The beamline will be used for protein crystallography which involves using synchrotron light to study protein crystals, research which can lead to the design of new drugs. With a synchrotron, scientists can determine crystal structures in weeks to months instead of months to years. The protein crystallography beamline will be an invaluable tool for our scientists and other Canadian researchers. This investment is a further example of our commitment to research and development in Canada. The first light will shine down the beamlines in January of 2004.
Funding is now in place for half a dozen beamlines.
CLS is seeking additional capital investment partnerships to build the full complement of more than 30 beamlines. A synchrotron is a huge, donut-shaped ring that accelerates a stream of electrons and manipulates them to create a beam of light billions of times brighter than the sun. This rare light can then be used by industrial and university researchers as a revolutionary new tool to observe structures and chemical reactions at a molecular level. The CLS is owned by the U of S. CLS construction is mainly funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Canadian government, the Saskatchewan government, the Ontario Innovation Trust, the Alberta government, the University of Saskatchewan, the City of Saskatoon and SaskPower. Substantial research and development, production, and distribution facilities are located around the globe.