Update: Diamond lights16 February 2007 |
Diamond Light Source, the UK's new synchrotron facility, has opened its door for business, on schedule and on budget.
Sitting in the Oxfordshire countryside, the giant, gleaming, doughnut-shaped synchrotron is described as one of the brightest sources of light in the world. By accelerating electron particles to nearly the speed of light and focusing them to generate extremely intense beams, the synchrotron will enable users from many disciplines to probe the structure of the world around us, from sub-microscopic protein structures to the vast expanse of the solar system.
The first users of Diamond will provide its scientists with real projects to assist in the six-month period of fine-tuning. Amongst these users is Dave Stuart, Head of Structural Biology at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at the University of Oxford. Professor Stuart will be using Diamond's X-rays to visualise the structure of ephrin receptors. Healthy cells use this protein to guide them to their correct location in the body, but if incorrect amounts are present, the delicate balance of messages to the cell is upset and can lead to the development of diseases such as cancer.
The Wellcome Trust has been a driving force behind the project, committing funds at its inception and providing 14 per cent of total funding, complementing that provided by the UK government. The Trust will be actively encouraging the government to maintain its support for the project, to ensure it remains a world-class facility.