A team of scientists from CIC bioGUNE, University of Liverpool and Cedars-Sinai hospital in California, using high-resolution structures, have determined the catalytic steps of the enzyme MATα2. This study, with data collected at the ALBA Synchrotron, opens up a new pathway in the development of highly targeted drugs that act exclusively on this enzyme, regulating cancer cell growth.
The new microfocus beamline for macromolecular crystallography will contribute to a better understanding of complex biological systems, with academic and industrial applications. The beamline is planned to be ready for first experiments in early 2020. It will cost about 7 million € and will be cofunded with ERDF funds.
The call for proposals for the 2016-II cycle is opened till 29 February. The results are expected to be published in the second half of May. This call includes the new beamline devoted to infrared microspectroscopy, MIRAS.
These nanoscale magnetic structures have been observed at room temperature in materials compatible with industrial conditions. This breaks an important barrier for their use as nanoscale information carriers in our computers. Results - obtained at the CIRCE beamline - have been published in Nature Nanotechnology.
The acting president of the Spanish government, Mariano Rajoy, chaired the “Alfonso X El Sabio” awards. Ramon Pascual, president of the Executive Commission of the ALBA Synchrotron, was one of the award-winners.
Including scientific highlights, industry collaborations, technical developments, outreach activities and the latest news of ALBA. In this issue, we interview the president of AUSE. Enjoy the reading!
Calcium can be used as electrode in rechargeable batteries according to a study from Spanish Research Council (CSIC) in collaboration with Toyota Motor Europe (TME) and supported by the measurements performed at the ALBA Synchrotron. This work proves that oxidation-reduction of calcium occurs in a reversible way in electrolytes that can operate at high potential.
Today 10 people younger than 30 years old start working at the ALBA Synchrotron thanks to the positive resolution of the grant for young employment in R+D+i launched by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO). They will be working in engineering, computing, accelerators, experiments, health & safety and user office.
On November 24th, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) hosted the closing ceremony of The International Year of Light who brought together many well-known researchers and personalities related to light and light-based technologies.
On the 21st of November 2015, 1.903 people attended the ALBA Open Day. On its 4th edition, the event has become a successful activity among families and general public. The activities were related to the celebration of the International Year of Light 2015.
A group of delegates from the council of Cerdanyola del Vallès, where ALBA is located, has visited today its facilities. During the visit, they have been accompanied by the director, Caterina Biscari, and the head of Accelerators, Francis Pérez.
On the early morning of the 29th October, the beam position monitors of the ALBA accelerators detected the seismic activity happened in the area of Alt Empordà (Catalonia) and corrected the beam position.
On Saturday 21st November ALBA is celebrating the 4th edition of the ALBA Open Day. During the whole day, visitors will be able to explore the facility and discover its functions and applications. The tour will also include demonstrations, games, conferences and activities for all ages.
ALBA has published its annual report of activities performed in 2014. This document includes scientific results, divisions' reports, collaboration agreements, etc.
The winners gave a brief speech about the obtained results during the ceremony held on October 5th.
From 1st till 26th of October, undergraduate students interested in doing an internship in the ALBA Synchrotron can submit a proposal.
On Friday 25th September, the 10th European Researchers' Night took place at Cerdanyola del Vallès. Around 650 people enjoyed free outreach activities organized by ALBA in recognition of the International Year of Light.
A total of 205 proposals have been received in the ALBA Synchrotron 2016-I call to be allocated in the period January-June 2016.
From January 2015, this celebration - that counts with the support of ALBA - has promoted more than 200 activities in Spain. It is foreseen that all the activities will reach more than one million people.
A group of researchers has visualized and analysed in detail the properties and magnetic defects of materials at the nanoscale. These results, published in Nature Communications, may contribute to a better use and control of magnetic storage devices.
Researchers from the CSIC and the ALBA Synchrotron have synthetized and characterised this material with nanometre thickness. The work, published in "Advanced Materials", has applications in spintronics.
An international Symposium on Lasers and Accelerators for Science & Society took place at the end of June in the Liverpool Arena Convention Centre. The event was organized by the LA³NET and oPAC consortia which have received funding from the EU-7FP.
ALBA opens a new call for proposals till September 7th. The experiments will take place from January to June 2016. MX BL13-XALOC proposals will cover the whole 2016.
From June 16th till 19th, the VII AUSE congress (the association of synchrotron users from Spain) and the II ALBA user's meeting have been held at ALBA's facilities.
The ALBA storage ring has recently started operation of a fast orbit feedback system (FOFB) to correct the electron beam orbit. The operation of the FOFB enhances the stability of the photon beam up to 200 Hz.
Monday 1 June saw the start of EuroCirCol, the EC-funded part of the FCC study that will develop the conceptual design for an energy-frontier hadron collider. ALBA is one of the 16 beneficiary partner organizations taking part in this project.
SENER, devoted to engineering and construction, and the ALBA Synchrotron have signed an agreement to commercialize a technological solution developed at ALBA: a new system to bend X-ray mirrors with higher precision at a competitive price.
On May 20th a new exhibition about the ALBA Synchrotron has been released at Cosmocaixa, the science museum of Barcelona managed by ”la Caixa” Foundation.
The 8th Max Perutz Prize of the European Crystallographic Association (ECA) has been awarded to John R. Helliwell, former chairman of the ALBA Scientific Advisory Committee, in recognition of his long and successful professional career.
More than forty people have participated at the workshop organised by the ALBA Synchrotron addressed to pharmaceutical companies. During the event the attendees have been able to know the available state-of-the-art techniques and the advantages that synchrotron light offers in the development and improvement of drugs.
On Satuday 25th April, the ALBA Synchrotron took part at NOVUM, the 9th edition of the science, technology and innovation festival of the city of Barcelona.
Including a special report about MIRAS, the new infrared microspectroscopy beamline of ALBA, and science highlights, industry collaborations, outreach activities and the latest news of ALBA. Enjoy the reading!
On 19th April, the Jove Orquestra de Cerdanyola (JOC) organized a concert at ALBA's premises. The event gathered around 600 people who enjoyed music from Edward Elgar, Jean Sibelius and Edvar Grieg.
Next 7th May, the ALBA Synchrotron organises a workshop addressed to pharmaceutical companies to show them the analytical possibilities of the facility. Registration for the event is free but deadline ends on 4th May.
In recognition for her professional career, Caterina Biscari has been bestowed today with the FemTalent 2015 award. FemTalent aims at promoting gender equality and feminine talent.
Researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have been able to observe for the first time DNA double chain breaks. X-ray crystallographic studies were performed at the ALBA Synchrotron and the Swiss Light Source. Results have been published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.
Using the brilliant soft x-rays from the BOREAS beamline, a group of international researchers from Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, Italy and Spain have studied the magnetic properties of SrRuO3. These results - recently published in Physical Review B - give important insights into the magnetic characteristics of Ru which may have impact on the technical development of more efficient storage devices.
ALBA is testing the bending magnets to be installed at the storage ring of SESAME, the synchrotron facility that is being built in the Middle East.
A team of ALBA engineers in collaboration with the Centro de Láseres Pulsados Ultracortos Ultraintensos (CLPU) have developed a new design of viewport compatible with high vacuum that can be adapted to a laser compressor chamber.
Using hard X-rays of the ALBA Synchrotron, a group of researchers have solved the crystal structure of rationally designed single-chain protein constructs that can prevent HIV-1 infection.
X-ray diffraction experiments were performed at the MSPD beamline of the ALBA Synchrotron. Results have been published recently in Nature Communications scientific journal.
Using the photoelectron microscope at the CIRCE beamline, researchers from the Institute of Physical Chemistry "Rocasolano" (CSIC) and the ALBA Synchrotron have determined the magnetic moment of a well defined magnetite surface. Results of this research have been recently published in Physical Review B.
A team of researchers and engineers of the ALBA Synchrotron has collaborated with members of the company Alibava Systems and the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM CSIC) to develop a radiation detector aimed at measuring the intensity of the beam with high precision when performing an experiment at a synchrotron facility. This new detector enables a correct development of the experiment, ensuring the quality of the obtained data and reducing the time of the experiment.
On February 16th The Opening Ceremony of the International Year of Light took place in Barcelona with the participation of 500 attendees.
The call for proposals for 2015-II cycle is opened till February 23rd. The experiments will be performed from July to end December 2015. This call is not opened for MX proposals. For this period, Long Term Proposals will be accepted under restricted conditions.
More than 1,000 participants are attending the Opening Ceremony of the International Year of Light 2015 on 19th and 20th January in Paris. Caterina Biscari, on behalf of light sources, is giving a talk about the frontiers of synchrotron science.
ENANTIA is a private company dedicated to research in organic synthesis and solid forms for the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries.
Including a special report about phase-II beamlines and science highlights, industry collaborations, outreach activities and the latest news of ALBA. Enjoy the reading!
A grant has been awarded to ALBA Synchrotron, by the Spanish Competitiveness and Economy Ministry on the 2013 call for scientific and technological equipment and infrastructures to build a helium cryostat.
On December 3rd and 4th, members of the ALBA Scientific Advisory Committee met at ALBA's premises. This session was focused on the evaluation of the received proposals for phase-III beamlines.
