The Consortium for Functional Glycomics has set out to establish the mechanisms by which glycan-binding proteins (GBPs) mediate cell communication for as many of the targeted GBPs as possible. To this end, the Consortium is integrating the efforts of Scientific Cores and Participating Investigators to complete common Specific Aims for each GBP. The final responsibility for integrating the program and tracking progress towards completion of the Specific Aims resides with the Steering Committee.

A variety of resources and services are available and are distributed to the Scientific Cores and to Participating Investigators for the purpose of conducting experiments that address the Specific Aims of the Consortium. The majority of the resources are being generated by three Scientific Cores, the Carbohydrate Synthesis/Protein Expression Core (D), the Mouse Transgenics Core (F), and the Gene Microarray Core (E). Participating Investigators may also submit experimental samples for analysis by the Gene Microarray Core (E) or the Protein-Carbohydrate Interaction Core (H).

Information generated by the Cores and by Participating Investigators using program resources will be posted in databases maintained by the Information & Bioinformatics Core (B). All participants of the program will be able to monitor up-to-date progress for any GBP by visiting the Consortium website and viewing posted data.