Structural Biology and Synchrotron Radiation: Assesment of Resources and Needs

通过在阿贡和伯克利建造新的设施，结构生物学家被触发评估他们目前和未来对同步辐射的需求。在将提交为新仪器提供资金的主要申请的时候，很明显，关于结构生物界目前或未来对同步辐射的需求的文件很少。结构生物学同步加速器用户组织建议举办一次为期两天的密集研讨会，以记录和评估这些资源和需求，并就国家科学基金会作为结构生物学研究赞助商的角色提供建议。拟议的研究小组将1)分析从同步加速器用户和同步加速器设施收集的描述当前资源和需求的数据；2)评估基因工程、低角度散射、X射线光谱分析、X射线显微镜、结晶学、计算技术和仪器开发等领域的科学发展如何影响当今的结构生物学；3)预测未来的需求和能力；以及4)制定一份详细说明这些发现的文件。这份文件由这些领域的主要科学家审阅，将提供给资助组织、政府机构和科学界，以促进对未来的规划。

Structural biologists have been triggered to evaluate their current and future needs for synchrotron radiation by construction of new facilities at Argonne and at Berkeley. At a time when major requests will be submitted for funding of new instrumentation, it has become apparent that scant documentation exists on either the current or future needs of the structural biology community for synchrotron radiation. The Structural Biology Synchrotron Users Organization proposes to conduct an intensive, two-day workshop in order to document and assess these resources and needs and to advise the National Science Foundation in its role as sponsor of structural biology research. The proposed study group would 1) analyze data gathered from synchrotron users and synchrotron facilities that describe current resources and needs; 2) evaluate how scientific developments in the fields of genetic engineering, low-angle scattering, X-ray spectroscopy, x-ray microscopy, crystallography, computational technology, and instrument development affect structural biology today; 3) project future demand and capabilities; and 4) produce a document detailing these findings. The document, reviewed by major scientists in these fields, would be available to funding organizations, government bodies and the scientific community to facilitate planning for the future.