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The Norwegian Structural Biology Centre
NorStruct 2008 – 2012
The Norwegian Structural Biology Centre (NorStruct) is national research and service centre within the national initiative in functional genomics (FUGE). The Centre continues to offer consulting, service and collaboration to the Norwegian research community in structural biology techniques. The lab is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for the full pipeline from protein production, through crystallization and structure determination to drug design related technologies, where particularly the crystallization facility is set up for high through-put screening.
The services are organized in three service packages (SPs), where the customer can individualize the order within each package. Note that SP1 and SP3 are not estimated to be fully available to the scientific community until January 2009, but the services are open for testing prior to this date.
The community is encouraged to contact NorStruct for more information.
Highlights
2007
New crystallization robot at NorStruct
Sciencedays
Dissertation, Magne Olufsen
Dissertation, Laila Niiranen
Dissertation, Inger-Lin Ræder
Celebration of professor Edward Hough
Dissertation, Ellen Wang
2006
The annual NorStruct seminar 2006
New group leader at NorStruct
NorStruct crystallization courses autumn 2006
20 structures celebration 03.03.06
Dissertation, Bjørn Altermark
2005
The annual NorStruct Seminar 1.-2. December 2005
New PhD-school established
FEBS Practical workshop 16.-21. October 2005: "Theoretical modeling of ligand binding and enzymatic catalysis."
New crystallization robot at NorStruct
A new nanolitre automated crystallization system, with imaging and liquid handling capabilities, was installed in August/September 2007. The Rigaku system consists of an Alchemist II liquid handling system, a Phonix RE nanodrop dispenser, a Desktop Minstrel Imaging System and finally internal storage capability of 160 crystallisation plates in an integrated sample hotel. With 100+100 nanolitres drops, in the order of 1000 drops can be set up pr. mg of protein for an average protein.
Sciencedays
During the Sciencedays in Tromsø 20th-21st of September 2007, NorStruct was present with a stand where the public could meet enthusiastic NorStruct staff. Everybody could view protein crystals of trypsin, lysozyme or myoglobin, or they could build ball-and-stick models of vitamin-C (ascorbic acid), explosives or the smell of lemon (limonene). Many enthusiastic children, students and people came to visit the stand during these two days.
Dissertation, Magne Olufsen
25.05.2007
The molecular origin of cold adaptation: A comparative study of cold- and warm-active uracil DNA glycosylase.
Dissertation, Laila Niiranen
20.04.2007
A touch of salt - a comparative study of Vibrio salmonicida and Vibrio cholerae proteins.
Dissertation, Inger-Lin Ræder
16.03.2007
Comparative functional and structural studies of proteins from the marine psychrophilic bacterium Vibrio salmonicida.
Celebration of professor Edward Hough
Professor Ed Hough is retiring from his position at the Department of Chemistry after 30 years. He has had a great impact on the development of the Protein crystallography group in Tromsø as well as his out-reach activity bringing chemistry to schools and public. This was properly celebrated at the institute with a lecture covering his 30 year of research, cakes and honoring. Here properly dressed for a take off – aero planes, as well as flying them (!!), is his greatest hobby.
Dissertation, Ellen Wang
19.01.2007
A structure study of three biotechnologically applicable proteins, and in particular of the cold adapted alkaline phosphatase from the Antarctic bacterium TAB5.
The annual NorStruct seminar 2006 was arranged at Sommarøya 7-8. December. 35 persons from Faculty of Medicine, The Norwegian College of Fishery Sciences and Faculty of Sciences participated. The seminar included oral presentations of NorStruct projects and posters that represented some of the scientific challenges that is subjected by the group. Some also found comfort in the bathing tub and the sauna by the beach as well as a refreshing trip to the Hillesøy mountain watching the eagles that usually can be seen here.
The happy winners of the posterprize; Ellen Kristin Riise and Hege L. Pedersen. The winning poster was entitled: "Oxidative stress responses in Vibrio salminicida".
New group leader at NorStruct
Richard Engh has been appointed Professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Tromsø, effective as of August 15th, 2006. His previous position was as research leader at Roche Pharmaceutical Research, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, in Germany. He has now joined the University in Tromsø as a professor in structural chemistry and biochemistry, and also NorStruct as a new group leader. In his new position in NorStruct, his research interests will remain centered on structure based cancer drug design, a highly interdisciplinary area with many opportunities for collaboration.
NorStruct crystallization courses autumn 2006.
Tromsø: Basic course in crystallization of biological macromolecules
The course was given 20.- 26. september 2006 (5 intensive days) at the Department of chemistry, UiT, and was mainly a practical course that covered basic theory for crystal formation and growth, crystal theory and methods for crystallization.
Oslo: Macromolecular crystallization
In collaboration with Ute Krengel at Department of Chemistry, UiO, NorStruct arranged a crystallization course in Oslo 08.11.06 - 14.11.06. The course included a minisymposium on the crystallization of membrane proteins with international invited speakers.
20 structures celebration 03.03.2006
In connection with the latest meeting in the Strategic and scientific advisory board (SSAB), NorStruct had a celebration of the 20 structures that is now determined at the platform. Left photo: Member of SSAB, Reidunn Aalen tastes the marzipancake.
Dissertation, Bjørn Altermark
10.02.2006
Functional and structural adaptation to low temperatures: A comparative study of Vibrio salmonicida and Vibrio cholerae endonuclease I.
The annual NorStruct Seminar 1.-2. December 2005
A group of 28 persons attended The 3rd annual NorStruct seminar, arranged at Sommarøya conference center. Everyone attending presented the latest results either as an oral presentation or as a poster. Some non-scientific challenges were also included in the program.
New PhD-school established
Julianne Elvenes is the first PhD-student admitted to the PhD-school in Molecular and Structural Biology at the University of Tromsø. The applications for admission to the PhD-school for about 15 more students are currently processed.
FEBS Practical workshop 16.-21. October 2005: "Theoretical modeling of ligand binding and enzymatic catalysis."
The first International NorStruct Workshop in Structural Biology was arranged partly at the Coastal cruiser and partly at the university campus. Altogether 22 students from 10 nations attended the course and some of the greatest experts in the world within theoretical modeling taught and instructed the students. Read more about the FEBS course.
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