Structural Biology Core Facility

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Structural Biology Core Facility The Structural Biology Core is a 'super core' that provides an integrated platform of expertise, education, and infrastructure to make structural biology available as tools to LCCC researchers. The Core allows engaging in high-resolution studies using X-ray crystallography, multi-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and/or computational methods. The Core offers access to equipment for, and expert guidance of users through, all stages of structure determination projects: homology modeling, construct design, protein expression & purification, crystallization, structure determination, structure analysis, biophysical studies, molecular dynamics studies, presentation & publication. The utility of the available resources is demonstrated by numerous structural studies that contribute to the understanding of cancer-related processes at the atomic level and that can be used to develop potential new therapies through structure aided drug design. The Core is led by a team of highly experienced structural biologists with proven track records in cancer-related research In 2009, 32 LCCC members, all peer-reviewed accounted for 82% of total Core use.. With the recruitment of a director for the Core, Dr. Machius, in the summer of 2009, there has been a reorganization of the facilities, together with substantial renovations and equipment acquisition. As a result of the expanded services and increased demand, the number of projects is increasing sharply. Additional personnel are required to fulfill the needs of LCCC members. Renovations are currently underway to consolidate the Structural Biology facilities into contiguous space, providing a single point of access to resources and allowing for fighter integration of equipment and personnel. Also, an efficient interface is being formed between the Structural Biology Core and the Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (directed by Dr. Stephen Frye), which will establish a comprehensive pipeline available to LCCC members for the development of novel anti-cancer drugs based on insights gained from structural biology projects. For 2010, the LCCC requests $119,367, an increase of 29% for additional personnel). CCSG funds are projected to be 15% of operating costs.