A Coordinated Infrastructure for NMR in the Physical and Life Sciences: Upgrade of the Leicester 800MHz NMR for Structural Biology and Drug Discovery

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopists from across the UK and working in a wide-range of research fields have agreed on a coordinated strategy for investment in very-high and ultra-high field NMR equipment. The results of this coordinated effort will provide for UK-wide access to new state-of-the-art capabilities, training and expertise in NMR technology for the physical and life sciences.

In Leicester, NMR underpins fundamental and applied science in a wide range of topics, including the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that establish the workings of biological macromolecular complexes in both normal and disease states and crucial research in structure-based drug discovery.

We request a contribution of Euro 967,894 (£887,946) from the research council, which combined with Euro 244,758 (£224,541; 20% overall matching) by the University of Leicester, will be used to upgrade our aged and technically obsolete 800 MHz NMR console and probe and expand its capability to include a flow system, direct 13C-detect, 15N-detect and solid-state capabilities. Together, these upgrades greatly enhance the ability to investigate challenging systems using integrated solution- and solid-state NMR approaches at the Leicester site, yielding significant advantages to structural biology for its local and external users.

Leicester will allow access via its strategic partner, the national NMR facility in Birmingham, and share technologically advanced methodologies, maximising the impact for the UK research, industry and society, thereby contributing to the UK economic viability and overall well-being.

Across the institutions of the UK-wide NMR infrastructure, we will work towards common mechanisms for access and reporting. An annual discussion forum will be established as part of this effort, to give all UK NMR spectroscopists, from academia and industry, and RCUK representatives, an opportunity to meet, to share best practice and confer on all relevant issues.

Funding of this proposal, as part of the coordinated UK NMR infrastructure, will provide for UK-wide access to new state-of-the-art NMR capabilities and technology. It will generate very significant impact for the UK physical and life sciences, as well as UK industry, and greatly stimulate the education and training of the next generation of scientists.

The impact targets a number of areas:

1. To increase effectiveness, sharing and outputs through coordinated networking activities
The NMR community recognises the need and advantages of a single-point access portal, to provide relevant information about capacity, instrumentation, availability and scheduling, accounting, KPIs, as well as costs or other requirements for access. A single point access portal will greatly facilitate the process by which advanced NMR experiments at very-high and ultra-high field could be incorporated in the research programmes of non-expert users. A single-access portal would also be very advantageous for access to new and existing NMR services by industry, thus increasing the likelihood and ease for industry to engage in novel approaches.

2. To stimulate the development of NMR methodology and expertise
A highly technologically advanced experimental technique, such as NMR, requires continuing attention to, and implementation of, the latest progress in experimentation together with the development of bespoke solutions for individual scientific problems. By applying the latest developments and sharing this expertise and the newly developed methodologies across the different sites of the coordinated NMR infrastructure, the speed of development and quality of the UK science will be greatly enhanced.

3. To improve training and sharing of best practices
Suitable training of PhD and postgraduate researchers will create a source of expertise that underpins key research activities in many of the UK's economically important sectors, such as pharma, biotech and nanotechnology.

4. To increase the quality of research of the scientific and industrial communities via suitable access, engagement and outreach
The new capabilities in Leicester allow for the full range of state-of-the-art solution and/or solid-state resource intensive NMR projects. By sharing access to the technologically advanced methodologies, the impact for the UK society is maximised, both in the realm of research as well as industry, thus contributing to the UK economic viability and overall well-being.

5. To inform the general public via suitable outreach activities
Informing the general public is a key aspect in conveying the 'why and how' of scientific research, engaging the public with the need for the often costly scientific research, and arousing their curiosity in particular that of children of all ages, race and gender, as they are the scientists of the future.