Diamond Concise Annual Review 2019/20

28 29 Integrated Facilities and Collaborations W ith a large number of scientific collaborations and integrated facilities on site, Diamond Light Source offers a diverse andpowerful resource for the advancement of research. Our collaborations continue to expand and are addressing significant global challenges across many disciplines. Integrated Facilities The electron Bio-Imaging Centre (eBIC) eBIC is the first high-end cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) facility worldwide to be embedded in a synchrotron following the award of a £15.6million grant from theWellcomeTrust, theMedical Research Council (MRC) and the BBSRC. After successful review by the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) in 2018, eBIC is now fully integrated into Diamond’s core programme. The partnerships, and the unique location of eBIC at Diamond, allow scientists to combine their techniques with many of the other cutting-edge approaches that the synchrotron offers. eBIC provides scientists with state-of-the-art experimental equipment and expertise in the field of cryo-EM, for both single particle analysis and cryo-electron tomography including four Titan Krios microscopes, a Talos Arctica, a Scios and an Aquilos cryo-FIB/SEM. Further partnerships with the University of Oxford and Thermo Fisher Scientific gives access to two other Titan Krios microscopes and a 200 keV microscope (Glacios) for industry users. eBIC has been involved in new collaborations with The Rosalind Franklin Institute and Thermo Fisher Scientific on tomography and has held a number of successful workshops over the last year. To date, eBIC has produced 112 user publications, nearly doubled since the 2018/19 Annual Review. The electron Physical Science Imaging Centre (ePSIC) ePSIC is a national centre for aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy. Researchers from around the world use ePSIC to image the atomic structure of samples with sub-ångström resolution.The two transmission electron microscopes, a JEOL ARM 200 and a JEOL GRAND ARM 300, were brought to Diamond through collaboration with Johnson Matthey and the University of Oxford respectively. Their combined capabilities have enabled ePSIC to become an international leader in cutting-edge material science electron microscopy and is a unique resource within the UK. ePSIC has recently added a Focused Ion Beam microscope (E03) and low energy ion slicer enabling the preparation of incredibly thin samples – just a few- hundred atoms thick – for further analysis at ePSIC. With in situ sample holders, users at ePSIC can perform variable temperature measurements from 100 to 1600 K to directly image the atomic structure of materials during thermally driven transitions. Two new sample holders allow users to image samples in the microscope while passing an electric current through them and the ability to transfer samples to the microscope without exposing them to air. The Membrane Protein Laboratory (MPL) TheMPL is awell-established, state-of-the-art facility that enablesmembrane protein research, and assists researchers investigating proteins that are embedded in cell membranes. It allows scientists from around the world to visualise their protein of interest at atomic resolution. Many of these proteins are important drug targets, and are also used in improving crop yields and resistance to plant pathogens. Having a dedicated laboratory with cutting-edge equipment close to the experimental stations where membrane protein structures can be solved, greatly enhances scientists’ ability to successfully crystallise membrane proteins and further understanding of these important targets. The close proximity of the MPL and eBIC enhances the ability to understand the structures of membrane proteins by cryo-electron microscopy. The MPL is open to user applications from anywhere in the world. Fragment Screening (XChem) Diamond’s XChem facility specialises in X-ray structure-accelerated, synthesis- aligned fragment medicinal chemistry. Integrated into the I04-1 beamline and nearby Lab XChem, it offers a highly streamlined process for full X-ray screening experiments. XChem allows up to 1000 compounds to be screened individually in less than a week, and the process covers soaking, harvesting automatic data collection and data analysis. Exciting developments this year have included adding another 50,000 samples to its experience by September 2019, offering access through exploratory projects (8-hour shift) or established projects (32 hours of beamtime), a collaboration with Janssen Pharma to make XChem datasets widely available, and even faster dataset delivery times. Alongside other Diamond facilities, XChem is supporting vital global research into COVID-19. XFEL (X-ray Free Electron Laser) Hub Funded initially by the Wellcome Trust and the Biotechnology and Biological Research Council (BBSRC), and now The University of Manchester at Harwell The University of Manchester at Harwell (UoMaH) is hosted by Diamond as part of the partnership The University of Manchester (UoM) is setting up with facilities at Harwell. UoMaH provides the interface with the Harwell national facilities, enabling UoM researchers to access world-class research at Diamond and all the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) facilities at Harwell, including the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (ISIS), Scientific Computing Department (SCD) and the Central Laser Facility. UoMaH is comprised of core administrative and technical teams and research fellows and their groups. The core technical team specialises in developing sample environments and equipment in support of experiments, involving high risk materials and extreme sample environments, fielded at the national facilities. UoMaH research fellows are affiliated with different departments within the University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, and pursue research in critical themes to both the University and the facilities. Numerous workshops and meetings are further deepening the strong connections between Diamond and UoMaH. UK Catalysis Hub The UK Catalysis Hub was established in 2013 with funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). An additional £14 million in funding from the EPSRC was committed in October 2018. The Hub seeks to coordinate, promote and advance the UK catalysis research portfolio and provides a platform for researchers to work collectively, and to gain frequent access to the synchrotron, alongside other facilities at Harwell.The Hub has a Block Allocation Group (BAG) on the X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) beamline B18. The Hub coordinates the experiments they perform in that time, which allows them to more effectively carry out their research. These facilities are open to all academics working in catalysis in the UK. D I A M O N D L I G H T S O U R C E A N N U A L R E V I E W 2 0 1 9 / 2 0 D I A M O N D L I G H T S O U R C E A N N U A L R E V I E W 2 0 1 9 / 2 0 within the annual Diamond operations budget, the XFEL Hub at Diamond aims to provide expertise and support to the UK community engaged in XFEL-related life science research; from experimental conception to beamtime proposals, through sample preparations and testing, to XFEL data collection, analysis and publication. Diamond based activities continue to include organising and running the block allocation group – Dynamic Structural Biology at Diamond and XFELs – for serial crystallography and time-resolved studies. The XFEL Hub travel support programme for UK scientists participating in XFEL experiments around the world remains open and has helped researchers conduct their experiments at 5 other facilities around the world. Collaborations The Rosalind Franklin Institute Diamond became a founding member of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, joining ten Universities and UKRI-STFC. Diamond is a partner in a major initiative of the Franklin, the AMPLUS project, in collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific, to develop advanced cryo-electron tomography instrumentation and methods. Another key contribution of Diamond to this collaboration is partnering in the development of electron imaging simulation software that not only assists in the optimisation of analysis software, but can also drive the specification and design of electron microscope instrumentation. Diamond’s substantial experience in nanoscale engineering is being brought to bear in developing a vision for next generation electron tomography and electron diffraction instruments. In future we expect that the Franklin will form a productive symbiotic relationship with Diamond, whereby the Franklin is able to address high-risk high-reward challenges in the life sciences and have Diamond partner in these novel developments turning them into user accessible facilities, while using its wealth of expertise in instrumentation, methods, software development and high performance computing to feed into Franklin developments. Diamond looks forward to a long and productive partnership.