News

A bacteriophage – a virus that attacks bacteria – assembles into an infectious species using a powerful nanomachine to stuff its DNA into a protein shell. In several types of phage, this genome packaging motor is composed of several copies of large and small terminase subunits (TerL and TerS, respectively) that attach to a portal into the protein procapsid. 

The 2021 CHESS Users' Meeting will take place on June 8/9, 2021 as a virtual meeting with plenary sessions, poster sessions and workshops held online and accessible for participants remotely.

At CHESS, we are proud to have women in leadership roles that steer the scientific mission of the lab, scientists, postdocs and students who explore the future of materials, and research support specialists and technical experts who ensure that the everyday science at CHESS remains cutting edge.    February 11th is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. 

Pressure is a fundamental thermodynamic parameter controlling the behavior of biological macromolecules. In many cases pressure alters molecular shape and therefore also the biological function. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is a widely used method to determine the shape and size of macromolecules, but typical sample cells for SAXS experiments are unsuitable for use at high pressures. 

From the gut microbiome to the depths of the ocean, life has evolved to thrive in the absence of oxygen. In fact, it is not hyperbole to say that life as we know it would not exist without the oxygen sensitive metalloenzymes that we all rely on.

The National Science Foundation has awarded the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) $32.6 million to build a High Magnetic Field (HMF) beamline, which will allow researchers to conduct precision X-ray studies of materials in persistent magnetic fields that exceed those available at any other synchrotron.

The Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, CHESS, has reopened for researchers after a long shutdown due to CoVID-19. Users who typically travel from all over the world to perform research at CHESS are now able to study their samples by logging in remotely from their home institutions.

Dear Colleagues, At Cornell, the fall semester began on September 2nd with a hybrid approach to teaching (in-person and online), robust virus testing, and modifications to the academic calendar allowing students to return home for Thanksgiving and then finish the semester on-line. Cornell provides information on its web site related to COVID-19 and the status Cornell Ithaca campus.