APS (NECAT) – NSLS-II (CBMS) – SLAC (LCLS/SSRL) Joint Workshop

Theme: The Evolving Role of Macromolecular Crystallography (MX) in Structural Biology

Date: September 26, 2025

Location: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Organizers: Narayanasami Sukumar, Vivian Stojanoff, Sebastien Boutet

Co-Organizer: James Baxter

Workshop Overview

This workshop will explore the evolving role of macromolecular crystallography (MX) in the dynamic landscape of structural biology. As transformative tools such as cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM), NMR, neutron diffraction, and AI-based structural prediction programs (e.g., Bliz-2, AlphaFold and Rosetta) continue to advance, MX must also evolve, adapting, innovating, and integrating to remain a core method in solving complex biological questions.

The goal of this event is to foster meaningful dialogue among experimentalists, computational biologists, and facility scientists about how MX can continue to contribute in synergy with other approaches over the next 5–10 years.

Key Objectives

- Demonstrate the complementarity of MX with emerging structural biology techniques

- Highlight advances in serial crystallography, time-resolved experiments, and room-temperature data collection

- Explore the role of artificial intelligence and automation in structure determination workflows

- Discuss user access models, community needs, and evolving publication trends associated with synchrotron-based MX

Format

The program will feature invited talks, spotlight presentations, panel discussions, and a concluding roundtable focused on the future of U.S. MX infrastructure, facility development, and user engagement.

Beamline managers from APS, NSLS-II, MacCHESS, ALS, SSRL, and LCLS will participate in these discussions, alongside leaders in AI-driven prediction platforms (such as Rosetta and Boltz-2), as well as experts in Cryo-EM, NMR, neutron diffraction, and MX.

To register, please visit:
https://web.cvent.com/event/460e7d1b-58a4-47af-adc7-c79f07a14193/websitePage:230dfbd2-f198-485d-a656-79b0717506bc

Poster Session

All attendees,  including students and postdoctoral researchers, are encouraged to present their research during the poster session. This session offers a valuable platform to share results, receive feedback, and engage in scientific exchange with peers and experts.

Facility Tours – September 25, 2025

Registered participants are invited to join guided tours of the Cryo-EM, SSRL, and LCLS facilities. Additional details will be shared with registered participants as the event date approaches.

Contact

For further questions, please contact one of the workshop organizers.