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In conversation with Antoine Lesur, Head of Asparia’s Glycoanalysis Service.

Antoine is an analytical scientist with over 15 years of experience, leading Asparia’s glycoanalysis services. He is responsible for developing and validating innovative analytical workflows for the company’s routine and custom glycan analysis and glycoproteomics offerings. In this interview, we discuss his professional goals at Asparia, current client demands, and his upcoming participation in Glycobasque 7.

You joined Asparia Glycomics in 2023. What attracted you to the company and what are your main objectives in managing its glycoanalysis service?

I previously worked extensively in the field of proteomics and I was interested by the challenge of analyzing glycosylation. Glycosylation is considered a complex and difficult post-translational modification (PTM). Unlike more traditional PTMs, each glycosylation site can be occupied by dozens, if not more, types of glycans. Glycopeptides can be challenging to identify using standard MS/MS fragmentation techniques and proteomics software.

My primary objective is to address our analytical clients’ needs using the most suitable methods. The demands we encounter are quite diverse, and I believe our ability to personalize our techniques sets us apart.

Your experience spans mass spectrometry and chromatography applied to bio-analysis, proteomics, and metabolomics. How do these fields influence your work in glycoanalysis at Asparia?

At the end of the day, the common denominator between these fields is analytical science, particularly a solid understanding of mass spectrometry, separation techniques, and data processing. Experience in proteomics is especially valuable for glycosite analysis. Proteomics also gives you proficiency with the processing of large sets of data and the use of cutting-edge mass spectrometry methods like data-independent acquisition or parallel reaction monitoring. Bioanalysis, which includes the quantification of endogenous or drug-protein in patient samples, puts a strong emphasis on control of the data quality, and the accuracy of the results. These various aspects grant me greater flexibility and creativity in addressing questions related to glycan analysis.

What applications are Asparia’s clients currently seeking? Have there been any specific glycoanalysis services in high demand, or are client requests becoming more diverse?

The Asparia glycoanalysis portfolio is extensive, and we are eager to develop new services to meet our clients’ diverse needs. Among our bestsellers are N-glycan and O-glycan profiling using LC-MS. However, we have noticed a wide demand for various analyses, ranging from the quantification of milk oligosaccharides to polysaccharide structure analysis. Additionally, there has been an increase in demand for glycoproteomics over the past year.

What current trends or innovations in glycoscience excite you the most?

I believe that glycoanalysis, especially glycoproteomics, is gaining interest due to advancements in data processing. Ion mobility is likely to play an increasingly important role because glycans often have isomers that cannot be resolved by mass spectrometry alone. In addition to mass and charge, ion mobility offers separation based on shape and size, which could be crucial for distinguishing glycan structural isomers.

I find glycopeptides to be interesting as potential disease markers because they link the glycan structure to the protein carrier, providing valuable context. For clinical application, standardization of the data is necessary, which would involve using synthetic glycopeptides labeled with heavy isotopes, similar to the methods used in clinical proteomics with peptide standards. Although producing these peptides remains quite challenging, it is one of the areas of expertise for Asparia.

Glycobasque is an annual international glycoscience meeting organized by CIC biomaGUNE and CIC bioGUNE, with its 7th edition set to take place in Bilbao on November 7-8. This year, Asparia will be represented by both Antoine Lesur, our Head of Analytics, and Ane Rodrigo, our Sales & Marketing Manager.

Is it your first time attending a Glycobasque meeting? What features would you highlight about this international meeting?

Yes, it will be my first time participating in Glycobasque. It is an excellent opportunity to meet key scientific players in glycoscience. Also, Glycobasque encompasses various topics, ranging from glycan synthesis to glycan analysis, allowing us to stay updated on the latest developments and share our experiences in these areas.

What are the main topics you will be addressing in your contribution to the meeting?

I will present the glycoanalysis portfolio, focusing on two key services: released glycan profiling and glycosite analysis.

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