Department of Immunochemistry of Glycoconjugates

1. Department of Immunochemistry of Glycoconjugates Farkaš P. (organic chemistry)chempalo@savba.skwww.chem.sk Bystrický S. (organic chemistry, microbiology) Machová E. (polysaccharide chemistry) Paulovičová E. (immunology) Čížová A. (polymers chemistry) Korcová J. (microbiology) Neščáková Z. (microbiology) Paulovičová L. (immunology) Alföldyová B., Gažíková Ľ. Head: Senior research scientist: Research scientist: Technical staff: Long-time research and know-how in the field of microbial polysaccharides as the biologically active agents gradually profiled our focus - research of carbohydrates as potential immunogens. Currently, we investigate potential pathogens Candida sp. andVibrio cholerae. Thanks to the European Structural Funds and the Institute of Chemistry has our team recently built high quality laboratory of cell cultures. Updated in 2016

2. Candida albicans Research on innovative preparation of mannan/mannooligosaccharide–protein/peptide conjugates as vaccine candidates: • Isolation, purification and characterization of the yeastmannans and glucans • Mannan derivatization (artificialfunctionalgroups, brancholigomers, etc.) • Glycoconjugatespreparation • Animalsimmunization, study of protecitve and immunomodulatoryeffect, humoral and cellular imunity monitoring • Antigenselectionforoptimalantifungalvaccinecandidates • Publication of theobtainedresults and sciencepopularization Succesful cooperation: Tatyana Korolenko, Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia. • Supportedby the Slovak Research and DevelopmentAgencyunderthecontract No. APVV-15-0161

3. Vibrio cholerae Vibrio cholerae, the originator of the cholera disease, each year and increasingly as an imported infection also occurs in developed countries. V. cholerae serogroup O1 was until 1992 considered the only one causative agent of cholera. Memento remains the fact that some non-cholera vibrios potentially have the ability to obtain genes for production of cholera toxin, as exemplified by the serogroup O139. There is the evidence that the epidemic strains of V. cholerae formed from environmental non-toxigenic strains obtaining of virulence factors. We focus on: • Identification of V. cholerae isolates by classical biochemical tests and physico-chemical identification by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry • Visualization of surface antigenic carbohydrate structures • Isolation and purification, chemical and structural characterization of surface saccharide antigens • Genotypic identification. Identification of virulence genes and determination the pathogenic potential of the isolates • Preparation of model immunogenic glycoconjugates and its testing

4. Immunological laboratory and Cell culture laboratory • Immunoglycomics research focuses the role of carbohydrates in the induction of immune responses regarding the molecular, cellular, subcellular and functional level of innate and acquired immunities • The main research trends comprised molecular mechanisms of innate and acquired immunities, molecular aspects of the regulation of immune function, cell signaling, activation and immunoregulation of immune processes • Immunobiological methods are adapted and optimized for the animal model (Balb/c mice) and the relevant cell lines (e.g. RAW 264.7), to be as close as possible to transmit information towards the human application • Based on the project "Completion of infrastructure for biomedical research" in the call OPVaV-2015 / 3.1SORO "Mobilising the excellent research teams in areas of specialization RIS3 SK" the Department has been completed by the new Immunological laboratory and Cell culture laboratory with unique instrumentation park: Cytoflex (Flowcytometer), Cell sorter S3e, ZOE ™ Fluorescent Cell Imager, Cytation 5 cell imaging multi-mode, automated cell counter TC 20, ELISPOT Analyser (Carl Zeiss), etc. • Long-term cooperation with Prof. Nikolay E. Nifantiev, Head of the Laboratory of Glycoconjugate Chemistry, N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry,Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow Russia