Advanced Technologies for Biology

Synchrotron light sources and neutron facilities at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) national laboratories enable understanding of the structure of matter down to the atomic or molecular level using approaches not possible with laboratory instrumentation. Synchrotron facilities produce intense beams of photons, from X-rays to infrared to terahertz radiation, while neutron facilities produce beams using particle accelerators or reactors. The beams are directed into experimental stations housing instruments configured for specific biological investigations.

This infrastructure provides user access to beamlines and instrumentation for high-resolution studies of bio- logical organisms and molecules for all areas of research in the life sciences. Users are chosen through a peer-reviewed proposal process managed by each facility. Capabilities of and contact information for each station are described in this publication.