MRI: Acquisition of modern x-ray diffraction equipment to enhance research and training

MRI：购置现代 X 射线衍射设备以加强研究和培训

• 批准号: 1228874
• 负责人: Sean Johnson
• 金额: $ 31.32万
• 依托单位: Utah State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-07-15 至 2015-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1228874&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; modern; ray; diffraction

This NSF MRI award will be used to acquire a new rotating anode x-ray generator and optics for macromolecular crystallography, completing a multi-year effort to bring state-of-the-art crystallographic facilities to Utah State University. The equipment supports a number of researchers on the USU campus and surrounding institutions who depend on structural information but would otherwise have limited or no access to structural methods. The improved x-ray capabilities provided through this award will significantly enhance efforts to determine high-resolution crystal structures of large biological molecules. The projects supported by these facilities are wide-ranging and include investigation of RNA surveillance, phosphoryl transfer, metabolic engineering, post-translational modification, hydrocarbon metabolism, evolutionary adaptation and biofuel synthesis.Structural studies play an essential role in all areas of biological and biochemical research, and are an indispensable component of student training. Facilities for macromolecular crystallography are extremely limited in the Intermountain Region of the United States. The crystallographic facilities located on the USU campus provide a critical resource for researchers throughout the area. The increased capability and reliability of a modern x-ray source will promote increased use by the current users as well as other research groups at USU and the surrounding region. This new state-of-the-art instrumentation, combined with a long-term focus on collaborative research and training, brings the full impact of structural biology to a smaller, geographically remote institution. It further provides a model that may be reproduced in similar environments. A training plan is in place for maximizing usage of the instrument. Our approach (1) enables research groups to perform crystallographic experiments independently, and (2) provides widespread exposure to structural methods. New coursework has been designed to teach crystallographic methods at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Significant financial resources are available on the USU campus for support of undergraduate research, and each of the PIs have established track records engaging undergraduate students in their research efforts. Outreach efforts include integration of structural biology into a summer high school research program supported by the department. The expanded course offerings and student mentoring, coupled with faculty scientific expertise and new state-of-the-art instrumentation, will give widespread exposure and direct access to the rapidly expanding field of structural biology.

这项NSF MRI奖将用于购买新的旋转阳极X射线发生器和用于大分子结晶学的光学元件，完成了为犹他州立大学带来最先进的结晶学设施的多年努力。该设备支持USU校园和周围机构的一些研究人员，他们依赖结构信息，但否则将无法获得或无法获得结构方法。通过该奖项提供的改进的X射线能力将大大加强确定大生物分子的高分辨率晶体结构的努力。这些设施支持的项目范围广泛，包括RNA监测、磷酸转移、代谢工程、翻译后修饰、碳氢代谢、进化适应和生物燃料合成等研究。结构研究在生物和生化研究的所有领域都发挥着重要作用，是学生培训不可或缺的组成部分。在美国的山间地区，大分子结晶学的设备极其有限。位于密歇根州立大学校园的结晶学设施为整个地区的研究人员提供了重要的资源。现代x射线源能力和可靠性的提高将促进现有用户以及南加州大学和周边地区的其他研究小组增加使用量。这种新的最先进的仪器，再加上对合作研究和培训的长期关注，将结构生物学的全面影响带到了一个较小的、地理位置偏远的机构。它还提供了一个可以在类似环境中复制的模型。已经制定了培训计划，以最大限度地利用仪器。我们的方法(1)使研究小组能够独立进行结晶学实验，(2)提供对结构方法的广泛接触。新的课程设计是为了教授本科生和研究生的结晶学方法。USU校区有大量的财政资源用于支持本科生的研究，每个私人投资机构都建立了吸引本科生参与他们的研究努力的记录。外展努力包括将结构生物学整合到教育部支持的夏季高中研究项目中。扩大的课程设置和学生指导，加上教师的科学专业知识和新的最先进的仪器，将使人们广泛接触并直接进入迅速扩大的结构生物学领域。