The Advanced Photon Source
a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility

Revealing Fundamental Details Surrounding Nanoparticle Self-Assembly:  Nanoparticle self-assembly is a field that shows considerable promise in various sectors, including electronics and medicine. Using the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source and molecular dynamics simulations, researchers collected data that empower our understanding of nanoparticle self-assembly and may significantly impact how such assemblies are prepared for important societal applications.

How Malaria Evades Antibodies and How the Body Fights Back:  Malaria is one of the most devastating diseases impacting human health, causing approximately half a million deaths each year. Crystal and cryo-electron microscopy structures, including those obtained at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source, could guide the development of malaria vaccines and therapeutic antibodies.

Finding New Ways to Treat Diabetes and Other Inflammatory Diseases:  Over 460 million adults worldwide live with diabetes and its complications. A new study that includes x-ray diffraction data collected at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source provides important insights into the structure of a human leukotriene receptor thought to play an important role in type 2 diabetes, and could result in new treatments for diabetes as well as asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer.

Induced Flaws in Quantum Materials Could Enhance Superconducting Properties:An international team of researchers using two U.S. Department of Energy national user facilities including the Advanced Photon Source, found that deformations in quantum materials that cause imperfections in the crystal structure can improve the material’s superconducting and electrical properties, providing new insight for developing the next generation of quantum-based computing and electronic devices.

The Effects of Toxic Metalloids on Indigenous Microorganisms near an Antimony Mine:  This study, carried out at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source, provides information that researchers can use to determine new and more effective ways to clean up antimony-contaminated sites.

A Peculiar State of Matter in Layers of Semiconductors: In a study that could benefit quantum computing, researchers using the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source show a superlattice embedded with nanodots may be immune from dissipating energy to the environment.

How Proteins Fold: A Guided Model:  Biologists have long studied the question of protein folding because understanding it can help us understand what goes wrong in diseases caused by misfolded proteins and can guide structure-based drug design for new therapies. A team using the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source reported on a new approach that has provided a way to capture more detailed information about important folding intermediates.

The Ceramic that Breathes Oxygen to Make Hydrogen:  A possible solution to the challenge of storing energy produced by renewable energy sources is two-step solar thermochemical hydrogen production, which requires efficient, low-cost materials; researchers using the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source have examined one such material and found it to have exceptionally efficiency.

A New Molecular Target for Therapeutic Interventions Aimed at C. Difficile Infection:  A study at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source may lead to new treatments to fight the deadly Clostridioides difficile infection that accounts for 29,000 deaths annually in the U.S.

In Search of Fast-Charging Lithium-ion Batteries:  It takes about an hour to charge an electric car’s battery, but only 10 minutes to fill up a gas tank. Researchers used the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source to register changes in battery materials layer by layer and in real time as they pushed the batteries closer to the limits of fast charging. Insights gained from these results will lead to electric cars that can keep up with gas powered cars—even at the filling station

A Template for Inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 Replication:  Researchers using the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Photon Source determined crystal structures that will help guide the development of small-molecule drugs designed to stop the spread of COVID-19.