An Integrative National Infrastructure for Ultra-High-Field NMR in the Physical and Life Sciences

物理和生命科学领域超高场核磁共振综合国家基础设施

• 批准号: EP/X01987X/1
• 负责人: Teresa Carlomagno
• 金额: $ 764.52万
• 依托单位: University of Birmingham
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FX01987X%2F1
• 关键词: Integrative; National; Infrastructure; Ultra; Field

The University of Birmingham has come together with the Rosalind Franklin Institute (RFI) in Harwell, University College London, and the Universities of Oxford, Leicester and Southampton to build a consortium of outstanding scientists and infrastructure to host the 1.2 GHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer at the Henry Wellcome Building in Birmingham, a national NMR facility with nearly two decades of experience in serving the UK NMR community.1.2 GHz is the strongest magnetic field-strength available for high-resolution NMR studies. In the UK, this instrument - currently the only one planned nationwide - will need to serve both the physical and life science communities. To meet this challenge and to ensure that the instrument delivers the highest-quality and most relevant science, we propose a fair and transparent model of time-allocation that is entirely based on the respective needs of the physical and life science communities. Furthermore, our management plan seeks to engage the users in the decision-making processes, as well as in a community endeavour to develop methodologies that fully exploit the capabilities of ultra-high-field (UHF) NMR. This national network will be complemented by a network of international partners operating similar instruments, to ensure that the UK NMR community has a strong voice at the top-table of global UHF NMR research.We anticipate that 1.2 GHz NMR will transform our understanding in three areas: (1) the spatial and temporal resolution of biological mechanisms; (2) the structure and function of materials at the atomic level; (3) the impact of environmental and chemical agents on live cells and organisms. In all three fields, the gains brought by the 1.2 GHz spectrometer will translate into new and otherwise unreachable discoveries that will benefit human wellbeing. In health and the biological sciences, a better understanding of biological mechanisms will help define novel therapeutic strategies in contexts such as infection, cancer, neuropathologies and aging. In the physical sciences, improved characterisation of solid-state structures and properties will accelerate the development of new materials (e.g. for energy storage, electronic devices and drug formulations), as well as the design of industrial strategies for green chemistry. In environmental science, deeper insights into the effects of chemicals and pollutants on plant and microbial functions will facilitate design of effective routes of prevention and intervention.One key strength of our proposal is to embed the 1.2 GHz spectrometer in a vibrant multidisciplinary research environment, with strong local and national ecosystems of collaborative researchers and research infrastructures, including the Midlands CryoEM Hub in Leicester, the outstanding facilities of the RFI, and synchrotron and neutron-reactor facilities at DIAMOND. Our aim is to encourage and assist UK scientists in applying NMR as a complement to other biophysical-, structural- and computational techniques, including X-ray crystallography, cryoEM, mass spectrometry, and molecular- and quantum-mechanical modelling. Together, this multidisciplinary "team science" will provide essential knowledge for tackling the most critical scientific problems of today's societal challenges.Finally, we recognise that open and innovative minds are the most important resource in science. Thus, we will deliver a comprehensive and wide-ranging training programme, designed especially to attract new scientific communities to the benefits of UHF NMR in interdisciplinary research.In conclusion, our proposal would see the 1.2 GHz spectrometer sited in an outstanding environment of multidisciplinary UK researchers and high-end infrastructure, which, together with an ambitious and bespoke training programme, will guarantee that the instrument realises its full potential in enabling ground-breaking research in both the physical and life sciences.

伯明翰大学与位于哈维尔的罗莎琳德·富兰克林研究所（RFI）、伦敦大学学院、牛津大学、莱斯特大学和南安普敦大学共同建立了一个由杰出科学家组成的联盟，并建立了基础设施，在伯明翰的亨利·威康大楼（Henry Wellcome Building）托管1.2 GHz核磁共振（NMR）光谱仪。1.2 GHz是可用于高分辨率核磁共振研究的最强磁场强度。在英国，这个仪器——目前唯一一个计划在全国范围内使用的仪器——将需要同时服务于物理和生命科学界。为了应对这一挑战，并确保仪器提供最高质量和最相关的科学，我们提出了一个公平透明的时间分配模型，该模型完全基于物理和生命科学界的各自需求。此外，我们的管理计划寻求让用户参与决策过程，以及在社区努力开发充分利用超高场（UHF）核磁共振能力的方法。这个国家网络将由运营类似仪器的国际合作伙伴网络补充，以确保英国核磁共振社区在全球超高频核磁共振研究的顶级桌面上拥有强大的发言权。我们预计1.2 GHz核磁共振将在三个方面改变我们的认识：(1)生物机制的时空分辨率；(2)原子水平上材料的结构和功能；(3)环境和化学因素对活细胞和生物体的影响。在这三个领域，1.2 GHz光谱仪带来的成果将转化为新的、原本无法企及的发现，造福人类福祉。在健康和生物科学领域，更好地理解生物机制将有助于在感染、癌症、神经病理学和衰老等环境中确定新的治疗策略。在物理科学领域，固态结构和特性的改进将加速新材料的开发（例如，用于储能、电子设备和药物配方），以及绿色化学工业战略的设计。在环境科学中，更深入地了解化学物质和污染物对植物和微生物功能的影响将有助于设计有效的预防和干预途径。我们提议的一个关键优势是将1.2 GHz光谱仪嵌入一个充满活力的多学科研究环境中，拥有强大的地方和国家合作研究人员和研究基础设施生态系统，包括莱斯特的米德兰兹低温研究中心，RFI的杰出设施，以及DIAMOND的同步加速器和中子反应堆设施。我们的目标是鼓励和协助英国科学家应用核磁共振作为其他生物物理、结构和计算技术的补充，包括x射线晶体学、低温电镜、质谱、分子和量子力学建模。总之，这种多学科的“团队科学”将为解决当今社会挑战中最关键的科学问题提供必要的知识。最后，我们认识到，开放和创新的思想是科学中最重要的资源。因此，我们将提供一个全面和广泛的培训计划，特别是为了吸引新的科学团体在跨学科研究中使用超高频核磁共振的好处。总之，我们的提议将看到1.2 GHz光谱仪位于多学科英国研究人员和高端基础设施的杰出环境中，再加上雄心勃勃的定制培训计划，将保证该仪器在物理和生命科学领域实现突破性研究的全部潜力。