The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) remains one of Europe’s largest multidisciplinary research bodies, with a vast network of facilities. Laboratory News interviewed Dr Ludmilla Mee about the unique challenges and collaborative opportunities of this environment.
Chair of the STFC technician commitment working group and UK Institute of Technical Skills and Strategy (UK ITSS) Technical Council member, Dr Ludmila Mee manages the BioLabs at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, or ISIS [1].
Based at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire, ISIS is a leading centre for physical and life sciences research producing beams of neutrons and muons – enabling scientists to study materials at the atomic level using a suite of instruments, often described as ‘super-microscopes’.
How does the large infrastructure and sophisticated technology available at STFC facilities influence the nature of your work?
Working at a large-scale, specialist facility like ISIS is extremely interesting, but can also be challenging. ISIS BioLabs provide facilities for researchers who process and analyse their biological samples before and after neutron beam analysis. Unlike the ‘usual’ biological, which caters for the needs of a specific research group, ISIS BioLabs support a wide variety of research fields.
Material samples processed at ISIS BioLabs vary from purified proteins and lipids to bacteria, nanoparticles, and even live eukaryotic cells.
How does STFC balance the need for coordination and best use of resources without compromising the focus of each lab on specific research goals?
We work very collaboratively and share resources across STFC facilities such as the Diamond Light Source synchrotron facility, the Research Complex at Harwell (RCaH), and other institutions. One example of such a collaboration is our centralised Genetic Modification and Biosafety committee, formed with representatives from ISIS, Diamond Light Source and RCaH as well as others.
Another very good example of interdisciplinary collaboration… which is closest to my heart, is the application of neutrons and muons’ physical properties to study biological material using bespoke instruments built on our premises
In what way do collaborative projects within STFC locations impact the overall scientific output and innovation within your laboratory?
Collaborative projects within STFC and with external partners are very important to us. They provide opportunities for internal ISIS BioLab research, support our industrial placement students, and help us to refine our methods and protocols to address the future needs of the ever-expanding pool of neutron beam researchers.
Can you provide examples of how interdisciplinary collaborations supported by STFC resources have benefited scientific progress at your facility?
The multidisciplinary nature of the ISIS Neutron and Muon source scientific community is crucial to our success. Many of our talented scientists are physicists and chemists who work alongside gifted engineers, technicians and software specialists building bespoke neutron and muon instruments that have a variety of scientific applications, as well as providing customised sample environment and laboratory resources.
If we talk about the ISIS user community, researchers who come to ISIS Neutron and Muon source to use our instruments in their studies, their field of scientific expertise is even wider than that. Among them, one can find nutrition scientists, pharmacologists, archaeologists, biophysicists and palaeontologists, to name just a few.
Another very good example of interdisciplinary collaboration within the ISIS, and the one which is closest to my heart, is the application of neutrons and muons’ physical properties to study biological material using bespoke instruments built on our premises. Plants, living cells, protein complexes and bacterial membranes in their natural, or close to natural environment have been successfully studied on Sans2d, Offspec, IMAT and many other ISIS instruments. Neutrons have a particular advantage over X-ray when studying biological matter, as they are not damaging. As such, data from neutron beam can be collected over a longer time without deterioration of biological sample.
The regulatory and compliance framework must be considerable. What benefits and limitations does it impose on research processes and the pursuit of innovation and excellence?
Biosafety is of the upmost importance to our lab. It’s no trivial task accommodating multiple biological samples from different researchers in one lab. We have to always be alert to the possibility of cross-contamination, for example, that could impact results.
The multidisciplinary nature of the ISIS Neutron and Muon source scientific community is crucial to our success
Another important consideration for the ISIS BioLab is import and export of biological samples. One scenario is that the import of a mundane product such as raw milk to the UK from a farm abroad must be accompanied by the correct paperwork to satisfy Animal and Plant Health Agency requirements due to potential danger to UK livestock if it were to be contaminated. There are also necessary ethical approvals, for example for research that seeks to obtain information about human subjects. We work hard to ensure that all the data we obtain during the research process is obtained, processed and stored to the highest standards.
Sustainable practice is presumably a given, but how does it add to the logistical challenges of running a laboratory within a larger STFC facility?
Recycling of laboratory waste is one of the most pressing challenges, with recycling of used D2O being just one challenge. Another one is to encourage our lab users, researchers from all over the world, to become active stakeholders in ISIS BioLabs sustainability practices. We’ve made big strides in this though and are continually improving sustainability in the lab and across STFC’s facilities.
What challenges do researchers face when utilising the specialised equipment and resources provided by STFC? What training and help do you provide?
I provide induction to ISIS BioLabs for all new and returning users, covering all areas of local policies and good laboratory practice. At ISIS BioLabs, we have a wide range of highly specialised equipment such as a CD spectrometer, Q-CMD and an asymmetric flow field-flow Fractionation (also known as AF4). Analysing samples using this equipment is not a trivial task and ensuring that we have sufficient resources to support our users is one of our most important responsibilities.
References:
1 The name ISIS originates from ‘Thamesis’ or ‘Isis’ – the alternative names of the River Thames which flows through the research centre’s home county of Oxfordshire
