Hans Paulsen: Contributions to the Investigations of Glycoprotein Biosynthesis.

Hans Paulsen was one of the first scientists who believed that chemistry should be applied to biology and medicine. His interest in natural products and their roles solidified in the 1970s. He passed on his knowledge to hundreds of students and coworkers and advanced science with many national and international collaborators. No matter where he was, at home or travelling, he was always curious and keen to learn, from chemistry to enzymes, their roles in diseases, and the possible applications of synthetic compounds. His creative chemistry and synthesis of novel compounds made essential contributions to elucidating the mechanisms and pathways of glycoprotein biosynthesis. This review describes the biosynthetic pathways of the O- and N-glycans of glycoproteins and studies of novel substrates and inhibitors developed by Hans Paulsen's group.