Crystallography and Computational Biosciences Shared Resource

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CRYSTALLOGRAPHY AND COMPUTATIONAL BIOSCIENCES SHARED RESOURCE Project Summary The Crystallography and Computational Biosciences Shared Resource (CCBSR) is a highly-specialized Resource that provides Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (WFBCCC) members with access to expertise, consultation, and state-of-the-art structural and computational biology approaches. The resulting data enhance ongoing, peer-reviewed projects and new funding applications. The CCBSR's scientific importance centers on the need to understand the structural basis for protein-protein, protein-DNA/RNA, and protein-ligand/drug interactions; and how dynamics affect these interactions. The use of the CCBSR has steadily increased, as have the depth and breadth of projects. From 2011−2015, the Co-Directors have worked with 27 laboratories from 11 departments (74% WFBCCC members; all with peer-reviewed funding) to publish 36 manuscripts, solve 9 new structures, perform experiments for 18 existing and newly-funded grants, and collect preliminary data for new funding applications. The CCBSR has three co-Directors (W. Todd Lowther, Ph.D.; Thomas Hollis, Ph.D.; Fred Salsbury, Ph.D.), each with different areas of scientific, experimental, and computational expertise. Therefore, after initial consultation, one or more of the Co-Directors assists the WFBCCC member with the development of their project, matching the project to the expertise of a specific Co- Director. The Specific Aims of the CCBSR are to: 1) Determine the appropriate crystallography and/or computational approach for structural analysis of important biomolecules in cancer research; 2) Conduct initial crystallization trials or simulations to generate preliminary data for grant applications; and 3) Provide facilities and expertise for funded projects to determine the structure of important biomolecules in cancer research. The crystallography component is managed by the WFBCCC but also has institutional funding. The Co-Directors attend the quarterly WFBCCC Shared Resources meeting, which includes discussions on activity, best practices, enhanced capabilities, and administrative management techniques. These meetings provide an overview of operations, finances, and utilization, and facilitate regular evaluation by WFBCCC leadership.