In pursuit of a more efficient and reliable approach to synchrotron X-ray tomography, a research team recently combined dark-field X-ray microscopy (DFXM) with a technique called structured illumination. This combination resulted in quicker setup times, faster data collection, and a more robust path to achieving high-quality 3D images. 

Sugar molecules in our bodies can disable proteins that help cancer cells proliferate. A new study involving high-resolution structures determined from data collected at the APS reveals how one such molecule deglycates a protein. These findings can serve as the basis for structure-based and in silico drug design targeting that molecule.

The IDH1 protein helps turn the food we eat into chemical energy that powers our cells. However, an alteration in just one of the protein’s amino acids has also been linked to brain and blood cancer. Recent research describes a newly designed compound that binds to IDH1, and measurements lay the foundation for further investigations in anticancer drug development and basic research.

Researchers used the Advanced Photon Source to investigate how metallic glass responds to external stress to better understand its pertinent physical changes as well as determine whether stress-induced deformation - like a ding on a dropped cell phone - could be reversible. 

Researchers used X-rays to observe the dynamics of glassy colloids subjected to varying shear forces. Characterizing this property should allow scientists to tune the dynamic behavior of many complex fluids, with real-world applications such as reducing the energy cost for mixing materials, as well as improved braking devices and body armor.