Martin Anthony Fascione

Dr. Martin Anthony Fascione is a Reader in Chemistry at the University of York, where he leads the Fascione Lab within the Department of Chemistry. His research focuses on the interface between chemistry and biology, particularly in the field of chemical glycobiology. He has established himself as a leading researcher in carbohydrate chemistry with expertise in synthetic methods and biological applications.

Dr. Fascione received his Ph.D. from the University of Leeds in 2009 under the supervision of W. Bruce Turnbull, followed by a Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship at the University of British Columbia with Prof. Steve Withers and the University of York with Prof. Gideon Davies. Since August 2014, he has been at the York Structural Biology Laboratory, progressing from Lecturer to his current position as Reader.

His research centers on complex sugars (glycans) and their roles in biological processes and disease, with particular emphasis on sialic acid-like molecules critical for bacterial pathogens. The Fascione group develops chemical tools to study and perturb glycan activity in vivo using synthetic and enzymatic carbohydrate chemistry, organocatalysis, enzymology, and molecular biology. Key research areas include pseudaminic acid biosynthesis, protein bioconjugation, and glycoconjugate development for therapeutic applications.

Analysis of Dr. Fascione's recent publications reveals a strong focus on bacterial glycans, particularly pseudaminic acid, and their role in pathogenesis. His work combines synthetic chemistry with biological applications, developing novel methods for protein modification, carbohydrate synthesis, and glycan-based therapeutics. Major themes include bioorthogonal chemistry, enzymatic synthesis of complex carbohydrates, and the development of glycoconjugates for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Dr. Fascione has received significant recognition for his work, including:

• Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship (2012-2014)
• ERC Consolidator Grant (2022)

As an active researcher, Dr. Fascione supervises PhD students and collaborates extensively with researchers in the UK and internationally. His laboratory is involved in multiple research projects focused on chemical glycobiology for infectious disease research and therapeutic development. The Fascione Lab has established itself as a leading center for research at the chemistry-biology interface, with particular expertise in carbohydrate-active enzymes and glycan-based tools for biological investigation.