PROGRAMME
- 8:30 Arrival, settling in and coffee
- 8:45 Introduction and welcome by Gebhard F.X. Schertler
- 9:00 Introduction to Lipidic Cubic Phase (LCP) by Dr. Pikyee Ma
- 9:30 Divide into 2 groups
- (Group Elena and Group Niranjan)
- 9:45 Both groups prepare LCP syringes at the crystallization facility (CF)
- 11:00 Group Elena: Robotic crystallization and crystal harvesting
Group Niranjan: Introduction to LCP injector system (Dr. Daniel James)
- 12:30 Lunch
- 14:00 Group Elena Introduction to LCP injector system (Dr. Daniel James)
Group Niranjan Robotic crystallization and crystal harvesting
- 15:30 Break and Regroup at CF for SLS tour
15:45 SLS tour
- 16:30 Return to LBR and lab tour
- 17:00 Science Slam!
- 18:20 PI Meeting
- 19:38 Bus from PSI West/PSI Ost to Baden
- 20:15 Dinner in Baden
- 8:30 Arrival, settling in and coffee
- 8:45 Introduction and welcome by Gebhard F.X. Schertler
- 9:00 Introduction to Lipidic Cubic Phase (LCP) by Dr. Pikyee Ma
- 9:30 Divide into 2 groups
- (Group Elena and Group Niranjan)
- 9:45 Both groups prepare LCP syringes at the crystallization facility (CF)
- 11:00 Group Elena: Robotic crystallization and crystal harvesting
Group Niranjan: Introduction to LCP injector system (Dr. Daniel James)
- 12:30 Lunch
- 14:00 Group Elena Introduction to LCP injector system (Dr. Daniel James)
Group Niranjan Robotic crystallization and crystal harvesting
- 15:30 Break and Regroup at CF for SLS tour
15:45 SLS tour
- 16:30 Return to LBR and lab tour
- 17:00 Science Slam!
- 18:20 PI Meeting
- 19:38 Bus from PSI West/PSI Ost to Baden
- 20:15 Dinner in Baden
Monday, 4th December 2017 in WSLA/008 (SLS)
The practical part of the Course was focused on the setting up lipidic cubic phase crystallization trials for membrane protein. Lectures were delivered to outline the principles and the rationale of the methodology. These techniques are essential for the growth of membrane protein crystals, and the ESRs were divided in two groups to allow hands-on practicing of the manipulations involved in the preparation of the lipid suspension and setting up of robot-aided trials. One of the two groups was supervised by the PSI ESR, Niranjan Varma.
Harvesting crystals from LCP plates was carried out by the ESRs, after having inspected crystallization trials under a polarized light binocular microscope.
The ESRs visited the SLS were the structural biology with a special focus on structural biology beamlines and their potential applications for protein analysis.
Science Slam.
After the SLS visit each ESR participated to the “Science Slam”, a short presentation was delivered by each ESR and scored by the public, that consisted of the Partners, Tutors and SLS young scientists. During the dinner the ESR who was most clear and effective in the presentation was awarded a symbolic prize.
Tuesday, 5th December 2017 in OSGA EG06
The following day was dedicated to theoretical lectures on serial crystallography with a focus on the biological applications of XFEL technology and on the design and opportunities of the Swiss XFEL. The utilization of serial crystallography for industrial use was also illustrated.
The Lecturers were experts in the field from SLS, the Swiss XFEL, from the company LeadXPro.
An introductory lecture was delivered by Prof. Gebhard Schertler, PI of X-Probe and Director of the PSI Division for Biology and Chemistry.
After the lectures the ESRs and other attendees visited the site of the Swiss XFEL and were given detail on the construction and on the experimental halls.
