The Structural Biology (SB) section provides a unique "top-down" approach that includes (1) CryoEM, (2) NMR spectroscopy, and (3) X-ray crystallography to provide high-resolution structures and dynamic information of proteins and protein-complexes. The data derived from these methods are highly complimentary and facilitate structure-based therapeutic development within the CBT.  

Capabilities  

CryoEM

• Talos Arctica 200kV microscope equipped with DE Apollo electron detector and Dectris SINGLA detector

• ThermoFisher Scientific Glacios 200kV microscope equipped with Falcon4i direct electron detector and Selectris energy filters  

• Sample prep labs (IBBR, Rockville/UMB, Baltimore) feature 5 grid freezing robots (Vitrobot Mark IV (2), Gatan Cryoplunge, and SPT Chameleon) and auxiliary equipment

• Computational infrastructure (40x GPU cluster, 900Tb storage that is 5-fold expandable on a 10Gb network)  

NMR

• Bruker Avance III HD Ascend 400 MHz, with a SampleCase 24 automatic sample changer (IBBR, Rockville)

• Bruker Avance III 600 MHz, with a TCI cryogenic probe and ¹⁹F data collection capability (UMB)

• Bruker Avance III 800 MHz, with a TCI cryogenic probe and a BACS 60 automatic sample changer (UMB)

• Bruker Avance III 950 MHz, with a TCI cryogenic probe (UMB)

X-ray Crystallography 

• Crystallization robots available in several locations  

• TTP Labtech Mosquito with LCP option/Formulatrix UV RockImager (Rockville)  

• Art Robbins Hydra/Douglas Oryx Nano (IHV/SOP/UMB)  

• Oryx8 Protein Crystallization Robot (UMB)  

• Spectrolight 610 Dynamic Light Scattering  

• Data collection done at synchrotron facilities (SSRL/ALS/APS/BNL, multiple investigators sharing beamtime)