[phenixbb] Beamtime at the ALS-BCSB beamlines

[Peter Zwart]

Dear All,

July 15, 2010 is the deadline for the March/April 2010 Rapid Access Proposal
cycle.

All Berkeley Center for Structural Biology(BCSB) beamlines are equipped
with ADSC Q315/Q315R detectors, automated sample changers and data
collection software enabling high-throughput crystal screening and data
collection.

Remote data collection is available on all BCSB beamlines, providing
the user with the full complement of sample visualization, sample
manipulation, beamline control, data acquisition and data analysis tools
exactly as they would see them if they were stationed at the beamline. The
main difference between local operation and remote operation, is the length
of the network cable!  This enhanced remote operation capability is coupled
with 22hr onsite support by BCSB staff who are able to assist immediately
with loading additional samples for remote users or troubleshoot any issues
that might arise. Remote users can furthermore be kept up-to-date on
changes in ring status via an SMS service (
http://bcsb.als.lbl.gov/wiki/index.php/Ring_Status_Notifications_to_Cell_Phone)
or via twitter (@AlsRingStatus).

Specific features are summarized below.


Beamlines 5.0.1, 5.0.2, 5.0.3:
--------------------------------------

Beamline 5.0.2 is equipped with a novel variable collimator allowing users
to adjust the beamsize continuously and on the fly between 25 and 100
micron, both horizontally and vertically. With a collimator setting of 30x30
micron, typical exposures are around 1 to 2 second.

The Berkeley Automounter sample handling system has a routine capacity of
96 samples (6 pucks). In a typical high-throughput screening mode, the
mount-to-mount time is around 2.5 minutes per sample, allowing users to
screen a full puck within 45 minutes.

The sector 5 beamline user stations are equipped with fully high-adjustable,
ergonomically friendly work stations.


Beamlines 8.2.1 and 8.2.2:
-----------------------------------

To facilitate studies on small crystals, a microdiffractometer was installed
in the beamline 8.2.1 endstation. The new equipment allows precise sample
positioning to within 2 microns, excellent sample viewing of very small
crystals, and an off-axis crystal positioningstage.

Both beamlines 8.2.1 and 8.2.2 feature a Rigaku sample changer
(Actor), allowing remote operations to now be a routine mode of access
for these beamlines.


Data analyses in the BCSB is facilitated by software maintained by sbgrid (
http://www.sbgrid.org).  A 16 core linux machine is available for our
users to process their data and solve/refine their structure.

An additional mode of access to the BCSB beamlines is through
the Collaborative Crystallography (CC) Program. Users apply for beamtime via
the general user program, and collaborate with an expert crystallographer
who will conduct the experiments and data reduction on behalf of the
researchers. Depending on the users, structure solution, model building and
refinement can be carried out as well.  Please contact
BCSBBeamtime at lbl.govfor more information.

Please visit http://bcsb.lbl.gov/ for more details about the Center and its
beamlines.

To find out more, click on:

http://www.als.lbl.gov/als/quickguide/independinvest.html

We invite you to submit a proposal at:

http://alsusweb.lbl.gov/

Scroll down to "Structural Biology beamines (includes protein SAXS)."

Click on "New Proposal."

If you have any questions or would like to request open beamtime,
please e-mail BCSBBeamtime at lbl.gov.

Please note that executed user agreements must be received by LBNL
prior to beamtime. Proprietary fees, if applicable, must be received
by LBNL at least five working days prior to scheduled beamtime.


-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
P.H. Zwart
Research Scientist
Berkeley Center for Structural Biology
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories
1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA-94703, USA
Cell: 510 289 9246
BCSB:      http://bcsb.als.lbl.gov
PHENIX:   http://www.phenix-online.org
SASTBX:  http://sastbx.als.lbl.gov
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