Dear All, January 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. 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_Pho...) Specific features are summarized below. 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 positioning stage. 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. Beamlines 5.0.1, 5.0.2, 5.0.3: 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. 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 [email protected] for 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'd like to apply for May/June 2010 beamtime at the Advanced Light Source, please submit a General User proposal by March 15, 2010. If you have any questions or would like to request open beamtime, please e-mail [email protected]. 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 Beamline 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 CCTBX: http://cctbx.sf.net -----------------------------------------------------------------