Monthly Newsletter of the Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
How Antidepressants Block Serotonin Transport
Malfunctions in the complex protein “machinery” of serotonin transport can result in depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, aggression, anxiety, and Parkinson’s disease. Now, researchers have obtained x-ray crystallographic structures of the difficult-to-crystallize human serotonin transporter bound to two commonly prescribed antidepressant drug molecules. Read more…
New Insights into Oxygen’s Role in Lithium Battery Capacity
Researchers working at the ALS have recently made new discoveries in understanding the nature of charge storage in lithium-ion batteries, opening up possibilities for new battery designs with significantly improved capacity. Looking at a popular Li-rich cathode material, the researchers used soft x-ray techniques to quantifiably explain oxygen’s role in Li-ion charge capacity. Read more…
In grapevines, “root pressure” was assumed to play a role in recovering from embolisms (blockages) in a plant’s water-transport systems during drought conditions. To clarify this, researchers used ALS Beamline 8.3.2 to obtain 3D microtomographic images of grapevine stem segments detached from roots and leaves. Read more…
Mapping the Topology of the Human Genome
To determine how a gene will function, we need to know the spatial arrangement of the genome in the nucleus. Researchers have made a significant advance in determining this 3D organization by combining modeling and probabilistic calculations with minimally perturbing imaging techniques. Read more…
Maestro Beamline Set to Open to Users
This September, Beamline 7.0.2, MAESTRO, will accept general user proposals for the first time. Its unique attributes combine strong sample preparation capabilities with cutting-edge spectromicroscopy tools, offering researchers unparalleled opportunities for studying the correlation between structure and electronic properties. Read more…
Register Now for the 2016 ALS User Meeting: October 3–5
Registration is now open for the 2016 ALS User Meeting, which will take place October 3–5. The ALS Users’ Executive Committee (UEC) and meeting organizers have assembled a full program featuring a welcome from new LBNL Director Mike Witherell, keynote talks on opportunities presented by the ALS upgrade (ALS-U), as well as 12 focused workshops, a student poster “slam,” and the annual awards banquet. To register, view the draft agenda and logistical information, and learn how to nominate colleagues for scientific, technical, and user support awards, visit the User Meeting webpage…
ALS User Daniel Hallinan Jr. Testifies in Congressional Hearing
On June 15, 2016, ALS user Daniel Hallinan Jr., an assistant professor at Florida State University, testified before the US House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Energy. In the hearing, entitled “Innovation in Solar Fuels, Electricity Storage, and Advanced Materials,” Hallinan spoke to the importance of DOE’s national light sources to research and the technological challenges of the nation, and to the impact of the proposed light source upgrades on research capabilities and US scientific competitiveness. Watch the testimony…
12th International Conference on Biology and Synchrotron Radiation
Registration remains open until August 1 for the 12th International Conference on Biology and Synchrotron Radiation, which will be held at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory August 21–24. The International Biology and Synchrotron Radiation (BSR) meetings are held every three years with the aim of presenting and discussing state-of-the-art applications in relevant research fields. Find out more…
Operations Update
For the user runs from June 1 to June 27, 2016, the beam reliability [(time scheduled – time lost)/time scheduled)] was 98.7%. For this period, the mean time between failures (MTBF) was 46.4 hours, and the mean time to recovery (MTTR) was 45 minutes. There were no significant interruptions.
Detailed information on reliability is available on the ALS reliability bulletin board, which is located in the hallway between the ALS and the control room in Building 80. Questions about beam reliability should be directed to Dave Richardson (DBRichardson@lbl.gov, x4376).
In grapevines, “root pressure” was assumed to play a role in recovering from embolisms (blockages) in a plant’s water-transport systems during drought conditions. To clarify this, researchers used ALS Beamline 8.3.2 to obtain 3D microtomographic images of grapevine stem segments detached from roots and leaves. 
To determine how a gene will function, we need to know the spatial arrangement of the genome in the nucleus. Researchers have made a significant advance in determining this 3D organization by combining modeling and probabilistic calculations with minimally perturbing imaging techniques. 
ALS in the News
