Dr. David Rose

Biography

David Rose carries out research in structural glycobiology with a particular interest in enzymes associated with human health and disease. His recent work focuses on enzymes that participate in processing the major components of the human diet. A major area of his research involves structural studies of glycoside hydrolases, which are enzymes that recognize and act on carbohydrates, particularly glycosidases involved in the protein glycosylation pathway and the process of starch digestion. He studies Intestinal Maltase-Glucoamylase Sucrase-Isomaltase (MGAM SI), which is involved in starch breakdown in mammalian cells. The inhibition of alpha-glucosidases has been proposed as a novel approach for the treatment of Type II Diabetes. Rose has expressed family GH31 enzymes in Drosophila cells and has studied the activities of a series of specific inhibitors for the development of anti-diabetics. He has determined the crystallographic structure of four GH31 domains of enzymes. His research also focuses on gut commensal microbial glycoside hydrolases in the human intestine, highlighting the symbiotic partnership between bacterial species and the host. Additionally, he examines the roles of bacteria in the digestion of resistant starches that survive intestinal MGAM/SI processing, which provide a source of nutrition for host bacteria. His structural approach studies the mechanism of recognition of resistant starch structures by bacterial glycoside hydrolases.

Research Interests

Patents