AdaptoCell for users at MAX IV

Summary

A deeper understanding of in vivo dynamics, the specific functions of proteins and their interactions is a pathway to greater insights into the progression and prevention of diseases. To push the frontier of this research area, researchers now need new and improved analytical tools and techniques. The Swedish-funded synchrotron facility, MAX IV Laboratory, enables time-resolved in situ studies of proteins by X-ray Absorption/Emission Spectroscopy (XAS/XES), Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), and Serial Synchrotron crystallography (SSX) at state of the art beamlines: Balder, CoSAXS and MicroMAX, respectively.

The main goal of AdaptoCell is to design, develop and provide a microfluidic flow-cell platform, for MAX IV Laboratory users. This platform is adapted to each X-ray investigation method and deployed to investigate proteins in solution and to facilitate serial crystallography using microcrystals. This ambitious goal relies on a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional approach which is performed by MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, Halmstad University and Uppsala University.

Ross Friel of Halmstad University has expertise in new production techniques, embedded systems and non-traditional microfluidic devices, which are the main areas they contribute to in this project.