SOLEIL HelioBio - LM@W meeting

Synchrotron radiation allows for probing inherent properties of materials (organic/inorganic) on extended spatial and time scales using a wide range of energies (from hard X-rays to infrared). Synchrotron SOLEIL is a very large research national facility that provides X-rays to scientists from physics, chemistry and biology research areas. Hundreds of scientific projects are selected per year and scientists from France and abroad bring their samples to collect data on site to probe and decipher their fine structures and characteristics. Within SOLEIL a section called HelioBio gather beamlines and support laboratories that are dedicated to the community of researchers in the biology field. The 30 HelioBio members are working together to optimize the sample preparation prior the experiment, the quality of data collection and the analysis and interpretation of the data with the users. Traditionally, biology in synchrotron is covered within two main domains: the structural biology part, to study biomolecules structures at the atomic/molecular scale, and the imaging part, covering the structural and chemical properties of biological sample from cells to tissues. Current efforts in modern biology aim to smoothen the transition between molecular and tissue scales to provide a more comprehensive description of molecules within their native environment. HelioBio section, aware of this evolution, seeks solutions to provide to the community new access modes at SOLEIL that will facilitate a multimodal and multiscale approach adapted to modern biological projects.
This workshop aims to present the SOLEIL portfolio of beamlines and techniques for biology as it is today, and also the current considerations of how the evolution of SOLEIL might help the community in the future. Interactions between HelioBio members and scientists in speed dating mode and/or round tables will then be organized on request with the audience to share thoughts and advice on a general or project oriented basis.