Molecular determinants govern the intra- and intercellular communication of cells. The precise definition of distinct epitopes will thus provide suitable information on the status of cells that may explain their apparent functional activities, thereby opening up the possibility to turn the results of basic research into clinical benefit. Evidently, such knowledge would advance the panel of markers for tumour diagnosis and therapy.

Concomitant lines of research will make it possible to place emphasis on the glycobiological aspects of tumour cells: it is generally accepted that the sequence of carbohydrate chains of various cell constituents can store relevant biological information, decoded by endogenous receptors like lectins. The presence of such proteins and the possibility of modulatory responses to tumour parameters has recently in principle been ascertained. Current advances in carbohydrate synthesis provide access to any custom-made sugar component for measurement of respective lectin presence in sections of any tumour type by routine techniques. By combining the elaborate chemical synthesis of oligosaccharides with established cell biological and histopathological techniques, a new class of tumour markers (neoglycoconjugate) will be applied thoroughly to diverse classes of human cancer in order to elucidate, if possible, the correlation of expression of receptors for the tailored ligands with prognosis and propensity of metastasis formation. Common tumour classes like lung, breast, gastric, and colon malignancies will be screened.

Owing to the novelty of the interdisciplinary approach it is expected that the project will give a clear picture of the potential of these probes for routine practice.