Structural biology
ELI Beamlines: Fast track access for coronavirus-related research
The Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI Beamlines) offers rapid access to the experimental cluster for advanced ultrafast optical spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, to support the investigation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus characteristics and the development of possible vaccine and treatments. More information about the ELI Beamlines scientific cluster can be found here. Proposals and experiments will be supported by Research Programme 4 for Applications in Molecular, Bio-medical and Material Science, jointly with the ELIBIO Project teams. More information on available support (bio and bio-chemical) labs is available here.
ALBA Synchrotron: Rapid access to beamlines
ALBA Synchrotron assigns high priority to the projects related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The operations have stopped until 25 April, but the call is open, the proposals will be processed, and beam time will be provided as soon as it will be available. A “COVID-19 Rapid Access” call has been established, valid through the year 2020. Quick peer and safety review will be applied to the received proposals.
TRANSVAC2: Support for COVID-19 vaccine development
TRANSVAC2 has redirected the currently open call to focus on SARS-Cov2 vaccine efforts. Researchers developing vaccine candidates against COVID-19 are encouraged to apply and benefit from all TRANSVAC2 services, such as:
- Adjuvant formulation (Vaccine Formulation Institute and Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research)
- Structural Biology (INSTRUCT)
- Animal models (CEA, BPRC, IRTA-CReSA and Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research Clinical Trial Support)
- ECRIN (European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network)
- Regulatory support (EATRIS and European Vaccine Initiative)
ESRF-EBS: Priority access to bio-imaging and structural biology facilities
The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility Extremely Brilliant Source (ESRF-EBS), in collaboration with its EPN Science campus partners, ILL, EMBL, IBS, is ready to provide access to a unique combination of state-of-the-art facilities and common platforms for structural biology and bio-imaging for COVID-19 related research projects. This exceptional access will be granted with the aim to contribute to the international scientific effort to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, and the available facilities include its cryo-electron microscope and its structural biology beamlines.
ISIS: Rapid access upon re-opening
Building on detailed atomic structural information from the research community,nthe application of neutron techniques is capable of providing unique insights, particularly in relation to the fundamental understanding and benchmarking of COVID-19 diagnosis and therapeutics development stages. The ISIS Neutron & Muon Source has rapid and flexible access mechanisms in operation routinely which will enable to these research tools and capabilities to be available for the international research effort upon the earliest resumption of operations.
ILL: Rapid access to beam time
The Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), plans to run 2 more cycles in 2020 which will constitute a significant opportunity to perform early research related to Covid-19 on many of our neutron scattering instruments. In addition to the instruments, there is access to deuteration facilities and shared biology and soft matter facilities with partner institutes on the EPN campus - the ESRF, EMBL and IBS. For rapid access to beam time, Director's Discretionary Time (for full experiments) and Easy Access (for short measurements) should be used.
JCNS: Rapid access to beam time
In order to contribute to the research on the corona virus SARS-CoV-2, JCNS has decided to offer its instruments via a special proposal round with privileged access, giving them priority over all other applications for beam time. All interested scientists are kindly invited to submit their experiment proposal to the JCNS User Office per email without any pre-defined template and without any deadline. Submitted proposals will be assessed as soon as possible to ensure access to the instrument during the next reactor cycle planned between May 5 and June 3, 2020.
ESS-DEMAX: Priority access
The European Spallation Source (ESS) Deuteration and Macromolecular Crystallisation Support Lab, DEMAX, is already functioning on a small scale and we can provide expertise, advice, and limited materials to support research to address the critical need to understand and shut down the coronavirus disease, COVID-19. ESS will prioritise requests for the production of deuterated proteins, DNA, and some types of small molecules such as detergents and lipids that are all potentially useful for neutron scattering studies of viral components. In addition, as experienced scientists in small angle scattering, chemistry, structural biology, reflectometry, and crystallography we can also assist with structural modeling and data analysis.
BNC: Rapid access to neutron beam time
Budapest Neutron Centre (BNC) announced that the beamline proposal deadline for the 2020 autumn cycles has been postponed until 15 May. However, rapid access proposals are still being accepted, where priority access will be given to projects related to the fight against the CoVid-19 pandemic. Email communication of the users with the BNC user office and with the instrument staff is encouraged via addresses available on the BNC website. The reactor is presently scheduled to restart on 11 May, and priority measurements will be performed as the actual state regulations allow the staff, users and reactor to be back in operation.
PSI-SLS: Priority access to beamtime
Following the Swiss and international recommendations to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 disease, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is in limited operation until April 19. Swiss Light Source (SLS) is in limited operation and offers Priority access call for work on combating COVID-19.