Alisdair Boraston, University of Victoria

Research

Structural Biology Glycobiology X-Ray Crystallography Enzymology O-Glycosylation Peptidase Antibiotic Resistance Antibiotic Tolerance

Latest papers

A dual-color FRET assay for detection and quantitative analysis of O-glycopeptidases.
Methods in enzymology · 2026 · senior author
Iminosugar C-Glycosides Work as Pharmacological Chaperones of NAGLU, a Glycosidase Involved in MPS IIIB Rare Disease*.
Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) · 2021
Structural analysis of a putative family 32 carbohydrate-binding module from the Streptococcus pneumoniae enzyme EndoD.
Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology and crystallization communications · 2011 · senior author

All 3 publications

Latest funding

Molecular insights into mucin degradation by host-adapted microbes.
CIHR · 2025 · Nominated PI
$1,040,400
Advanced liquid handling for hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry
NSERC · 2023 · Co-investigator
$150,000
Prevalence, Burden and Reversal of Stringent Response-Mediated Antibiotic Tolerance
CIHR · 2020 · Nominated PI
$657,900

All 27 grants and awards

3 publications.

01

A dual-color FRET assay for detection and quantitative analysis of O-glycopeptidases.

Canil O, Mihalynuk L, Thompson N, Wakarchuk W, Boraston A

Methods in enzymology2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2026.03.007 PMID: 42399063

02

Iminosugar C-Glycosides Work as Pharmacological Chaperones of NAGLU, a Glycosidase Involved in MPS IIIB Rare Disease*.

Zhu S, Jagadeesh Y, Tran AT, Imaeda S, Boraston A, Alonzi DS, Poveda A, Zhang Y, Désiré J, Charollais-Thoenig J, Demotz S, Kato A, Butters TD, Jiménez-Barbero J, Sollogoub M, Blériot Y

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)2021

DOI: 10.1002/chem.202101408 PMID: 34106504

03

Structural analysis of a putative family 32 carbohydrate-binding module from the Streptococcus pneumoniae enzyme EndoD.

Abbott DW, Boraston A

Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology and crystallization communications2011Senior author

DOI: 10.1107/s1744309111001874 PMID: 21505233

Molecular insights into mucin degradation by host-adapted microbes.

Nominated PICIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Boraston, Alisdair B; Wakarchuk, Warren W

Keywords: Enzymology; Glycobiology; O-Glycosylation; Peptidase; Structural Biology

$1,040,400

Advanced liquid handling for hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry

Co-investigatorNSERC2023Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Burke, John

$150,000

Prevalence, Burden and Reversal of Stringent Response-Mediated Antibiotic Tolerance

Nominated PICIHR2020Project Grant

Principal investigators: Boraston, Alisdair B

Keywords: Antibiotic Resistance; Antibiotic Tolerance; Bacteremia; Clinical Isolates; Cystic Fibrosis; Enterococci; Mutation; Persistent Infections; Staphylococcus Aureus; Stringent Response

$657,900

Rapid and Scalable Production of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein in Plants for Serological Testing of COVID-19_x000d_ _x000d_ _x000d_ _x000d_ _x000d_ _x000d_ _x000d_ _x000d_ _x000d_

Co-investigatorNSERC2020Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Constabel, Peter

$50,000

Advanced bio-molecular interaction facility

Co-investigatorNSERC2020Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Burke, John

$138,931

Molecular Mechanisms of Marine Polysaccharide Depolymerization and Metabolism

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Boraston, Alisdair

$414,000

Advanced protein purification facility

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Boraston, Alisdair

$129,635

Streptococcus pneumoniae glycan-processing enzymes: understanding and targeting their roles in virulence

Nominated PICIHR2018Project Grant

Principal investigators: Boraston, Alisdair B

Keywords: Chemical Biology; Enzyme Kinetics; Molecular Interactions; Protein Structure-Function; Protein-Ligand Interactions; Streptococcus Pneumoniae; Structural Biology; Synthetic Chemistry; Thermodynamics; X-Ray Crystallography

$1,055,700

Operations and Maintenance Support: UBC Regional Structural Biology Facility

Co-investigatorNSERC2017Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: McIntosh, Lawrence

$300,000

Analysis of enzymes to use for the modification of fucoidan.

Principal investigatorNSERC2015Engage Plus Grants Program

Principal investigators: Boraston, Alisdair

$12,390

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Write to this professor

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Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2025

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Structural Biology Dear Professor Boraston, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "A dual-color FRET assay for detection and quantitative analysis of O-glycopeptidases." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Molecular insights into mucin degradation by host-adapted microbes." (2025), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]