PROPOSALS FOR BEAMTIME ON THE ESRF Bio-SAXS BEAMLINE ID14-3
User operation on the new Bio-SAXS beamline at ID14-3 at the ESRF ( http://www.esrf.fr/UsersAndScience/Experiments/MX/About_our_beamlines/copy_of_ID14-3 ) began in November 2008 with mounting of samples currently performed manually. Robotic sample loading will be incorporated on the beam-line in the coming months using a device being constructed in a collaboration between the EMBL (Grenoble and Hamburg outstations) and the ESRF. Automated data analysis will be also implemented following the model of the SAXS facility at X-33, EMBL Hamburg.
Eventually the end-station will be fully automated (sample loading, data collection, processing and preliminary analysis) and will rapidly provide users standard data concerning the size (radius of gyration, maximum dimension and volume) and molecular weight of samples and allow on-the fly ab-initio shape reconstruction in order to provide feedback enabling the data collection strategies to be optimized. Future plans extend to allowing remote access to the new Bio-SAXS facility, based on the system currently in use on the ESRF's MX end-stations.
Application for beam-time on the new facility will follow a rapid access model and can be made at ANY time. Those who which to apply (including members of ESRF MX BAG Groups) should use the mechanism at:
http://www.esrf.fr/UsersAndScience/UserGuide/Applying/ProposalGuidelines/MXnon-BAGproposal
where it must be clearly indicated in the title of the proposal that the application is for Bio-SAXS beamtime on ID14-3.
