"By meeting others, you get inspired in your own research, and can identify future collaborators" - Reflections on the Integrative Structural Biology theme's second symposium

The Integrative Structural Biology theme had its second symposium in October 2019 - an event that gathered close to a hundred researchers from different universities.  - It is really interesting to hear the stories behind other researchers’ results and publications. By meeting others, you get inspired in your own research, and can identify future collaborators, says one of the keynote speakers, Professor Nieng Yan, from Princeton University.

An explicit aim with the symposium was to highlight advanced, cutting-edge research in structural biology as a way to showcase the possibilities within the field.

According to Nieng Yan, the Integrative Structural Biology Theme represents the frontier areas of research, since it has a focus on multiple approaches and techniques.

–  I see the whole field as entering a new era. We have started to use already established techniques, such as X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy, in new and different ways. It is exciting both for the research and for us researchers.

Veronica Lattanzi, a PhD student in biochemistry and structural biology at Lund University, agrees that the symposium was a great inspiration in terms of creating networks and to get another view of what you can do in the field. In particular, she is eager to learn more about scattering techniques.

– My key reflection is that the future of science is interdisciplinary and that we need to meet across disciplines. LINXS can help merge different fields and different techniques. In short, help us get new things done!

Theme members Jens Lagerstedt, researcher at the Department of Experimental Medical Science, Thomas Ursby, beamline scientist at MAX IV, and Susanna Horsefield, researcher at Biochemistry and Structural Biology, were very pleased with the second symposium.

– The mix of young speakers and keynote speakers contributed to the vivid discussions and promoted collaborations. We were also keen to emphasise how an integrative structural biology approach can be used to tackle difficult research questions, such as the determination of high-resolution structures of macromolecular complexes, of amyloids and of membrane proteins, and so on, say Jens Lagerstedt, Thomas Ursby and Susanna Horsefield.

– Another focus of the symposium was to highlight the importance of the use of complementary techniques using neutrons and x-rays. It is becoming more and more obvious that we need to use integrated approaches to push the research forward.  The symposium also turned out to be a very good platform for bringing researchers together to initiate working group activities that focuses on specific scientific areas in structural biology.

Trevor Forsyth, from Institut Laue Langevin in Grenoble, France, and Keele University in the UK, is also a member of the Integrative Structural Biology Theme.

– With this second symposium, I feel that people are really starting to identify with this theme that brings a wide range of people and different approaches together. I see a great deal of potential in exploring different scientific areas relating to human health.

Important examples include research on amyloid and related neurodegenerative diseases, membrane protein systems, connective tissue molecules, muscle contraction, and pharmaceutical and therapeutic issues where information of target proteins can guide the development of new drugs.

– In more general terms we have an important underlying drive - to bridge the gap between the molecular and cellular levels of organisation. This is a priority where the broad range of capabilities  at Lund  (both existing and planned) can have a huge impact. Strong international link-ups with centres such as Grenoble in France (including the large scale neutron and X-ray facilities at ILL, ESRF, and PSB) will be crucial in maximising the impact and exploitation for health.

Voices from the symposium:

Sudeep Karoki, University of Helsinki.

– I’m a structural biologist. I study protein structures, and I have been using synchrotrons at Grenoble, France and also in Diamond, United Kingdom. I’m interested in the X-ray crystallography technique and other techniques as a way to study the adhesion between neuron cells. I interested in structural based functional study of proteins and their implications neuronal disorders such as autism, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.

– At the symposium, I want to get new ideas and find out about functional studies. What are the general trends in science right now?

Veronika Nesverova, Lund University and Jennifer Roche, Copenhagen University.

– I think all the talks have had excellent quality. The selections of speakers have also been great. I feel inspired in my own research. I also enjoy the stories behind how people get their results. Hearing about how people work can help you in your own research, says Veronika Nesverova.

–  The talks were interesting and so were the topics covered by the speakers. It was a good opportunity to network with the experts and hear about their experiences. In the future, I would also like to see a much wider community from universities within and outside Sweden, says Jennifer Roche.

Participants at the Integrative Structural Biology theme’s second symposium in October 2019 in Lund.

Professor Nieng Yan, from Princeton University at the Integrative Structural Biology theme’s second symposium in October 2019 in Lund.