The future of glycobiology

This chapter reflects on the future of glycobiology, considering biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, glycomics, and genomics. While the general question ‘What is the function of glycosylation?’ has probably been answered satisfactorily, specific questions of the form ‘What is the function of this particular glycan on this particular glycoconjugate?’ will be the basis for future work. A great deal has been learned about the roles of glycans, but there are also many indications that glycans have functions that we do not yet understand. A range of approaches, from glycan and lectin structure analysis to the physiological study of knockout mice, will be needed to provide convincing evidence for these roles. As our understanding of glycobiology broadens to encompass more examples, new routes to the application of this knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of disease will undoubtedly emerge.