User Access for the Biodeuteration Laboratory

ORAU Facilitates Research at Biodeuteration Laboratory Through Support for the First User Access Program

Photo courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory

In 2005, the Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)-funded structural biology task force also resulted in the establishment of the Biodeuteration Laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The purpose of the laboratory serves to:

• Design and produce hydrogen/deuterium-labeled material to permit selected parts of macromolecular structures to be highlighted and analyzed in situ
• Produce proteins that have been specifically labeled with deuterium to enhance their visibility in neutron scattering experiments
• Train research students and staff in application of these powerful techniques

ORAU facilitated research at this facility by supporting the first user access program, which was launched in 2005. Among the first ORAU member university faculty to take advantage of this unique laboratory were Duke’s Dr. Len Spicer, North Carolina State’s Dr. Bob Rose, and Florida State’s Dr. Robert McKenna.

The development of the Biodeuteration Laboratory positions ORNL, its scientists, and facility users as uniquely equipped for neutron analysis of large macromolecular complexes and assemblies, ensuring broader community access and innovative use of Oak Ridge’s world-leading, neutron-scattering facilities.