HBS-DP Course on Macromolecular Small Angle X-ray and Neutron Scattering (SAXS/SANS)

Course description:

This practical course addresses the principles and applications of small angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS) for biological macromolecules. The course is mainly intended for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers who are using or will be using SAXS/SANS for biological macromolecules in their research work. Use of SAXS/SANS for membrane proteins will also be discussed. The course constitutes lectures as well as hands-on experience for analyzing the SAXS/SANS data. The course is organized with the support of the Health and Biosciences Doctoral Program (HBS-DP) of the University of Oulu.

There is a possibility for the selected participants to send a protein sample to DLS directly for SAXS data collection. The beamline scientists will collect SAXS data at the beamline B21 prior to the course (on Oct 19-20, 2021).

The course will be organized as a hybrid event where online as well as on-site participation is possible. For online participation, a computer/laptop is needed. Further details of optimal computer requirements and software that should be installed will be communicated prior to the course. For on-site participation, lecture hall F101A (for lectures) and computer classroom F132 (for hands-on training) at FBMM premises will be used.

Practical sessions are limited to registered participants while lectures are open to a wider audience.

Apply online here! before 25th Sep 2021. There is no registration fee for the course.

Confirmed teachers:

Dr. Nathan Cowieson, Diamond Light Source, UK

Dr. Robert Rambo, Diamond Light Source, UK

Prof. Jan Skov Pedersen, Aarhus University, Denmark

Dr. Anne Martel, Institut Laue-Langevin, France

Dr. Nicolai Tidemand Johansen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Credits:

1.0 ECTS

Contact Persons:

Rajaram Venkatesan & Pia Askonen (firstname.lastname@oulu.fi)

Organizer:

Rajaram Venkatesan, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu

Course Programme:

17th November 2021, Wednesday

09:00-09:15 Registration and coffee (F101)

09:15-12:30 Session 1: Lectures (Open to everyone)

09:15-09:20 Rajaram Venkatesan; Opening remarks

09:20-10:00 Nathan Cowieson; SAXS introduction and applications

10:00-10:15 Nikul Kunti; B21-beamline access

10:15-11:00 Robert Rambo; Modern bioSAXS theory and basics

11:00-11:45 Anne Martel; BioSANS introduction, neutron specificities

11:45-12:30 Anne Martel; Sample environment, data collection and initial analysis

12:30-13:30 Lunch

13:30-18:00 Session 2: Practicals (Registered participants only)

13:30-14:30 Attendees, Attendee Introduction/Presentation, 2 slides per user explaining their SAXS/SANS project

14:30-15:30 Team Diamond, Data reduction, data quality assessment and primary analysis (tutorial)

15:30-15:45 Break

15:45-18:00 Team Diamond; Modelling tutorial (user or example data)

18th November 2021, Thursday

09:00-12:15 Session 3: Lectures (Open to everyone)

09:00-09:45 Jan Skov Pedersen; Absolute scale modelling of SAXS: Micelles, proteins and

rigid body refinement

09:45-10:30 Jan Skov Pedersen; SAXS for membrane proteins: Modelling and refinement

10:30-10:45 Break

10:45-11:30 Robert Rambo; Developments in volumetric (ab initio) modelling

11:30-12:15 Nicolai Tidemand Johansen; SANS for membrane proteins: sample considerations

12:15-13:30 Lunch

13:30-17:30 Session 4: Practicals (Registered participants only)

13:30-15:00 Jan Skov Pedersen; Demonstration with Jan’s program: Absolute scale modelling

15:00-15:15 Break

15:15-17:30 Anne Martel/ Nicolai Tidemand Johansen; SANS demonstration with user data

19th November 2021, Friday

09:00-10:30 Session 5: Lectures (Open to everyone)

09:00-09:45 Nathan Cowieson; Hybrid and atomistic modelling

09:45-10:30 Nicolai Tidemand Johansen; Examples of SANS for membrane proteins

10:30-10:45 Break

10:45-17:30 Session 6: Practicals (Registered participants only)

10:45-12:15 & 13:15-15:30 Team Diamond; Modelling tutorial (user or example data)

12:15-13:15 Lunch

15:30-17:00 All teachers! User data: Preparation/Presentation of results

17:00-17:30 General discussion/Feedback