High Throughput Crystallization Robotics

Project Summary:

For most investigators, the major “hurdle” in initiating structural studies is the challenge of obtaining crystals of a protein of interest. The “art” of growing protein crystals for structural analysis has not progressed to the state where high-throughput robotic technology can be used to screen a matrix of conditions for their ability to generate crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction. This robotic approach enables even novice investigators to screen several proteins under multiple conditions. The researchers involved in this project seek to purchase an instrumentation system for robotic-based crystallization trials in order to prioritize structural biology as an essential component of contemporary biomedical science at the Medical College of Wisconsin. This technology will provide a platform on which to establish collaborative research efforts between investigators involved in the disciplines of molecular genetics and structural biology.