection of Cancer and Cancer Risk, a consortium of seven Tumor Glycomics Laboratories and research partners. The Alliance is working to reveal the cancer-related dynamics of complex carbohydrates, and to develop new validated, clinical biomarkers for early cancer detection and risk assessment.
By combining resources and expertise, the Alliance brings an unrivaled strength to this emerging field. Here you will find publications, recent news and media coverage, upcoming meetings and events, contact information and scientific resources from Alliance members.
Mission
The mission of the Alliance is to study structure and function of glycans in relation to cancer development towards developing clinically useful biomarkers for the early detection of cancer by using a variety of approaches and technologies. This charge also requires extensive collaborations across institutions with different skills and facilities to accelerate glycan-based biomarkers to the forefront of NCI's efforts to detect and diagnose cancer at early stages.
The unique needs of the laboratories for technologies embracing carbohydrate chemistry are further supported by the Consortium for Functional Glycomics (CFG) through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), and the Glycomics and Glycotechnology Resource Centers through the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR). The Alliance will closely work with the NCI's Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) to validate promising glycans for clinical use.
A Coordination Unit (CU) representing seven Tumor Glycomics Laboratories, CFG and EDRN, and program staff from NCI, NIGMS and NCRR integrates the activities of the Alliance.
