CCR Biophysics Resource Core

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The Biophysics Resource (BR) is managed and operated by the Center for Structural Biology. The support provided by the BR is targeted on investigation of property-structure relationship for multiple projects in cancer and HIV-related research. BR offers expert staff to assist CCR users in the design of experiments and operation of advanced biophysical chemistry technologies such as circular dichroism spectroscopy, LC/MS and LC/MS/MS spectrometry, steady-state and dynamic fluorescence spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, dynamic light scattering, microscale thermophoresis, differential scanning fluorometry (nanoDSF), advanced UV-Vis spectroscopy, switchSence technology, mass photometry for characterization of structure and properties of biomacromolecules and/or their interactions. The BR provides much more than simple instrument availability by training in the use of instruments, maintenance and upgrades of instrumentation, and consultation/collaboration on experimental design and sophisticated analysis of biophysical experiments. The BR also assists researchers from other NIH ICs on a time- and resource-available basis. The BR is the only place at CCR providing service-oriented access to such technologies as titration calorimetry, circular dichroism, microscale thermophoresis, nanoDSF, switchSense, mass photometry. Majority of BR technologies, even high resolution mass-spectroscopy, are operated in walk-up mode and experiments are run by users independently after necessary training. It allows minimization of the time interval for complex technologies between project initialization and final result from days and hours down to minutes, if necessary.