Carbs are a familiar term, but they’re not just found in foods. Small yet structurally complex carbohydrates serve as elements of cell walls and are important in intercellular interactions. Scientists can quickly and reliably make many biomolecules, from DNA to proteins, using automated instruments. So it may come as a surprise that, for decades, scientists have had major difficulty with small carbohydrates.
New method to synthesize carbohydrates could pave the way to biomedical advances
