Events and E-News

Newsletter

========================================
CLS E-News                          Vol. 8 No. 10
www.lightsource.ca           Sept 30, 2011
========================================

  1. RESULTS OF RECENT CALL FOR PROPOSALS
  2. NEW PEER REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBER
  3. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT: CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF NEW DELHI METALLO-[BETA]-LACTAMASE
  4. INCREASE YOUR IMPACT FACTOR: TALK ABOUT YOUR CLS SCIENCE, WIN iPOD
  5. NEW STAFF AND NOW HIRING

*****************************************

1. RESULTS OF RECENT CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Contact: clsuo@lightsource.ca

Eleven beamlines participated in the recent call for proposals, resulting in 4 requests for Macromolecular Crystallography, and 216 requests for all other beamlines (151 new proposals and 64 beam time requests against existing proposals). This sets a new record for the total number of proposals from a call. The proposals are currently undergoing review; protein crystallography applicants will be notified of results during the week of October 24, with the results for all other beamlines will be available the week of November 14.

Timeframes and beamlines that participated in the call can be viewed at:
http://www.lightsource.ca/uso/call_proposals.php

**************************************
2. NEW PEER REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBER
Contact: mailto:clsuo@lightsource.ca

CLS is pleased to welcome Dr. Bruce Ravel, National Institute of Standards and Technology, to our peer review committee (PRC).

The PRC evaluates and scores general user proposals for the use of CLS experimental facilities, emphasizing the excellence of science based on the quality of scientific research in the context of the field (merit), the suitability of CLS resources being allocated relative to the proposed research (suitability), and the quality and capability of the researchers based on their track record (capability). Each proposal is reviewed and scored by at least three external reviewers and at least one member of the PRC.

Details on the PRC are available at: http://www.lightsource.ca/uso/peer_reviews.php

**************************************
3. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT: CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF NEW DELHI METALLO-[BETA]-LACTAMASE REVEALS MOLECULAR BASIS FOR ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE
Contact: mailto:natalie@byron.biochem.ubc.ca

ß-Lactams are the most commonly prescribed class of antibiotics and have had an enormous impact on human health. Thus, it is disquieting that an enzyme called New Delhi metallo- ß -lactamase-1 (NDM-1) can confer Enterobacteriaceae with nearly complete resistance to all ß -lactam antibiotics including the carbapenams. We have determined the crystal structure of Klebsiella pneumoniae apo-NDM-1 to 2.1 angstrom resolution. From the structure, we see that NDM-1 has an expansive active site with a unique electrostatic profile, which we propose leads to a broader substrate specificity. In addition, NDM-1 undergoes important conformational changes upon substrate binding. These changes have not been previously observed in metallo- ß -lactamase enzymes and may have a direct influence on substrate recognition and catalysis.

This is the first peer-reviewed publication of data obtained at the Canadian Macromolecular Crystallography Facility beamline 08B1-1 (CMCF2) by users from the Department of Biochemistry at the University of British Columbia. N. Strydnadka is CMCF2 beamline team leader.

King, D., Strydnadka, N. Crystal structure of New Delhi metallo- ß-lactamase reveals molecular basis for antibiotic resistance. Protein Science, Vol. 20, Issue 9, September 2011, pp. 1484-1491. DOI: 10.1002/pro.697.

**************************************
4. INCREASE YOUR IMPACT FACTOR: TALK ABOUT YOUR CLS SCIENCE AND WIN AN iPOD
Contact: matthew.dalzell@lightsource.ca

We are always on the look-out for exciting scientific results obtained with CLS data that can be featured in a news release or science highlight. In order to maximize how we can spread the word, it is ideal if we can be made aware of a significant article as early as possible - usually as soon as a paper has been accepted for publication.

Starting July 1, send us a tip regarding your upcoming publication and be entered to win an iPod Nano. The winner will be announced in January, 2012. For more information or to submit your tip please contact Matt Dalzell, CLS Communications Coordinator and Staff Science Writer.

**************************************
5. NEW STAFF AND NOW HIRING
Contact: mailto:jobs@lightsource.ca

We are pleased to welcome the following new employee who started with us recently:
Blair Kuprash, HSE Technician
Blair previously worked at Cover-All Building Systems as a Floor Supervisor, Safety Champion, and Occupational Health and Safety Committee Member. Blair recently completed the Occupational Health and Safety Applied Certificate Program at SIAST.

Mark (Jianwei) Li, Controls Analyst
Mark started working for CLS in 2009 as a casual student during the school year, and then a summer student during the summer months. Mark is working towards completing his PhD studies in Mechanical Engineering.

Joel Reid, Industrial Research Scientist Joel completed his PhD in Engineering Physics from Queen's University. Joel has spent the last 3 1/2 years working in Pennsylvania as the Senior Scientific Editor for the International Centre for Diffraction Data.
The following job postings are currently available at CLS:

For a list of current opportunities at the CLS please check our website regularly: http://www.lightsource.ca/careers/

===============================================
CLS E-News is an electronic newsletter designed to keep users and stakeholders informed about developments at the Canadian Light Source, the national synchrotron research facility located at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. Current and past issues of CLS E-News are available on the CLS web site: http://www.lightsource.ca/enews/archives.php
To unsubscribe please go to http://www.lightsource.ca/enews/signup.php . We welcome suggestions for topics and content. Contact us at mailto:cls@lightsource.ca
===========================================

Last modified: 2012-01-19 17:01:07