Kayvon Pedram investigates how complex glycans – sugars that decorate the surfaces of all cells – contribute to the physiology of multicellular systems. Specifically, Pedram and his team develop and employ chemical, biochemical, and imaging methods to examine the roles glycans play in modulating structural organization and signaling in the brain. In addition, the team leverages the unique biomolecular properties of glycans to create tools with applications beyond the study of glycosylation.