We are using the femtosecond X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) worldwide to collect serial femtosecond crystallography and emission spectra simultaneously. Our novel and unique sample delivery method, shown on the left, facilitates room temperature, time dependent data collection. The droplet on tape method (DOT) utilizes an acoustic droplet dispensor to create droplets of crystal slurries onto a kapton tape. The tape travels through our micro environment before traveling to the XFEL beam. The micro environment can include laser illumination, gas saturation, or humidity changes. The droplet is timed with the pulse of the XFEL. Therefore, this method minimizes waste and maximizes micro environment flexibility. For more information on this method, please check out Fuller et al 2017, Young et al 2016, Kern et al 2018 and Ibrahim et al 2020 (see publications).
We utilize our delivery system at XFEL facilities to study biological systems. This unique method aids in simultaneous collection of X-ray diffraction (along the beam path) and spectroscopy (perpendicular to the beam). By collecting both data, we are able to correlate crystal structure with electronic information. By utilizing the high flux, time-resolved nature of the XFEL, we can measure data from our biological samples without radiation damage seen at traditional synchrotron facilities. Our research focuses on metalloenzymes, such as PSI described here.
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