Professor Michael Butler, head of the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) Cell Technology Group (CTG), explains that the characterisation and analysis of glycans is important for the biopharma sector as it can help in the development of therapeutic agents, such as monoclonal antibodies and other recombinant proteins. These are used in therapies in a range of serious conditions including cancer, inflammatory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. The mechanism of action depends upon their strong affinity to molecular targets associated with disease.