Modern Biomolecular Crystallography I

June 23 - June 28, 2005

California State University Fullerton

W.M. Keck Foundation Center for Molecular Structure

a core facility of CSUPERB

Practically all information about the molecular structure of matter at atomic resolution is the result of crystallographic analysis. Substantial advancements in crystallographic techniques made over the last 25 years allow individuals with quite diverse background and preparation, and sometimes little training, to use crystallography as a tool to address a specific hypothesis-driven structural problem. Ironically, as a result of methodological advances, crystallography as a science as been misunderstood in recent years, sometimes thought of as too easy or irrelevant beyond the solid state.

Crystallography continues to make major contributions to the pharmaceutical industry as part of the process of rational drug design, to the field of synthetic chemistry by facilitating synthetic processes, to materials science in relating structure to function, and to medicine by identifying on the molecular level, structural features that play key roles in disease processes. Structural proteomics is a key underpinning of pharmaceutics and biotechnology in the 21^st century. The need for skilled crystallographers had never been greater, and teaching crystallography in a way that attracts the most talented young people is a must, if the science of crystallography is to remain vibrant.

Modern Biomolecular Crystallography I is a five-day workshop that familiarizes faculty with the process of macromolecular structure determination by single crystal x-ray diffraction. MBCI discusses theory and methods, and it provides participants hand-on experience in protein production and crystallization, structure solution and refinement, interpretation and validation of protein crystal structures, as well as aspects of structural bioinformatics such as targeting, in silico modeling and mutagenesis, and structure-guided drug design. Remote access to instrumentation is also demonstrated. Participants will gain an understanding of crystallography terminology commonly used in publications, and they will learn what is required to successfully undertake, complete and publish a structure determination. Experiments developed for the undergraduate curriculum will be described and disseminated.

We have gathered a fabulous team of facilitators for our workshop, including:

Katherine Kantardjieff, Director, W.M. Keck Foundation Center for Molecular Structure at CSU Fullerton

Hartmut Luecke, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, UC irvine

Christopher Meyer, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, CSU Fullerton

Bernhard Rupp, Head of Macromolecular Crystallography and Structural Genomics, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Clyde Smith, Staff Scientist, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory

Follow the links above to the facilitator biographical sketches, and click here for the MBC1 schedule, workshop materials, movies on homology modeling, ligand screening and protein docking, and post-workshop evaluation form, all in a downloadable compressed file (260MB).

Chemists, biochemists and biologists are all encouraged to apply. Space is limited, and although we would truly like to accommodate everyone, we will select participants based on their background and the quality of the personal statement. So, please provide a thoughtful narrative on why you wish to attend, what you hope to learn, and how this will help you with your research and/or teaching endeavors at your home institution.