My main research focus is on the conformational analysis of microbial polysaccharides. Characterisation of carbohydrate molecular conformation remains a central problem in glycobiology and molecular models are increasingly used to interpret experimental results. In particular, for many bacterial species, the external capsular polysaccharides which surround the cells are essential for bacterial virulence and vaccine-induced serum antibodies against capsular polysaccharides can confer resistance to pneumococcal disease. I employ molecular modelling methods to investigate and predict polysaccharide conformations produced by pathogen bacteria (e.g pneumococcus, meningococcus) and fungi (e.g. Candida Albicans, Cryptococcus Neoforms). This conformational information can give insights into possible cross-protection (or the lack thereof) between serogroups and thus inform the development of anti-microbial vaccines. I have developed the CarbBuilder research software for the building of carbohydrate models from primary structure information: CarbBuilder can build models of a wide variety of carbohydrate structures, ranging from monosaccharides to large, branched polysaccharides.