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Industrial Liaison Group:
Tel: +44 (0) 1235 778797
E-mail: [email protected]
VMXi will be the first beamline of its kind solely dedicated to in situ experiments, i.e. from crystals presented in their crystallisation media, rather than being transferred to a sample holder and exposed to X-rays under cryogenic conditions. The beamline will have the capacity to store thousands of user crystallisation experiments. It will also feature automated transfer between sample storage and the beamline, as well as highly automated data collection and analysis. Our users will interact remotely with the beamline and request X-ray analysis without the need for their direct participation in the X-ray experiment. This approach will allow for the study of crystals as they emerge and for the collection of data from all crystals, including those that are too fragile to handle and those that cannot be cryo-cooled.
(L) First light detected on a YAG screen before sample position.
(R) First light detected on a X-ray pixel detector.
"Over the years I02 has generated so many great structures. Most notably, the 2010 structure from Peter Cherepanov’s group on Retroviral intasome assembly and inhibition of DNA strand transfer (DOI: 10.1038/nature08784). This was great work and an example where structural insight helped explain a fundamental biological mechanism. More recently, I02 has been part of producing ground breaking scientific results illustrated nicely by the structures published a month ago from Dave Stuart’s group revealing how Toremifene interacts with and destabilises the Ebola virus glycoprotein (DOI: 10.1038/nature18615). Closing I02 down is not the end – it is the beginning. We will be back online at the end of the year with the new VMXi beamline. VMXi is a completely new type of beamline where we will collect data straight from crystallisation trial on this 100% automatically operated beamline."
The Experimental Hutch of VMXi within yellow lead shielding enclosures (left). Plates will be transferred from the long storage Formulatrix imagers to the short term storage (yellow box) by a Mitsubishi robotic arm mounted on rails (right).
Available energy (keV) | 10 - 25 |
Available wavelengths (Å) | 0.42 - 1.25 |
Band-pass (ΔE/E) | DMM 5 x 10-3 DCM 10-4 |
Beam size at sample | 5 x 5 μm2 min 30 x 30 μm2 max |
Photon flux at 13 keV | DMM >1014 ph/s DCM >2 x 1012 ph/s |
Beam position stability at sample | <0.25 μm (0.1-100 Hz) |
Endstation Deliverables
Techniques expected for day 1 use | Automated screening and interactive data collection of samples in standard SBS format crystallisation plates using wide band pass beam from multilayer-based monochromator |
Key performance parameters | Ability to screen 4000 100 μm2 regions of interest in 24 hours. Accuracy between off-line and on-line positioning of samples should be better that 0.5 μm |
Sample environment (cryostats etc.) | 4°C and 20°C sample environment. Local storage, sample visualisation, dedicated goniometer |
Robot/Sample manipulation | Plate handling robot for automated handling. 10 second exchange time between sample position and local storage. 1 minute exchange time between local storage and long-term storage |
The new beamline will start operation in December 2016 with trial runs. A group of users (including industrial partners who have already expressed interest in VMXi) will work with the beamline team to improve it and meet the needs of the whole scientific community. Over the first two years there will be a staged release of increased features (not all of the features listed above will be available from day 1 of operation). However, the beamline is expected to have rapid turnaround needed to boost users’ projects outcome.
Please note that access to the beamline will be restricted to Diamond personnel only. This will guarantee the highest confidentiality to industrial projects.
If you would like to find out more about VMXi and its industrial applications, please contact the Diamond Industrial Liaison Group on +44 (0)1235 778797, [email protected] or you can follow us on Twitter @DiamondILO or LinkedIn.
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