LENS Webinar Series

Talk 1: How neutron science improves energy production, conversion, and consumption – Leonardo Chiappisi (ILL)

Talk 2: Investigating the oxidation of atmospheric aerosols using neutron scattering – Rebecca Welbourn (ISIS)

Talk 3: Polymer electrolyte membranes for energy devices – Quentin Berrod (CNRS)

Talk 4: Caloric materials for energy-efficient cooling – Karen Friese (Jülich Centre for Neutron Science-2)

The Wolter optics based neutron microscope
Dr Daniel S. Hussey, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Ultra-high field magnets for neutron scattering: latest developments and possibilities
Dr Mark D. Bird, The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Tallahassee

Targeting the Heart of a Virus: Design of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors using X-rays, Neutrons and Computation
Dr. Andrey Kovalevsky, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Lipid Nanoparticles for mRNA delivery: using Neutron Scattering for their successful redesign
Dr. Marianna Yanez Arteta, AstraZeneca Mölndal

Co-assembly of lipids and the amyloid protein alpha-synuclein
Emma Sparr, Lund University

Structural Bases of Huntington’s Disease Pathological Threshold. An Integrative Structural Biology Approach
Pau Bernadó, CBS/CNRS Montpellier

26 November 2020: New Directions in Instrumentation
Multiplexing backends for neutron spectroscopy
Rasmus TOFT-PETERSEN, DTU/ESS

22 October 2020: New Directions in Instrumentation
Neutron Diffraction Instrumentation for stress determination
Thilo Pirling, Institut Laue-Langevin

08 October 2020: Global Health Threats
Microbial resistance and novel antibiotics

Studying the surfaces of bacteria using neutron scattering. Finding new openings for antibiotics.
Prof. Jeremy Lakey, Structural Biochemistry, Biosciences Institute, The Medical School, University of Newcastle

Antimicrobial peptides – from membrane interactions to drug delivery
Prof. Martin Malmsten, LEO Foundation Center for Cutaneous Drug Delivery, Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen

10 September 2020: Global Health Threats
Cancer-related research using neutrons

How does the Bcl-2 Protein family regulate apoptosis at the mitochondrial membrane level?
Gerhard Gröbner, Umeå University

Towards the catalytic cycle of a multidrug ABC (“ATP-Binding Cassette”) transporter
Jean-Michel Jault, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)

Global Health Threats

Advances in neutron instrumentation have made neutron scattering an essential part of research in soft condensed matter, structural biology and the health sciences generally.

This webinar series is organised by LENS Working Group 3 to engage the biomedical research communities in defining how neutron scattering infrastructures can contribute to solving some of the current major challenges.

The webinars will consist of presentations by leading experts from both neutron scattering and the health research communities, followed by a chance to discuss and ask them questions about their work.   

Further webinars on topics related to research on some of the major health challenges of the aging population in the developed world are envisaged from August 2020 onwards on a bi-weekly basis:

• Cancer
• Amyloid aggregation and Alzheimer’s/Parkinson’s disease
• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes type II
• Antibiotic resistance and new pathogens
• Drug development and delivery systems

New Directions in Instrumentation

New instruments and recent upgrades at European neutron sources, together with the world-leading instrument designs under construction for ESS, are bringing rapid changes to neutron science methods and science areas.

Progress in instrumentation is key to the advancement of scientific knowledge and the development of new and improved technologies. Sophisticated instrument concepts enable scientists to perform experiments with greater precision or higher sensitivity and to answer increasingly complex questions. 

The webinars will feature live presentations of novel instrument concepts by leading experts from LENS member facilities, followed by an interactive Q&A session. The aim is to generate discussion, to develop new and existing contacts, and to disseminate the current capabilities and developments.