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October 2, 2014

Archived: Ensuring Synchrotron Beamline Access for Biomedical Researchers

By Amy Swain
The National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) closed earlier this week as a newer, more advanced facility, NSLS-II, began to come online. Thousands of NIH researchers have used beamlines at NSLS over the last 30 years to collect data to characterize biological macromolecules including drug targets, ion pumps and enzymes. Because the beamlines for biological research at NSLS-II will not be available until 2016, other synchrotron facilities are temporarily expanding their capacity to address the beamline reduction. Here are some sources that will help you identify and access beamlines at other U.S. synchrotrons:
  • BNL Transition Topics
  • Biosync: A Structural Biologist’s Guide to High Energy Data Collection Facilities
  • Lightsources.org
  • NIGMS Biomedical Technology Research Resources: Synchrotrons
If you have questions about NIH-funded synchrotron resources, please contact me or Ward Smith.
topic News , Resources

About the Author

Amy Swain

Before leaving NIGMS in January 2016, Amy oversaw a portfolio of biomedical technology programs. With a background in crystallography, she specifically managed technology grants for structural biology and for informatics, and she was a key contact for NIH synchrotron activities.