Consortium for Functional Glycomics

The Consortium for Functional Glycomics (CFG) is a large research initiative funded in 2001 by a glue grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) to “define paradigms by which protein-carbohydrate interactions mediate cell communication”. To achieve this goal, the CFG studies the functions of: the three major classes of mammalian glycan-binding proteins (GBPs): C-type lectin, galectin, and SIGLEC immune receptors that bind carbohydrates: CD1, T cell receptor, and anti-carbohydrate antibodies GBPs of microorganisms that bind to host cell glycans as receptors. The CFG comprises eight core facilities and 500+ participating investigators that work together to develop resources and services and make them available to the scientific community free of charge. The data generated by these resources are captured in databases accessible through the Functional Glycomics Gateway, a web resource maintained through a partnership between the CFG and Nature Publishing Group. Organization The CFG is composed of three main components: the participating investigators, the cores, and the steering committee. Participating investigators Progress towards the CFG's overall goal is driven by the research of more than 500 participating investigators] (PIs) around the world, whose laboratories utilize resources, services, and data produced by the CFG scientific cores.