Research lead
Diamond, the UK’s national synchrotron, has turned on its latest beamline, which is designed for experiments requiring circular dichroism. This technique that makes it possible to study of biological structures that do not readily form crystals.
This beamline, Diamond’s 13th, will enable the investigation and observation of structural and dynamic interactions of proteins, nucleic acids and small chiral molecules.
While commercial laboratory-based circular dichroism instruments are available to do similar studies, the Diamond beamline offers the advantage of a synchrotron source – high flux (with a spectral range of 140 to 700 nanometres), a small beam, in this case about 0.7x2 millimetres at the sample, and a team with 15 years of research experience in the field.
Over the next six to nine months, Diamond will accept a small number of experienced users to help to commission the beamline. Giuliano Siligardi, Principal Beamline Scientist, aims to push the technique to new boundaries. “In future it might be possible to extract 3D information from circular dichroism measurements in solution,” he said.
The circular dichroism beamline is part of the second phase of construction at Diamond which is due to be complete in 2012. A further 9 beamlines are due to be added, bringing the total beamlines to 22.
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