Learn About Einstein’s Structural NMR Core
On Thursday, October 3, 2019, at noon, during the Pathways to Success at the Einstein Cores bimonthly seminar series, held in the Forchheimer third-floor lecture hall, learn how resources within Einstein’s Structural NMR Core can aid your research. Core director Dr. David Cowburn will offer an overview of the core’s services and the capabilities of its facilities. Then hear how Drs. David Shechter and Evris Gavathiotis are already putting these services to good use, working with the core’s team.
![Drs. Sean Cahill and David Cowburn, operations director and scientific director of the Structural NMR Core, respectifvely, are flanked by (from left) Adam Spitz, an M.D.-Ph.D candidate in the Gavathiotis lab, and Dr. Samuel Sparks, former postdoc in Dr. Cowburn's lab.]()
Drs. Sean Cahill and David Cowburn, operations director and scientific director of the Structural NMR Core, respectifvely, are flanked by (from left) Adam Spitz, an M.D.-Ph.D candidate in the Gavathiotis lab, and Dr. Samuel Sparks, former postdoc in Dr. Cowburn's lab.
About the Structural NMR Core
The Structural Biology NMR Core, located in Ullmann B8, provides access to high-resolution solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers ranging from 300 MHz to 900 MHz in field strength. These are used for small molecule analysis and for studies of macro-molecular structure, dynamics, and function. Highly trained associates are available to assist in the collection and interpretation of routine data, for training in instrument usage, for performing data processing and interpretation, and to partner on more extended, collaborative studies of protein or nucleic acid structure and dynamics. The resource’s scientific director is Dr. David Cowburn; its operations director is Dr. Sean Cahill.
NMR Services
- Training for independent or guided use of all instruments
- Assisted acquisition and interpretation of NMR spectra
- ”Walk-on” 300 MHz spectrometer (with multi-nuclear 5 mm probe)
- Two 600 MHz spectrometers with high sensitivity cryogenic probes
- Access to 700, 800 and 900 MHz spectrometers at the NY Structural Biology Center (all with cryoprobes)
- Local computational resources for data processing and analysis, and for macromolecular structure calculation and simulation
- Staff for collaborative structural studies of macromolecules
It’s Been Said
“The Structural NMR Core aims to provide resources for molecular and macromolecular characterization and structure determination using nuclear magnetic resonance. This ranges from analysis of new synthetic or natural products to pilot studies of the dynamics of truly MACROmolecules, like the nuclear pore and chromatin. Every effort is made to provide sound, preliminary data for new and renewal grant applications, and to advise on experiment design, practicality, preparation of stable isotope proteins and nucleic acids, and screening for drug leads. NMR also provides a key method for expanding structural biology to intrinsically disordered and phase-separated systems.”
David Cowburn, Ph.D.
Scientific Director, Structural NMR Core
“The resources, support, attention, and interest in our research provided by the NMR core facility has transformed my team’s approach to molecular understanding of how the unique-class of histone chaperone proteins–critical for genome integrity and the regulation of transcription–function. These proteins had been enigmatic, particularly determining how they performed their non-enzymatic function: to associate with DNA and form chromatin, chaperones must bind, stabilize, and then release the highly basic histone proteins. We discovered that “intrinsically disordered” regions of the proteins were essential for this process, but as they have no defined structure, they were difficult to probe in detail. Our studies with the NMR core facility, employing cutting-edge technologies uniquely suited to probing these disordered regions, transformed our understanding and set the stage for future basic discovery, as well as medically-relevant studies.”
David Shechter, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Biochemistry
“The NMR resources at Einstein have been indispensable for the development of my projects in structural biology and drug discovery. For instance, using NMR techniques, we have probed several protein-protein interaction complexes of the BCL-2 family proteins such as BAX and MCL-1 and determined their structures in solution. We have used these structural insights to identify inhibitors, and NMR has been instrumental in our screening and validating the interactions of proteins and small molecules. The availability of cryoprobe technology among the NMR instruments, coupled with the automated sampling systems, have enabled better and faster acquisition of data. The use of the facility over the years has been both gratifying and a tremendous value to my team, and we also are grateful for the support and advice we’ve received from Drs. Sean Cahill and David Cowburn.”
Evripidis Gavathiotis, Ph.D.
Professor, Biochemistry; Medicine (Cardiology)
Posted on: Wednesday, October 02, 2019