New “eBERlight” Resource at the Advanced Photon Source Accelerates Biological and Environmental Research

Aerial photo of the Advanced Photon Source. (Image courtesy of Argonne National Laboratory.)

In October 2023, the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility at DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory, launched a new initiative to expand biological and environmental research at the world leading X-ray and analysis facility. The enterprise, dubbed eBERlight, is funded by DOE’s Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program.

The goal of eBERlight, led by structural biologist Karolina Michalska, is to connect researchers conducting experiments within the BER mission with world-leading X-ray science resources at APS. Michalska describes eBERlight as an integrated system of experts and resources geared toward connecting scientists with the right techniques at the right APS beamlines. Providing increased access to multiple capabilities simultaneously will facilitate new scientific approaches and engage new groups of multidisciplinary researchers toward investigating insights into the effects of climate change on air, water, soil, and the bioeconomy.

Currently undergoing a year-long upgrade, the APS will resume operations in Spring 2024 with
greatly expanded capabilities. The eBERlight team will have standing agreements with 13 APS beamlines, representing a broad range of techniques. Scientists working through eBERlight can also access resources such as the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, a DOE Office of Science supercomputer user facility, and the Advanced Protein Characterization Facility, where proteins are crystallized and prepared for analysis. And as the program grows, eBERlight will also leverage ties to other DOE Office of Science user facilities.

Visit this site often for updates on eBERlight’s new program and guidelines for gaining access.