Vanderbilt University CSB Core Faculty Center for Structural Biology Richard Armstrong (Biochemistry) The Center for Structural Biology (CSB) Al Beth (Mol Physiol & Biophys) is part of a major transinstitutional initiative Paul Bock (Pathology) started in the year 2000. The initiative Walter Chazin (Biochemistry) was designed to significantly upgrade the Martin Egli (Biochemistry) capabilities in Structural Biology at Vanderbilt Brandt Eichman (Biological Sciences) by bringing additional faculty and state-of- Tina Iverson (Pharmacology) the-art instrumentation to campus. The CSB Andrzej Krezel (Biological Sciences) was developed to promote the broad use Borden Lacy (Microbiology & Immunology) of structural biology approaches in all life Terry Lybrand (Chemistry) CSB science research and to provide a focal point Hassane Mchaourab (Mol Physiol & Biophys) that bridges medicine and biology to math, Jens Meiler (Chemistry) VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY chemistry, and physics. The philosophy of the Chuck Sanders (Biochemistry) CSB at Vanderbilt is to integrate the application Ben Spiller (Pharmacology) CENTER FOR STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY of all techniques that can provide the atomic Phoebe Stewart (Mol Physiol & Biophys) resolution structure of biomacromolecules. Michael Stone (Chemistry) Merging the application of traditional high Gerald Stubbs (Biological Sciences) resolution structural biology disciplines, X- M. Sundaramoorthy (Nephrology) ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy, Michael Waterman (Biochemistry) with cryo-electron microscopy, EPR spect- roscopy and computational techniques, is especially unique but is being increasingly CSB Staff recognized as the necessary strategy to solve Dr. Walter Chazin - Director fundamental structural problems in medicine Connie Chevalier - Director, Center Admin. and biology. Establishing an environment Dr. Jarrod Smith - Asst. Director (Computation) that provides access to all available tools Dr. Laura Mizoue - Asst. Director (Experimental) provides Vanderbilt investigators with key Dr. Joel Harp - Director, Crystallography Operations Center for Structural Biology competitive advantages. This philosophy is Markus Voehler -Director, NMR Operations Vanderbilt University being successfully applied in exciting ways in 5140 Medical Research Building III Dr. Eric Dawson - Computation Outreach 465 21st Ave. S. collaborations with investigators from a range Veronda McClain - Executive Secretary Nashville, TN 37232-8725 of Departments in both the College of Arts Lori Michalowski - Administrative Assistant 615-936-2209 and Science and The School of Medicine. http://structbio.vanderbilt.edu CSB Facilities X-ray Crystallography The state-of-the art in Structural Biology Crystallography allows for direct visualization of is driven by technologies that span mul- molecular structure at the atomic level. X-ray crystal- tiple disciplines. To stay at the forefront, lography is the primary tool for the structural analy- the Center for Structural Biology operates sis of proteins and nucleic acids. This facility exists facilities that provide for biomacromo- to make structural analysis by crystallography avail- lecular structure determination, modeling, able to researchers on the Vanderbilt campus by pro- and analysis. The CSB outreach program viding state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation, promotes new structural biology proj- training, software, and support for all aspects of crys- tal structure solution. We strive to help crystallogra- ects. Teams of experts are created from phers accomplish their work efficiently while being among CSB Faculty and Scientific Staff Structural Biology Computing able to push the boundaries of the technology. For The CSB computing core offers access to a variety to determine the best approach for each more information, visit our crystallography web site of equipment, training, and services. Our open-access, new problem. Researchers from the home at http://structbio.vanderbilt.edu/xtal or contact Facil- state-of-the-art molecular graphics and visualization laboratory are then provided access to ity Director Joel Harp, Ph.D. ([email protected] lab with access to nearly 100 structural biology expertise and tools in the areas of protein derbilt.edu), or Scientific Director Martin Egli, Ph.D. software applications is located in MRBIII. Hands-on expression, purification, and characteriza- ([email protected]). tion, X-ray crystallography, NMR, model- workshops in the areas of molecular visualization and ing, and visualization. Initial contact with modeling are being offered in the molecular modeling the Center can be made with the Director, teaching lab in Stevenson Center. Our systems the CSB Core Faculty, the CSB Scientific administration staff offers service contracts and end- Staff, or via our website: user support for UNIX-based workstations, providing Vanderbilt researchers all over campus with full access http://structbio.vanderbilt.edu/access.php to the same software applications that are available at our local facilities. For more information, visit http://structbio.vanderbilt.edu/comp or contact Facility Protein Production and Director Jarrod A. Smith, Ph.D. (jsmith@structbio. Characterization vanderbilt.edu), or Scientific Director Terry P. Lybrand, Ph.D ([email protected]). The CSB runs two core facilities that focus on large-scale protein Biomolecular NMR expression, purification The principal mission of the Biomolecular NMR and characterization. facility is to provide instrumentation for, and aid Access to and training in obtaining data on the structure and dynamics of for chromatography biological macromolecules. The Facility offers state- equipment, non- of-the-art instrumentation, training, software and commercial expression assistance in designing experiments. We strive to help vectors, fermentors, the Vanderbilt community realize the potential of and an array of biomolecular NMR and to stay current with the most biophysical instrumentation are among recent experimental approaches. For more information, the available tools. Visit http://structbio.vanderbilt. visit http://structbio.vanderbilt.edu/nmr or contact edu/wetlab or contact Facility Director Laura Facility Director Markus Voehler (markus@structbio. Mizoue, Ph.D. ([email protected]) vanderbilt.edu), or Scientific Director Andrzej Krezel, for details. Ph.D. ([email protected]).