Within cancer, there is a large wealth of diversity, complexity, and information that nature has engineered rendering it challenging to identify reliable detection methods. Therefore, the development of simple and effective techniques to delineate the fine characteristics of cancer cells can have great potential impacts on cancer diagnosis and treatment. Herein, we report a magnetic glyco-nanoparticle (MGNP) based nanosensor system bearing carbohydrates as the ligands, not only to detect and differentiate cancer cells but also to quantitatively profile their carbohydrate binding abilities by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using an array of MGNPs, a range of cells including closely related isogenic tumor cells, cells with different metastatic potential and malignant vs normal cells can be readily distinguished based on their respective "MRI signatures". Furthermore, the information obtained from such studies helped guide the establishment of strongly binding MGNPs as antiadhesive agents against tumors. As the interactions between glyco-conjugates and endogenous lectins present on cancer cell surface are crucial for cancer development and metastasis, the ability to characterize and unlock the glyco-code of individual cell lines can facilitate both the understanding of the roles of carbohydrates as well as the expansion of diagnostic and therapeutic tools for cancer.

Protein-chromophore interactions are a central component of a wide variety of critical biological processes, such as color vision and photosynthesis. To understand the fundamental elements that contribute to spectral tuning of a chromophore inside the protein cavity, we have redesigned human Cellular Retinol Binding Protein II (hCRBPII) to fully encapsulate all-trans-retinal and form a covalent bond as a protonated Schiff base. Using this system, the absorption maximum of the pigment was regulated from 425 nm to 644 nm using rational mutagenesis designed to alter the electrostatic environment within the binding pocket of the host protein. Employing only 9 point mutations, the hCRBPII mutants induce a systematic shift in the absorption profile of all trans-retinal of over 200 nm across the visible spectrum.

A general and sensitive nonempirical protocol to determine the absolute configurations of erythro and threo diols, amino alcohols, and diamines is reported. Binding of diols to the porphyrin tweezer system is greatly enhanced by increasing the Lewis acidity of the metalloporphyrin. Supramolecular complexes formed between the porphyrin tweezer host and chiral substrates exhibited exciton-coupled bisignate CD spectra with predictable signs based on the substituents on the chiral center. The working model suggests that the observed helicity of the porphyrin tweezer is dictated via steric differentiation experienced by the porphyrin ring bound to each chiral center. A variety of erythro and threo substrates were investigated to verify this chiroptical method. Their absolute configurations were unequivocally determined, and thus a general mnemonic is provided for the assignment of chirality.