iNEXT-Discovery stimulates Corona-research

Fast-tracking iNEXT-Discovery Covid-applications

Structural biology is crucial in understanding the mode of action of the Corona-virus SARS-CoV-2. 3D structures for many of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins and RNA are now available to researchers and are instrumental in determination of atomic details of many virus structures, for instance to detect leads for drugs targeted against Covid-19.

Several of our facilities of which several have already made significant contributions to Covid19-research, for instance BMRB, DIAMOND and HZB, and since April 2020 already iNEXT-Discovery is fast-tracking SARS-CoV-2 applications for using highest-end structural biology equipment. Submitted user proposals for corona-related access are funneled towards fast reviewing and for those that get accepted prioritized access to our expert facilities is arranged. In case you are interested in this, please follow our standard procedures and submit your research proposal here.

 

Call for research for sample preparation, access and matchmaking

iNEXT-Discovery teamed up with the structural biology Research Infrastructure Instruct-ERIC and the Covid19-NMR initiative to create added value by combining their experience and some existing services.

To offer these, we opened a shared Call for Access to allow many more researchers to extend and intensify their research on the SARS-CoV-2 virus. With this call, two types of services can be requested:

1. The three consortia combine their expert facilities that are equipped and experienced to prepare SARS-CoV-2 protein and RNA samples. This is not only to be used at their own facilities, but the prepared reagents are made available also to be shared with external life science, biochemistry and structural biology experts in the field of virus-research.

2. Reagents that have been prepared in the applicant's own lab can be combined with our SARS-CoV-2 material to be further characterized at our facilities to obtain molecular and atomic insights into the functionality of individual or interacting Corona-virus components.

If you are interested to participate in the offerings that are combined in this call, please apply here (link removed: the deadline for proposal submissions was May 31, 2021)

To facilitate the services that can be requested through this call also for researchers from industry, we also engage in matchmaking between the parties requesting and offering Corona-related capacities, reagents and measurement time. Please contact the iNEXT-Discovery Project manager for more information.

 

 

Sample preparation

The iNEXT-Discovery, Covid19-NMR and Instruct-ERIC partnership comprises three established research organizations that are very experienced and well-equipped for making protein and RNA preparations to be used for X-ray crystallography, for Electron Microscopy and for NMR spectroscopy research (also in stable isotope-labeled form), but also for other techniques and also for SARS-CoV-2 research. Even though our call for proposals has been completed, feel free to contact us for information!

 

 

Matchmaking

Our structural biology researchers are leading experts in their fields, and frequently working on fragment screening, drug development, virus research or in other health-research related fields.

Regardless if you are a researcher from academia or from industry, please send us your questions and requests with respect to the structural biology of SARS-CoV-2 and the possibility for collaborative research, so we can bring you in contact with the experts.

 

 

Protein production

Instruct-ERIC: Instruct-ERIC is a pan-European distributed research infrastructure making high-end technologies and methods in structural biology available to users. Sample preparation for structural biology characterization is available from several Instruct Centres as detailed in their catalogue. Among these is the Netherlands Cancer Institute NKI, located in Amsterdam (NL). The NKI Protein Facility in Amsterdam (NL) is very experienced in protein expression and preparing all kinds of samples for structural biology research (contact).

RNA production

COVID19-NMR: The BMRZ at the Goethe University in Frankfurt (DE) is coordinating the COVID19-NMR initiative. At the same time this is one of the biggest NMR facilities in Europe. The group has ample experience in NMR on proteins and RNA, and preparation of samples of these. For inquiries, please contact Christian Richter, Sridhar Sreeramulu and/or Anna Wacker.

 

I am a researcher looking for reagents/expertise

Please contact iNEXT-Discovery

I am a researcher offering reagents/expertise

Please contact iNEXT-Discovery