Decoding glycans in brain aging and disease
Our lab seeks to understand how glycans (sugars) regulate brain health and function.
Transmission electron micrograph of mouse brain capillary. Glycocalyx visualized via lanthanum deposition on vessel lumen.
Every cell in the human body is coated by a layer of glycans, or polysaccharides, which termed the glycocalyx (“sweet husk”). We aim to understand how glycans regulate brain biology, what information they encode, and how they can be manipulated for the improvement of brain health. We combine neurobiology, glycobiology, chemical tools, and animal models to uncover fundamental new biology of brain function and disease. These discoveries drive new approaches and therapies for neurological and neurodegenerative disease intervention.
Research
Discovering New Roles of Glycans in the Brain
Visualizing glycans in mouse brain hemisphere
Unlocking New Therapeutic Modalities
Engineered brain shuttle internalization throughout the vascular tree
Deciphering Glycan Language
Subcellular staining of brain endothelial cells
News
September 2025 - The Shi Lab just launched at the Rowland Institute at Harvard University.
Stay tuned for more!
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Shi Lab was featured on the Transmitter
Read the feature here
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Brain Medicine: Decoding the role of sugar molecules in brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases
Read Sophia’s interview here
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Alzforum: Do Specialized Glycoproteins Prop Up Blood-Brain Barrier?
Read article on our research at Alzforum
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C&EN: How a carbohydrate-rich mesh protects our brain
Read article on our research at C&EN
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Stanford Report: Changes in brain’s ‘sugar shield’ could be key to understanding effects of aging
Read article on our research at Stanford Report
