A National Network for Applications of High-Field NMR in the Life and Physical Sciences

核磁共振（NMR）光谱是一种非常强大的技术，用于物理和生命科学的许多领域，包括化学，材料科学和生物学的所有分支。它提供了大量关于溶液中的（生物）分子和固体状态下的材料和不溶性分子的信息。提高NMR光谱仪的工作频率可以提高灵敏度和分辨率。在处理少量（数十微克）样品或大生物大分子（蛋白质、DNA、碳水化合物）时，两者都是必需的。类似地，特别是对于某些原子核，固态核磁共振在更高的频率下会产生额外的好处.因此，存在只有高场光谱仪才能解决特定问题的情况。然而，甚高场和超高场光谱仪是有成本的，主要与其超导磁体的开发和生产有关。因此，必须通过许多研究小组的共享，有效地使用这些仪器。现代NMR光谱仪是多功能设备，可以定制以处理一系列样品，因此可以跨学科和应用（例如液态与固态）共享。因此，来自英国各地的光谱学家在广泛的科学学科中工作，他们同意努力制定一项协调战略，共享甚高和超高场NMR设备，以支持广泛领域的基础和应用科学，包括电池和太阳能电池板研究，酶催化，药物发现，食品安全，了解疾病或环境基质的表征。通过分享技术先进的方法，对英国社会的影响将最大化，无论是在学术界和工业界，从而促进英国的经济活力和整体福祉。作为这一战略的一部分，苏格兰NMR研究人员代表所有苏格兰大学和CRUK Beatson研究所，已决定建立苏格兰高场（SHF）核磁共振中心周围的升级800兆赫核磁共振光谱仪设在SoC在UoE。这次升级将使光谱仪具备最新的核磁共振能力，用于液态和固态实验。我们会在第一年安装两个低温探头、MAS控制器、高功率1H放大器和三个固态探头，然后在第三年升级控制台，以确保中心在资助期结束后继续运作。为这台光谱仪配备最新的技术和利用现有的磁铁是实现我们目标的最经济的选择：为物理和生命科学研究人员提供液态和固态NMR方面的尖端支持，以产生重大的学术和工业影响。这台升级后的800 MHz液体/固体NMR光谱仪的测量时间将由所有苏格兰大学、CRUK Beatson研究所和UoE研究人员共享。该中心的持续运作将得到苏格兰、SULSA和ScotCHEM的参与机构和生命和化学科学伞式组织的财政支持。重要的是，该中心将由所有参与机构的工作人员负责运作，并将以该中心为协调中心，采用中心辐射模式管理苏格兰中高磁场核磁共振波谱仪的使用。这将优化核磁共振设备的使用，促进英国超高场光谱仪的使用，促进日常合作，确保信息交流和最佳实践的传播。SHF核磁共振中心将改变高场核磁共振在学术界和工业界应用于化学、生物、环境和材料科学的方式。它将成为与其他区域和国家甚高场和超高场英国NMR中心互动的平台。

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a very powerful technique used in many fields of physical and life sciences, including all branches of chemistry, material sciences and biology. It provides wealth of information about (bio)molecules in solution and materials and insoluble molecules in solid state.Increasing the operating frequency of NMR spectrometers leads to higher sensitivity and resolution. Both are required when working with small (tens of micrograms) amounts of sample, or with large biomacromolecules (proteins, DNA, carbohydrates). Similarly, and especially for some nuclei, solid- state NMR accrues additional benefits at higher frequencies. There are therefore instances where only high-field spectrometers can solve a particular problem. However, very-high field and ultra-high field spectrometers come at a cost, largely associated with the development and production of their superconducting magnets. It is therefore imperative that such instrumentation is used efficiently through sharing by many research groups. Modern NMR spectrometers are versatile pieces of equipment that can be customised to tackle a range of samples, so sharing across disciplines and applications (e.g. liquid- vs solid-state) is possible. Spectroscopists from across the UK working in a wide-range of scientific disciplines have therefore agreed to work towards a coordinated strategy for sharing very-high and ultra-high field NMR equipment to underpin fundamental and applied sciences in a wide range of areas, ranging from battery and solar panel research, enzyme catalysis, drug discovery, food security, understanding disease or characterisation of environmental matrices. By sharing technologically advanced methodologies, the impact on the UK society will be maximised, both in the academia and industry, thus contributing to the UK economic viability and overall well-being.As part of this strategy, Scottish NMR researchers representing all Scottish universities and the CRUK Beatson Institute, have decided to establish Scottish High Field (SHF) NMR Centre around the upgraded 800 MHz NMR spectrometer housed in the SoC at UoE. This upgrade will equip the spectrometer with up-to-date NMR capabilities for liquid- and solid-state experiments. This involves installation of two CryoProbes, MAS controller, high power 1H amplifier and three solid-state probes in Year 1, followed by the upgrade of the console in Year 3 to guarantee continued operation of the Centre beyond the duration of the grant.Equipping this spectrometer with the latest technology and utilising the existing magnet is the most economical option that will fulfil our aim: to provide cutting edge support in liquid- and solid-state NMR to physical and life sciences researchers to deliver significant academic and industrial impact. The measurement time on this upgraded 800-MHz liquids/solid-state NMR spectrometer will be shared between researchers from all Scottish universities, CRUK Beatson Institute and UoE researchers. Sustained operation of the Centre will be guaranteed by the financial support of participating institutions and umbrella organisations of life and chemical sciences in Scotland, SULSA and ScotCHEM. Importantly, the Centre will be operated by staff from all participating institutions.Using the Centre as the focal point, a hub and spoke model will be used to manage access to the mid- to high-magnetic field NMR spectrometers in Scotland. This will optimise access to NMR equipment and facilitate access to ultra-high field spectrometers in England, foster day-to-day cooperation, ensure exchange of information and dissemination of best practise.The SHF NMR Centre will transform the way high-field NMR is applied to chemistry, biology, environmental and material sciences in academia and industry. It will form a platform for interactions with other regional and national very-high field and ultra-high field UK NMR centres.