Biological spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation on is the newest area of research at ISA.

On ASTRID the UV1 beamline was commissioned in 2000 and a dedicated CD beamline commisioned in 2007 for the recording of circular dichroism spectra of biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. A calcium fluoride photo-elastic modulator provided the left and right handed circular polarised light over the wavelength range 130 to 450 nm. Absorption spectra are also recorded simultaneously with the CD scan.

It was also possible to record absorption and possibly fluorescence spectra of any molecule of biological interest over the full range of the monochromator, approximately 80 to 800 nm, by removing the calcium fluoride crystal and fitting a suitable photomultiplier tube.

Photoabsorption spectroscopy of molecules of biological interest was also carried out on the UV1 beamline.

Last Modified 30 August 2016