(Dates to be decided)

Scope
The purpose of the workshop is:
- to bring together experts from the biological and physics communities to discuss the current state-of- the-art and future perspectives of physics instrumentation and methods at neutron sources and synchrotron radiation facilities for the study of biological structure, dynamics at different length and time scales relevant to function from the protein to the cellular levels; .
- to encourage a network of new connections between experts in the different complementary physical techniques (including applications outside biology but in related fields such as soft matter physics), in the context that an integrated methodological approach is essential for solving the physics of biological processes.

Organisers:
Joseph (Giuseppe) Zaccai, ILL,
Sean McSweeney, ESRF,
Per-Anker Lindgard, Risoe

Back to the Calendar of events 2008

Provisional Programme
4 day programme divided between the following broad topical areas:

a) Techniques:
Neutron and X-ray diffraction and small-angle scattering, novel crystallographic approaches, neutron
spectroscopy, X-ray microscopy, optical methods (Raman, ROA, CD and related), pulsed free electron
laser applications, single molecule detection and manipulation (fluorescence, optical tweezers...),
NMR, computational methods...

b) Current challenges in Biology
(suggestions... as there may be too many to treat properly in a few days . . .)

Macromolecular assemblies, structure and dynamics from protein to cell:
Methodology of mapping the structure and dynamics of large intracellular molecular assemblies
(machines) and in-situ cellular studies using small angle neutron scattering, neutron spectroscopy at
various levels of energy and momentum resolution, SR diffraction and microscopy, electron cryo-
microscopy, modern ESR-techniques, NMR, optical techniques, including flouorescence and far UV
CD. The goal is to study the molecular machines in connection with the dynamic interactions
associated with transport, signalling motility etc. of importance for cell activities. It is clearly very
important to integrate various tools to understand the structure dynamics and function of such large
molecular assemblies.

Protein folding and unfolding:
Mapping the structure and dynamics of proteins at various stages of folding. Following un- and folding
pathways. The structure of functional intrinsically unfolded proteins. The structure of un-functional
(misfolded or aggregated) proteins involved in disease...

Membrane proteins:
Advances in handling, including crystallization of membrane proteins and their characterization using a
plethora of techniques. Possibilities of studies on non-crystalline membrane proteins.

Proteins under extreme conditions:
Proteins under high pressure, alternating pressure, temperature, different solvent conditions . . .


c) Physics concepts and tools for studying biological processes:
Dynamics (exploring the time dimension):
Following actions in photobiology, changes in heme-proteins, changes in ion channels during function.
Advances in sub-nano second resolution; pulsed free electron lasers, large and small angle neutron and
X-ray scattering (for slow kinetics), X-ray microscopy, inelastic neutron scattering (for pico to nano-
second dynamics cf MD simulations), NMR ...

Microfocussed X-ray beams:
Latest developments of the technique to study the structure and dynamics of membrane bound proteins and assemblies of proteins on a nano-scale.

Radiation damage:
Limits in the use of intense X-ray beams and the effects on structure determination...