ICDD X-ray Diffraction Clinics

Session I

• Production and properties of X-rays: continuous and characteristic radiation, absorption, scatter and diffraction
• Production of monochromatic X-radiation: choice of source conditions, use of beta-filters, proportional detectors and pulse height selection, monochromators, use of the Si(Li) and Ge(Li) detectors
• Components of the diffraction pattern: expected reflections, Miller indices, unexpected reflections, effect of scatter and fluorescence, factors affecting peak positions and intensities
• The powder diffractometer: optical arrangement, factors affecting instrumental profile widths; choice and function of divergence slits, calibration and alignment, detectors, X-ray optics
• Acquisition of good diffraction data: specimen requirements, preparation techniques, use of standards, and proper operation of powder diffractometers
• Qualitative phase identification: the Powder Diffraction File™, quality of reference patterns, the Alphabetical, Hanawalt, and Fink Indexes, automated methods, and specialized subfiles
• Industrial applications of X-ray powder diffraction
• Hands-on use of personal computers for demonstration of the latest software
• Data mining with the PDF

Lectures

• Fundamentals of X-ray Physics
• WDX and EDX X-ray spectrometry instrumentation
• Qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis
• Introduction to quantitative analysis
• Types and sources of error
• Precision and accuracy
• Calibration strategy
• Drift, line and interelement correction application
• Fundamental parameters
• Maintaining instrument integrity
• Specimen preparation
  

Workshops:

• XRF instrumentation, components, scope, and comparison using live and disabled WDX and EDX instrumentation.
• Selection of parameters for operation
• Demonstration of personal computer exercises in qualitative and semi-quantitative WDX and EDX analysis
• Demonstration of personal computer exercises employing polynomial regression, line overlap, empirical and fundamental parameter corrections during calibration
• Specimen preparation lecture and demonstration of the use of mixers, grinders, presses, fusion apparatus, etcetera
• Discussion of problems encountered by participants

Exploring All Facets of the Inorganic Chemistry of Life

FPSchool aims to contribute to the training of scientists in treatment of X-ray and neutron diffraction data.The school is based on intensive hands-on sessions using the computer programs of the FullProf Suite.

The lectures and tutorials will provide the essential tools necessary for an efficient use of the FullProf Suite at an intermediate level. In addition to general applications, the new features on material science data analysis and magnetic structure determination and refinement will be given particular attention.

• Intended for advanced PhD students, postdocs and young scientists
• Theoretical and in-depth tutorial training on state-of-the-art methods in macromolecular crystallography

• 25 available places for selected students
• Grants available with all expenses covered
• APPLICATIONS until January 20th, 2016 at http://www.ifsc.usp.br/mx2016

Main Topics

• Diffraction data processing
• Phasing and structure determination
• Model refinement and validation

Speakers and Tutors

• Alejandro Buschiazzo Montevideo, Uruguay
  
• Kay Diederichs Konstanz, Germany
  
• Paul Emsley Cambridge, UK
  
• Richard Garratt São Carlos, Brasil
  
• Ronan Keegan Oxford, UK
  
• Eugene Krissinel Oxford, UK
  
• Joana Pereira Hamburg, Germany
  
• Andrey Lebedev Oxford, UK
  
• Andrew Leslie Cambridge, UK
  
• Garib Murshudov Cambridge, UK
  
• David Waterman Oxford, UK
  
• Pavol Skubak Leiden, The Netherlands
  
• Randy Read Cambridge, UK
  
• Andrea Thorn Cambridge, UK
  
• Isabel Uson Barcelona, Spain

Preliminary List of Topics

The latest advances in methodology and applications of charge densities:

• advances in data analysis
• understanding dynamics of atoms and structures
• progress in using large scale facilities
• charge densities in crystal engineering
• charge densities in materials science
• charge densities and electron diffraction
• charge densities in life sciences
• charge densities at extreme conditions
• charge densities beyond single crystal approach
• physical applications of charge densities
• charge densities of inorganic materials and minerals
• compute or/and measure?
• charge densities towards classical structural analysis
• methods beyond charge densities

The Australian Synchrotron and Society of Crystallographers in Australia and New Zealand (SCANZ) are pleased to announce the Australasian Crystallography School 2016.Â

This school is intended for PhD students and early postdoctoral researchers wishing to develop their theoretical and practical skills in structure determination by X-ray crystallography.

The course will combine lectures by expert crystallographers with intensive hands-on computer-based practical sessions to provide a thorough introduction to the theory and practise of X-ray crystal structure determination.Â

It is open to people from institutions within Australia and New Zealand; although selected participants from overseas may also be considered (numbers will be limited).

SCANZ student members may apply online for consideration for Maslen scholarships as well as the crystal school.

The 2016 Symposium builds on our very successful previous meeting on the same theme in 2014.
The goal of the Symposium is to discuss state of the art image analysis approaches to tackle challenging biological problems and to identify current limitations and remaining problems in the field as currently practiced. The goal will be for developers in this area, both established as well as students/postdocs to discuss the detailed algorithms and methodologies in this field in greater technical detail than is possible at more general meetings like the GRC. The central premise is that gaining a comprehensive and quantitative understanding of highly sophisticated machines, complexes, and organelles of the cell requires the active, timely and coordinated development of complementary image analysis and data mining algorithm and approaches. We have recruited an outstanding panel of speakers (current agenda provided in the web site).

 Sessions

• Handling Compositional and Conformational Variability
  
• High Resolution Subtomogram Averaging and Related Techniques
  
• High Resolution Single Particle Analysis
  
• Resolution Assessment, Model and Map Validation
  
• Data Storage Roundtable
  
• Poster Talks

• Â Â Â Molecular Graphics
• Â Â Â Fully Interactive 3D Molecules in PowerPoint and the Web
• Â Â Â Linking Sequence to 3D Protein Structures
• Â Â Â Protein Structure Analysis
• Â Â Â Protein Modeling and Simulations
• Â Â Â Protein Structure Validation and Optimization
• Â Â Â Ligand Binding Site Prediction
• Â Â Â Protein-Protein Docking
• Â Â Â Small Molecule Docking
• Â Â Â Induced Fit Docking
• Â Â Â Structure and Ligand-based Virtual Ligand Screening
• Â Â Â Lead design using the ICM 3D Interactive Ligand Editor
• Â Â Â Cheminformatics: chemical clustering, searching, superposition, combinatorial library generation and QSAR

HERCULES is a European course for PhD students and young researchers using Neutrons and Synchrotron Radiation for applications in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Hard & Soft Condensed Matter.

   The 1-month school includes lectures (60%), hands-on practicals and tutorials at partner institutes (DESY and European XFEL in Hamburg, Ellettra and FERMI in Trieste, ESRF, ILL in Grenoble, Soleil and LLB near Paris, SLS in Switzerland) and Grenoble Laboratories (CEA, CNRS, EMBL, IBS).

   The school includes a common part and two parallel sessions:

• Biomolecular, soft condensed matter structure & dynamics
• Physics and chemistry of condensed matter

  Â

   Why join Hercules ?

• to learn new techniques using neutron and synchrotron radiation
• to expand your theoretical and practical knowledge, not only for your present research but for your scientific career
• to experiment these techniques on world-class instruments & beamlines
• to build a network of relations with fellow young researchers and experienced teachers from all around the World

Deadline for application:Â Â 31 October 2015

Bursaries/reduced costs: a limited number of bursaries will be available either to reduce registration fees or cover travel costs.

Common Lectures:

• Interaction of X-rays and neutrons with matter (absorption, elastic and inelastic interactions, ...)
• Sources (neutron, synchrotron, XFEL)
• Detectors
• Optics &instrumentation
• Diffraction (single crystal, powder..)
• Scattering (elastic, inelastic..)
• Spectroscopy
• Imaging (Absorption, coherent,..)
• etc.
  

Session A: Applications to Biomolecular, Soft Condensed matter, Structure and Dynamics

• Protein structure and dynamics
• Studies in solutions
• Partially ordered systems
• Membranes, fibres and muscles
• Crystallography of viruses and ribosomes
• Structural genomics
• Biomedical applications (imaging, therapy)
• Time-resolved and ultra-fast X-ray science
• Biology with 4th generation sources
• etc.
  

Session B: Applications to Physics and Chemistry of Condensed Matter

• Neutron and X-ray (and UV and IR) spectroscopies
• X-ray reflectivity and diffraction of nano systems
• Single crystal and powder diffraction
• Coherent imaging and tomography
• Neutron and X-ray magnetic scattering
• Polarized X-rays and neutrons
• FEL and ultra fast X-ray science
  
• etc.

The symposium runs from 2pm on Monday 11 until 3pm on Tuesday 12th April 2016.

 In April 2016 researchers, at all career stages, from across the globe will meet together to discuss recent innovations in the field of structural molecular biology.

This unique event being held at The University of Leeds, UK, has already attracted leading figures in this field including Professor Michael Levitt, FRS who was awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing computational tools to dissect chemical reactions.


Other confirmed speakers:

• David Barford FRS (LMB, Cambridge)
• Martin Blackledge (IBS, Grenoble)
• Tim Clausen (IMP, Vienna)
• Sarah Harris (Astbury Centre, Leeds)
• Lewis E. Kay FRS (Toronto)
• Sheena Radford FRS, (Astbury Centre, Leeds)
• Helen Saibil FRS (Birkbeck)
• David Stuart FRS (Oxford)

Additional talks will be selected from abstracts submitted online, along with poster sessions. The symposium will be followed by a public engagement event and a public lecture by Professor Michael Levitt.

Second joint Diamond-CCP4 MX workshop for graduate students, postdocs and early career scientists.

All aspects of structure solution will be covered during the workshop, from data collection through to phasing, refinement and validation.

• Lectures and tutorials will be delivered by experts in the field
• Two days of data collection time will be provided at Diamond's excellent MX beamlines
• You will be able to work alongside world-leading scientists and methods developers on your own projects
• All costs apart from travel will be covered

From Big Data to Smart Data

Over 5 days, you will get introduced to data acquisition, 3D reconstruction, segmentation and meshing and finally, 3D modelling of data to extract physical parameters describing flow or mechanical properties. Teaching and exercises will take place in close interaction with top experts in the field.

Topics

• Experimental methods and applications
  
• Volumetric reconstruction
• Segmentation techniques
• Flow simulation
• Mechanical modelling

Deadline for registration for the summer school is June 30th, 2015