X-ray Crystallography

X-ray crystallography remains the gold standard for structure determination of biological macromolecules at atomic resolution. State-of-the art methods that record the diffraction of x-rays from crystalline preparations of the macromolecule of interest can be used to determine the electron density of the molecule, from which a three-dimensional model can be obtained. The prerequisite for this experiment are crystals of the molecule of interest that provide the strongest diffraction of X-rays possible.

Rigaku MicroMax-007 HF microfocus rotating anode generator equipped with Osmic VariMax mirror optics, a 4-axis goniometer, and a Saturn – 944+ CCD detector. Data are analyzed using the Rigaku Saturn software package, HKL3000, and dTrek. The Instrument is equipped with refrigerated nitrogen gas cooling systems to maintain crystal temperatures at 100K.

 

Contact: Kushol Gupta | kgupta@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Location: G11 Blockley Hall

The Blockley Hall X-ray Laboratory is on hiatus until further notice and will be restarted once moved to new space here on the Penn Campus

Penn Beamtime Allocation Group (BAG) Cohort | NSLS II
Kushol Gupta is the PI of an active BAG cohort with NSLS II for X-ray Crystallography (AMX, FMX), X-ray Footprinting, and Small-Angle X-ray Scattering. This cohort currently includes several groups from across Penn, Wistar, CHOP, and Fox Chase Cancer Center. Block Allocation Groups (BAGs) are a mode of beam time access at NSLS-II intended for groups of researchers that want to combine their short beam time requests into a single proposal in order to permit greater flexibility in beam time allocation and scheduling. BAG proposals may be motivated by shared scientific interest, geographical location, affiliation, common experimental setup, or other synergistic reasons. Combining the beam time of individual groups permits greater flexibility in the choice of projects and samples during a given allocation period and offers the individuals in the BAGs the benefit of access to more regular allocation of beam time.
Laboratories interested in joining this cohort should contact Dr. Gupta at kgupta@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.