GRA-UGA 800 MHz NMR Regional Facility

	Introduction Spectrometer description Guidelines for access Submitting requests Charges for usage Getting help: Experienced Users Facility Advisory Committee Current 800 MHz schedule

Introduction

The Georgia Research Alliance and the University of Georgia have established a regional NMR facility located at the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center that is directed by Professor James Prestegard. Its purpose is to provide a high-field NMR spectroscopy laboratory that is accessible primarily to the Georgia research community but other investigators as well.

The 800 MHz NMR spectrometer is especially applicable to cases in which normally weak field-dependent phenomena become observable. It can also provide the additional resolution and sensitivity needed in particularly demanding problems of structure determination, and is another frequency available for relaxation experiments and other studies. We currently have standard liquid probes and a variable angle solids probe.
Lower field magnets (500WB,600) are also available on-site in the CCRC NMR Spectroscopy Center, for preliminary work, sample testing, and pulse program optimization. For general inquries, contact the facility manager, John Glushka, 706-542-4483.

Spectrometer description

Guidelines for access

Priority to high-field applications.

This facility currently emphasizes the determination of structures of biologically important macromolecular complexes, and the use of field-induced orientation phenomena. Priority will be given to the applications that take advantage of the special capabilities of the facility. Priority will also be given to researchers located in the state of Georgia.

A user-run facility.

Our goal is to run a facility in which experienced users assume responsibility for most of their own data acquisition. However, assistance may be had from the CCRC analytical services staff (please contact the facility manager) or by collaboration with trained users. A list of experienced users from Georgia NMR Research Groups and their areas of expertise is provided below.
Adequate training of independent users is required and can be obtained either at research universities in Georgia or at the CCRC, using lower field instruments with Varian consoles. NMR facility managers at these universities can certify the level of experience of potential users. For those not familiar with Varian software and for specific details pertinent to the facility, on-site training will be provided without charge. Final evaluation of spectrometer users will be made by the manager.

Remote operation.

It is possible to operate the spectrometer remotely and retrieve data over the internet . Real-time operation will become more practical when higher speed connections are fully in place in late 2003-2004. Subject to pre-arrangement with CCRC personnel, samples may be sent in NMR tubes with appropriate hazardous material documentation to the facility. Samples will be placed in the spectrometer and the hardware configured appropriately.

Submitting projects and Scheduling NMR time

Initiating a project

A potential user should submit a short written request to the facility manager. The request should describe the nature of the project and the need for high field, an estimate of the required time, a proposed funding source, and whether the user will require assistance. The request should be accompanied by an example of data acquired at lower field on the system to be studied (e.g. a ¹H-¹⁵N HSQC spectrum ), and when applicable, a certification of user competence from a local facility manager. For non-standard pulse programs, a version, along with a suitable parameter set, should be provided well in advance for optimization on the 800 MHz spectrometer.

The request is reviewed by the director, Prof. J. Prestegard. Approvals and rejections are reviewed semi-annually by the facility advisory committee. Appeals of any rejections may be addressed to either Dr. Prestegard or the co-chair of the facility advisory committee, Dr. Dabney Dixon.

Publications using data from the facility should contain an acknowledgment of facilities provided by the GRA Biotechnology Center, and the facility staff should be provided with a list of those publications. Approvals normally expire after one year, but may be renewed upon written request.

Scheduling procedure

After approval, initial training and/or experiment time should be scheduled with the manager. Approved users can subsequently schedule time through a web-based NMR scheduling calendar. The user is expected to use time responsibly and will be billed for time scheduled. The manager may need to adjust time allocations based on demand, project priorities, and other circumstances, and users will be notified in a timely fashion whenever possible.

Charges for usage

Users are responsible for support of the facility though the payment of hourly fees for spectrometer time. Charges will be based on time reserved, regardless of the success of the experiment, barring technical problems of the facility. Payment for operator assistance, or authorship for collaborations should also be arranged.

Special arrangements can be made for extended periods or development work. Spectrometer training is free to users.

Experienced Users

For those who need assistance in acquiring data on the 800MHz spectrometer, please contact the following trained users from Georgia research groups for collaborative arrangements.
 

Facility Advisory Committee

Chair: Dabney Dixon, Professor, Dept. of Chemistry, Georgia State University,
Tel: 404-413-5508 ddixon@gsu.edu

Other members:

James Prestegard, Varian-GRA Eminent Scholar in NMR, Professor,
Departments of Chemistry, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia
315 Riverbend Road., Athens, GA 30602-4712
Tel: 706-542-6281 jpresteg@ccrc.uga.edu

Dr. Robert A. Scott, Distinguished Research Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Associate Vice President for Research, University of Georgia

Dr. Jeffrey L. Urbauer, Associate Professor, Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia