Approximately 1,700 scientists visit SSRL annually to conduct experiments in broad disciplines including life sciences, materials, environmental science, and accelerator physics. Science highlights featured here and in our monthly newsletter, Headlines, increase the visibility of user science as well as the important contribution of SSRL in facilitating basic and applied scientific research. Many of these scientific highlights have been included in reports to funding agencies and have been picked up by other media. Users are strongly encouraged to contact us when exciting results are about to be published. We can work with users and the SLAC Office of Communication to develop the story and to communicate user research findings to a much broader audience.
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Controlling DNA Methylation
X-ray studies conducted at SSRL have shed light on a sword-and-shield type of defense used by bacteria to protect themselves from viral attacks.
Crystal Structure Sheds Light on Hereditary Coproporphyria
X-ray crystallography studies at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory recently shone light on a human enzyme that helps synthesize heme, the iron-containing pigment that helps carry oxygen to al
Small-Molecule Inhibition of TNF-alpha
In rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease, the immune system overreacts, provoking too much inflammation.
Highly Oriented Crystals in Polythiophenes
For close to a decade, researchers have been trying to improve the performance of plastic semiconductors to the level of amorphous silicon - the semiconductor used in low-cost electronics such as photov
Polymorphism of DNA-anionic Liposome Complexes Reveals Hierarchy of Ion-mediated Interactions
Gene therapy can potentially cure many hereditary and acquired diseases, such as cancer, hemophilia and cystic fibrosis, by delivering a healthy copy of a gene to the cells that need it.
High Resolution Snapshots for the Complete Reaction Cycle of a Cocaine Catalytic Antibody
Cocaine abuse remains a major public health problem despite ongoing research aimed at developing therapies to counter its harmful effects.
Crystal Structure of a Conserved Phosphatase Domain of Non-structural Protein-3 (nsp3) from the SARS Coronavirus
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) emerged as the first severe and readily transmissible new disease of the 21st century.
Structural Insights into FeMo Cofactor Biosynthesis
SSRL and Stanford scientists, in collaboration with a team from UC Irvine, have gotten the first look into how the metal active center of an enzyme that is largely responsible for fertilizing plants i
Hydrogenation of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes
Researchers at SSRL and Stanford have taken a step closer to hydrogen-run cars by adding hydrogen to tiny cylinders made entirely out of carbon.
The Crystal Structure of Human, Nicotine Metabolizing Cytochrome P450 2A6
Using x-ray diffraction data collected at SSRL, Scripps researchers Jason Yano, Eric F. Johnson, C.
Collaborate on Science Highlights
We can work with users and the SLAC Office of Communication to develop the story and to communicate user research findings to a much broader audience.