Sample Prep for Integrative Structural Biology

The MPL has access to both high-throughput robotics for membrane protein crystallisation as well as a variety of different grid preperation devices for preparing membrane protein samples for single particle analysis via cryo-EM.

The MPL forms part of the Harwell Structural Biology Crystallisation Facility and is housed within the Research Complex at Harwell, adjacent to Diamond Light Source. Our well-equipped platform enables visiting scientists to prepare crystallisation plates using common commercial course screens as well as create their own custom screens using the Scorpion liquid handler.  Mosquito (SPT Labtech) and Gryphon (Art Robbins) robotics enable preparation of sitting drop and LCP crystallisation plates. Our  imaging systems at 4°C and 20°C have cross-polarisers and UV imaging options and can be accessed remotely.  For LCP crystallisation, our LCP-FRAP (Formulatrix) instrument provides the useful ability to pre-screen for likely conditions that may lead to membrane protein crystals.