Previous Editions__________________________________________________________________________SSRL Headlines Vol. 11, No. 6 December, 2010__________________________________________________________________________
Contents of this Issue:
Dear users, colleagues and friends of SSRL,
In FY2010, SSRL delivered 4,870 hours out of the 5,101 hours scheduled, for an
average uptime of 95.5%, allowing approximately 1,400 scientists to conduct
experiments. The new user run began in mid-November, and we look forward to
ramping up to our goal of 500 mA beam current by the end of FY11. I offer my
sincere gratitude to SSRL's outstanding staff members for keeping SSRL
extremely competitive among the best synchrotron sources in the world. As I
look forward to 2011, I'm very excited about where we're headed. Last week we
announced a modified organizational structure (described in more detail below),
which reflects our plans to expand the materials and chemical sciences programs
and capitalize on our structural molecular biology programs. In the coming
months, the new management team and I will engage the SSRL staff and user
community in developing a strategic plan for SSRL. I invite you to join us in
developing this plan.
But, before all that, I encourage you all to enjoy the upcoming winter
shutdown, taking the time to relax and rejuvenate. Best wishes to you and your
family for the holiday season.
—Chi-Chang Kao
The new experimental approach appeared online recently in Physical Chemistry
Chemical Physics.
To learn more about this research see the full scientific highlight
See also: SLAC
Today article by Lori Ann White
To determine whether a causal relationship exists between contrast agents and
NSF, a team of researchers recently studied the gadolinium deposits in a skin
sample from a patient with NSF using SSRL's microXAS imaging facility on Beam
Line 2-3. The researchers were able to see not only that the sample contained
small gadolinium deposits-as previous studies had also shown-but also that the
gadolinium ion deposits were chemically different from those originally
injected as contrast agents. This first direct evidence for the chemical
release of gadolinium from GBCA in human tissue suggests that the ions were
released from the original, biologically inaccessible form included in the
contrast agent, which in turn suggests that the original contrast agent is
breaking down in unintended ways. This implies a causal link between the
contrast agents and NSF, knowledge that may help chemists and physicians better
treat patients with NSF.
This work was published in the November 2010 edition of the British
Journal of Dermatology.
To learn more about this research see the full scientific highlight
In a study that could rewrite biology textbooks, scientists have found the
first known living organism that incorporates arsenic into the working parts of
its cells. What's more, the arsenic replaces phosphorus, an element long
thought essential for life. The results, based on experiments SSRL, were
published on December 2 in Science Express.
"It seems that this particular strain of bacteria has actually evolved in a way
that it can use arsenic instead of phosphorus to grow and produce life," said
SSRL Staff Scientist Sam Webb, who led the research at SLAC. "Given that
arsenic is usually toxic, this finding is particularly surprising."
Phosphorus forms part of the chemical backbone of DNA and RNA, the spiraling
structures that carry genetic instructions for life. It is also a central
component of ATP, which transports the chemical energy needed for metabolism
within cells. Scientists have for decades thought that life could not survive
without it.
But this was not the case for a strain of Halomonadaceae bacteria called
GFAJ-1, found in an eastern California lake. Colonies of these bacteria
flourished, as expected, when given a steady supply of phosphorus along with
other necessities; yet when researchers replaced the phosphorus with arsenic,
the colony continued to grow.
This suggested to Felisa Wolfe-Simon, a NASA research fellow and geobiologist
in residence with the U.S. Geological Survey, that the bacteria were using the
arsenic in place of phosphorus.
"We already knew that other microbes can 'breathe' arsenic, but it seemed these
bacteria could be doing something new: building parts of themselves out of
arsenic," said Wolfe-Simon, the paper's lead author. "To see if that was the
case, we brought samples to SSRL. I came armed with the knowledge that the
bacteria were doing something really weird, and I knew that SSRL Beam Line 2-3,
in Sam's hands, could tell us more." Read the full
SLAC
Press Release.
To learn more about this research see the full scientific highlight
It's a mainstay in biological molecules, but carbon isn't the kind of element
you'd expect to find in a permanent magnet. Until now. Not only does carbon
become magnetized with a little doctoring, as discovered in 2007, but new
findings show this behavior comes naturally-no special treatment required-at
the surface of a carbon-based material called graphite.
Researchers used both the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource at SLAC
and the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to
discover not only carbon's innate magnetization, but also that only the surface
becomes magnetized, a discovery that may bode well for future applications in
electronics and computing. SSRL Staff Scientist Hendrik Ohldag and colleagues
from the University of Leipzig and LBNL detailed their research in last week's
New Journal of Physics. Their goal was to determine how carbon can be
permanently magnetized-a property until recently thought to be confined to
iron, nickel, cobalt and a handful of rare alloys. After confirming that their
samples contained negligible amounts of magnetic impurities, the researchers
got to work. Read more at:
On December 8, SSRL Director Chi-Chang Kao announced a slightly modified
organizational structure for the SSRL Directorate at SLAC. The changes include
removing the X-ray Research and Facilities Division and bringing the areas of
research that were previously overseen by this division higher in the
organization to become their own divisions. These new divisions are: Materials
Sciences, Chemistry and Catalysis, Structural Molecular Biology, Structural
Genomics, and the Beam Line Systems divisions. The changes, Kao said, will
increase the visibility of these research programs, bring up new leaders within
the organization, and position SSRL to achieve the growth outlined in the SLAC
agenda.
"SPEAR3 is truly a world-class machine. With continued improvements and
upgrades, SPEAR3 will be very competitive in comparison with third generation
storage rings worldwide in the coming decade," Kao said. "Over the last few
years, SSRL has successfully upgraded the optics and instruments of existing
beam lines and has begun to construct completely new undulator beam lines to
fully capitalize on the SPEAR3 upgrade. Now it is time to focus our attention
on developing scientific programs in targeted areas where we think we can make
the greatest impact. The strategy is to build on the existing strength of SSRL
in structural molecular biology, exploit the synergy with LCLS and the growth
areas in Photon Sciences Directorate, and develop stronger ties with research
and talent on Stanford campus."
The new organizational structure, Kao added, provides focus to targeted
scientific opportunities and promotes cross-fertilization among research
programs. In addition, the structure adds a significant number of leadership
positions to allow an aggressive approach in the development of new scientific
programs, and it offers new opportunities for scientific staff to grow within
SSRL. In the new organizational structure, the Materials Sciences division is
headed by Mike Toney and Donghui Lu; Chemistry and Catalysis, by Britt Hedman;
Structural Molecular Biology, by Mike Soltis and Hirotsugu Tsuruta; Structural
Genomics, by Ashley Deacon; and Beam Line Systems, by Tom Rabedeau.
Kao said he considers SSRL an incubator of new research programs. With SSRL
staff members' expertise in broad areas of science and technology and an even
larger and more diverse user community, if there's a new area of science to
explore, SSRL can probably find someone with the needed knowledge and
experience. "The change is not big. In fact, it's pretty subtle. But it gives
us a new layer of people who can help develop new science programs and become
future leaders in synchrotron research and for SLAC," he said.
In addition to the reorganized divisions, Piero Pianetta and Britt Hedman will
shift their roles slightly as well, with Pianetta leading the operations side
of SSRL, working closely with the rest of SLAC and, in particular, the
Accelerator Directorate. He will also have the responsibility to build a
stronger in-house R&D into new x-ray techniques, optics, and instrumentation.
Hedman, with her extensive experience and success in managing the structural
biology program at SSRL, will lead the development of the new chemistry and
catalysis division, the evolution of the structural molecular biology program,
and mentoring of other division heads in program development.
"Britt and Piero have been absolutely critical to the success of SSRL, and in
these new roles they will be able to contribute even more to the future success
of SSRL," Kao said. "I look forward to working closely with them and the whole
new management team."
In the next five to ten years, Kao says he seeks to transform SSRL into a world
leading photon science facility that provides forefront experimental
capabilities, attracts the best scientists in the world, and produces major
discoveries and research with significant societal impact.
On Thursday, December 9, astronaut John Grunsfeld toured SLAC, visiting the
linac, LCLS and SSRL to see first-hand how x-rays can be used to investigate
matter. Grunsfeld, who presented a special colloquium discussing his adventures
in orbit and early results from NASA's recently upgraded Hubble Space
Telescope, serves as Deputy Director of the Space Telescope Science Institute,
the science operations center for Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope.
"It's really a pleasure to be here," Grunsfeld said as he began his lecture. "I
got to see some amazing things. People seem encoded at birth to be excited by
two things: space and dinosaurs. We need to make sure we continue to encourage
that."
Researchers are invited to submit scientific proposals for soft and hard x-rays
at the LCLS AMO, SXR, XPP, CXI, XCS, and MEC (with limited capability)
instruments. Proposals submitted by January 11 will be eligible for beam time
~October 2011-February 2012. Learn more about the latest developments by
contacting LCLS staff scientists and reviewing detailed instrument descriptions
available on the LCLS web site.
New capabilities available to users for this call include a ~100 nm focus in
CXI and the first time availability of the XCS and MEC instruments. LCLS has
demonstrated FEL operations over the energy range 480 eV to 10 keV using the
fundamental with pulse energies of 1-3 mJ depending on the pulse duration.
Further, LCLS will deliver photons up to 20 keV from a second harmonic
afterburner with a flux reduced by roughly an order of magnitude. The pulse
length can be varied over 70-300 fs for hard x-rays, while for soft x-rays, the
range is extended to 70-500 fs. Shorter pulses (<10 fs) with reduced pulse
energy (number of photons per pulse) can also be provided by returning the
injector to run at lower charge. The maximum repetition rate of the LCLS is
expected to be 120 Hz during this run. http://lcls.slac.stanford.edu/Article.aspx?article_id=235
Submit proposals at: https://www-ssrl.slac.stanford.edu/URAWI/Login.html
(note: spokespersons must be registered and approved as users
to submit a proposal)
__________________________________________________________________________
SSRL Headlines is published electronically monthly to inform SSRL users,
sponsors and other interested people about happenings at SSRL. SSRL is a
national synchrotron user facility operated by Stanford University for the
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Basic Energy
Sciences. Additional support for
the structural biology program is provided by
the DOE
Office of Biological and Environmental Research, the NIH
National Center for Research Resources and the NIH Institute for General Medical
Sciences. Additional information about
SSRL and its operation and schedules is available from the SSRL WWW
site.
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