A major translational research area of our group is the investigation of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) and their role in bladder cancer biology. Glycosphingolipids are essential components of the plasma membrane and contribute to cellular communication, adhesion, signaling, and immune interactions.

In cancer, GSL expression patterns are frequently altered and can promote key hallmarks of tumor progression, including:

• Invasion and metastasis
• Immune evasion
• Therapy resistance

Glycan-Based Biomarker Discovery

Using our established xCGE-LIF platform, we perform comprehensive profiling of glycosphingolipids in:

• Bladder tumor tissues
• Urinary extracellular vesicles
• Patient-derived clinical samples

This work led to the identification of neolactotetraosylceramide (nLc4) as a bladder cancer-associated glycosphingolipid that is selectively enriched in patient urine (Moreira et al., 2025).

These findings highlight nLc4 as:

• A promising non-invasive biomarker
• A potential target for glycan-directed therapies
• A candidate for future diagnostic applications

Functional Role of Glycosylation in Cancer

Beyond biomarker discovery, our ongoing research focuses on understanding how altered glycosylation patterns influence bladder cancer biology and tumor–microenvironment interactions.

Our long-term goal is to translate glycan analytics into improved:

• Diagnostic strategies
• Patient stratification approaches
• Therapeutic concepts for bladder cancer