News

Finding an effective way to evolve from an exploitation model of the Earth resources to a sustainable one is an essential and imposing challenge humanity is facing today. A vital element of any long-term solution to this challenge will be new technology to meet our needs for energy and other resources and this, in turn, will require new materials and processes, predicted and realised through scientific research and innovation. 

This document aims to be part of the co-creation process of Horizon Europe strategies and programs, in such a way that Research Infrastructures, and LEAPS, in particular, may make the most effective contribution possible to the Horizon Europe missions and grand challenges throughout the next decade and beyond. 

Research on the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the current outbreak of COVID-19, is a global endeavour. Several facilities within our collaboration have started research on SARS-CoV-2 virus and opened calls for rapid access to dedicated beamtime. First results have been achieved: the SARS-CoV-2 viral main protease structure has been determined at BESSY II. The protease represents a critical target for therapy, and the results of the measurement can offer a new basis for further development of specific antiviral treatments. Read more here.

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Publications

A list of publications on SARS-CoV-2 by LEAPS members and other synchrotron and FEL facilities around the globe can be found at lightsources.org. This list is updated on a daily basis. Lightsources.org is the result of the collaboration between communicators from light source facilities around the world.

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Rapid access

Scientists can apply for rapid access at the following facilities (only member facilities of LEAPS are mentioned). Please find current information about the facilities at their own websites through Consortium in our top menu.

MAX IV Laboratory in Sweden provides rapid access:
https://www.maxiv.lu.se/news/rapid-access-call-for-proposals-sars-cov-2-and-urgent-e-g-health-related-research/

Soleil in France provides rapid access:
https://www.synchrotron-soleil.fr/en/news/covid-19-research-synchrotron-soleil-and-rapid-access

DESY in Germany offers rapid access to PETRA III beamlines:
https://photon-science.desy.de/users_area/fast_track_access_for_covid_19/index_eng.html

Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste in Italy opens to remote access following beamlines: XRD1, XRD2, SISSI-BIO and MCX:
https://www.elettra.trieste.it/userarea/covid-19-virus-elettra-rapid-access-proposals.html

BESSY II at HZB in Germany provides fast track access to their instruments for issues of highest relevance.
https://www.helmholtz-berlin.de/forschung/oe/np/gmx/index_en.html
Contact: Manfred Weiss, team leader of MX joint research group

ALBA Synchrotron in Spain offers a COVID-19 RAPID ACCESS on all beamlines:
https://www.albasynchrotron.es/en/en/users/call-information

SOLARIS Synchrotron in Poland gives access to its Cryo-Electron Microscope thanks to a CERIC-ERIC initiative: https://www.ceric-eric.eu/2020/03/10/covid-19-fast-track-access/

Swiss Light Source and Swiss FEL at PSI in Switzerland offer priority access to combating COVID-19:
https://www.psi.ch/en/psd/covid-19

Diamond Light Source in the United Kingdom opened also a call for rapid access:
https://www.diamond.ac.uk/Users.html

On 21 September, European Facilities for Analysis met in Brussels in a cooperation meeting organised by LEAPS. This consortium consists of representatives from LEAPS, LENS, RADIATE, DREAMS, LaserLab Europe, and EMFL.

The Chair of LEAPS Caterina Biscari started the meeting with an overview of LEAPS, followed by the approach to the HE missions presented by Mirjam van Daalen vice-chair of the LEAPS Coordination Board, based on the “LEAPS Position paper on the Horizon Europe Missions”. After that, all consortia shared their vision on their input to the missions.

– The first step of this positive collaboration clearly showed that together we would be able to successfully reach the common goal of tackling Horizon Europe missions and truly make a difference, says Caterina Biscari, Chair of LEAPS and Director of ALBA Synchrotron.

As a first outcome of the meeting, it was decided to create a joint position paper which will be presented when LEAPS meet with the European Parliament on 6 May in Brussels.