Bui Research Group

Bui Lab with logo

Welcome to the Bui Research Group

Our group combines bioanalytical chemistry and structural biology to uncover how glycan-mediated interactions shape viral infection, immune activation, and cancer progression.

At the heart of our work is a long-term vision: to push the boundaries of native mass spectrometry, glycoproteomics, and biophysical tools so we can better understand how glycans guide receptor recognition and immune signaling, and how these processes influence disease. By weaving together analytical chemistry, glycobiology, cancer biology, and structural biology, our interdisciplinary program seeks to reveal new molecular stories and inspire innovative therapeutic avenues in infection, immunity, and oncology.

We are looking for graduate students in both Chemistry and Biology.

If you are interested in joining the group, send your CV, transcripts and a statement of interest to Dr. Bui. 

Interested graduate students who are newly admitted to University of Waterloo are encouraged to contact Dr. Duong Bui by e-mail: duong.bui@uwaterloo.ca.

For more information about graduate admissions, please check the University of Waterloo's Future Graduate Students: How to apply page..

Selected Publications

(*co-corresponding author, ‡ contributed equally)

  • Simar Dhillon‡, Duong T. Bui‡*, Elena Kitova, Lara K. Mahal, John S. Klassen*. Going with the Flow: Mechanistic Insights into Slow Mixing Mode  Native Mass Spectrometry. ChemRxiv. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2025, 36, 2502-2508.
  • Silvia D’Andrea, Edward N. Schmidt, Duong T. Bui, Ojas Singh, Ling Han, Lara K. Mahal, John S. Klassen, Mathew S. Macauley, Elisa Fadda. Glycolipid Recognition and Binding by Siglec-6 Hinges on Interactions with the Cell Membrane. bioRxiv 2025, 2025.06.21.660838. Commun. Biol. 2025. Accepted
  • Duong T. Bui, Elena N. Kitova, Ling Han, Lara K. Mahal, John S. Klassen. Quantifying Protein-Glycan Interactions using Native Mass Spectrometry. 2025. Mass Spectrom. Rev. In press
  • Taylor E. Gray, Kristin B. Labasan, Gour Daskhan, Duong T. Bui, Maju Joe, Dhanraj Kumawat, Edward N. Schmidt, John S. Klassen, Matthew S. Macauley. Synthesis of 4-azido sialic acid for testing against Siglec-7 and in metabolic oligosaccharide engineering. RSC Chem. Biol. 2025, 6, 869-881.
  • Anna E. Grzegorzewicz, Duong T. Bui, Prithwiraj De1, Elena N. Kitova, Juan M. Belardinelli, Shiva K. Angala, Zuzana Palčeková, Kristin Schwechel, Rainer Kalscheuer, John S. Klassen, Mary Jackson. Biosynthesis, fatty acid- and cation-binding properties of Mycobacterium tuberculosis methylglucose lipopolysaccharides. ACS Infect. Dis. 2025. 11, 1114-1128.
  • Dhanraj Kumawat, Taylor E. Gray, Cole R. Garnier, Duong T. Bui, Zhixiong Li, Zeinab Jame-Chenarboo, Jeremy Jerasi, Warren O. Wong, John S. Klassen, Chantelle J. Capicciotti, and Matthew S. Macauley. A kinetic trapping approach for facile access to 3FaxNeu5Ac and a photo-cross-linkable sialyltransferase probe. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 28630-28634.
  • Duong T. Bui, Elena N. Kitova, Pavel I. Kitov, Ling Han, Lara K. Mahal, and John S. Klassen. Deciphering Pathways and Thermodynamics of Protein Assembly Using Native Mass Spectrometry. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 28809-28821.
  • James Favell, Duong T. Bui, Jianing Li, Ling Han, Elena N. Kitova, Edward N. Schmidt, Raelynn Brassard, Pavel I. Kitov, Yves St-Pierre, Lara K. Mahal, Joanne M . Lemieux, Matthew S. Macauley, and John S. Klassen. Elusive Protein–Glycosphingolipid Interactions Revealed by Membrane Anchor-Assisted (MEAN) Native Mass Spectrometry. J. Am. Chem. Soc.2024, 146, 21700-21709.
  • Dissecting the abilities of murine Siglecs to interact with gangliosides. Edward N. Schmidt, Xue Y. Guo, Jaesoo Jung, Duong T. Bui, John S. Klassen, Matthew S. Macauley. J. Biol. Chem. 2024, 107482.
  • Chih-Lan Lin, Mirat Sojitra, Eric J. Carpenter, Ellen S. Hayhoe, Susmita Sarkar, Elizabeth A. Volker, Chao Wang, Duong T. Bui, Lori Yang, John S. Klassen, Peng Wu, Matthew S. Macauley, Todd L. Lowary, and Ratmir Derda. Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Genetically-Encoded Multivalent Liquid N-glycan Arrays. Nat. Commun. 2023, 14, 5237.
  • Duong T. Bui, James Favell, Elena N. Kitova, Zhixiong Li, Kelli A. McCord, Edward N. Schmidt, Fahima Mozaneh, Amr El-Hawiet, Stephen M. Tomkins, Yves St-Pierre, Matthew S. Macauley, Lara K. Mahal, Morris R. Flynn and John S. Klassen. Quantitative Shotgun Glycomics using Concentration-Independent (COIN) Native Mass Spectrometry. ACS Cent. Sci. 2023. 9, 1374-1387.
  • Zhixiong Li, Duong T. Bui, Yanxiang Shao, Elena N. Kitova, Stephanie White, Danny Vesprini, Stanley Liu, Lara K. Mahal, Hon S. Leong and John S. Klassen. Native Mass Spectrometry Quantitatiion of α2-3-linked N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Content of Prostate-Specific Antigen: An Accurate Liquid Biopsy for Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer. Anal. Chem. 2023. 95, 10903-10912.
  • Andreea A. Gheorghita, Yancheng E. Li, Elena N. Kitova, Duong T. Bui, Roland Pfoh ,Kristin E. Low, Gregory B. Whitfield, Marthe T. C. Walvoort, Qingju Zhang, Jeroen D. C. Codée, John S. Klassen, P. Lynne Howell. Structure of the AlgKX modification and secretion complex required for alginate production and biofilm attachment in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nat. Commun. 2022, 13, 7631.
  • Duong T. Bui, Elena N. Kitova, Lara K. Mahal and John S. Klassen. Mass Spectrometry-Based Shotgun Glycomics for Discovery of Natural Ligands of Glycan-Binding Proteins. Curr.Opin. Struct. Biol. 2022, 77, 102448.
  • Duong T. Bui, Zhixiong Li, Pavel I. Kitov, Ling Han, Elena N. Kitova, Marlène Fortier, Camille Fuselier, Philippine Granger Joly de Boissel, David Chatenet, Nicolas Doucet, Stephen M. Tompkins, Yves St-Pierre, Lara K. Mahal, and John S. Klassen. Quantifying Biomolecular Interactions using Slow Mixing Mode (SLOMO) Nanoflow ESI-MS. ACS Cent. Sci. 2022. 08, 963–974
  • Duong T. Bui, Jaesoo Jung, Elena N. Kitova, Zhixiong Li, Steven D. Willows, Marie E. Boddington, Pavel I. Kitov, Andrew L. Mason, Chantelle J. Capicciotti, Lara K. Mahal, Matthew S. Macauley and John S. Klassen.  Mass Spectrometry-Based Shotgun Glycomics Using Labeled Glycan Libraries. Anal. Chem. 2022, 94, 4997–5005.
  • Linh Nguyen, Kelli A. McCord, Duong T. Bui, Kim M. Bouwman, Elena N. Kitova, Mohamed Elaish, Dhanraj Kumawat, Gour C. Daskhan, Ilhan Tomris, Ling Han, Pradeep Chopra, Tzu-Jing Yang, Steven D. Willows, Andrew L. Mason, Lara K. Mahal, Todd L. Lowary, Lori J. West, Shang-Te Danny Hsu, Tom Hobman, Stephen M. Tompkins, Geert-Jan Boons, Robert P. de Vries, Matthew S. Macauley & John S. Klassen.  Sialic acid-containing glycolipids mediate binding and viral entry of SARS-CoV-2. Nat. Chem. Biol.  2022, 18, 81–90
  • Zhixiong Li, Pavel I. Kitov, Elena N. Kitova, Duong T. Bui, Kelley W. Moremen, Warren W. Wakarchuk, Lara K. Mahal, Matthew S. Macauley, and John S. Klassen.  *Quantifying Carbohydrate-Active Enzyme Activity with Glycoprotein Substrates Using Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry and Center-of-Mass Monitoring.  Anal. Chem. 2021, 93, 46, 15262–15270.
  • Jaesoo Jung, Jhon R. Enterina, Duong T. Bui, Fahima Mozaneh, Po-Han Lin, Nitin, Chu-Wei Kuo, Emily Rodrigues, Abhishek Bhattacherjee, Parisa Raeisimakiani, Gour C. Daskhan, Chris D. St. Laurent, Kay-Hooi Khoo, Lara K. Mahal, Wesley F. Zandberg, Xuefei Huang, John S. Klassen, and Matthew S. Macauley. Carbohydrate Sulfation as a Mechanism for Fine-Tuning Siglec Ligands. ACS Chem. Biol. 2021, 16, 2673–2689
  • Erick G. Báez Bolivar, Duong T. Bui, Elena N. Kitova, Ling Han, Ruixiang B. Zheng, Erik J. Luber, Sayed Youssef Sayed, Lara K. Mahal, and John S. Klassen. Submicron Emitters Enable Reliable Quantification of Weak Protein–Glycan Interactions by ESI-MS. Anal. Chem. 2021, 93, 4231–4239.