SMB Home Page
SAM Discussion Results
Computing, Webice and Annealing Discussion Results
Other SMB Workshops

High Throughput Screening at SSRL - October 20th 2004

Workshop Summary

The workshop provided the participants with an overview of the latest developments at SSRL involving the Stanford Automated sample Mounting robot, crystal screening software, and new options for data backup and data analysis.

Paul Ellis talked about the SAM robot and summarized the improvements carried out on the system after the last beamtime run. The system is very reliable now, with a failure rate of about 3 in 1000 samples.

Aina Cohen followed with instructions to prepare the samples for use with the SAM system. She showed how to flash freeze the samples and also how to transfer them from cryo-vials and ALS pucks into the cassette avoiding ice formation using new tools designed for this purpose.

Dan Harrington talked about how to store the sample information in a spreadsheet and how to import this information into the Crystal Screening data base either through a web browser or using a new option in the BluIce screening tab. He finished by explaining how to prepare the cassettes for shipping to the SSRL

Robert Thorn introduced new Kapton-based tools to mount crystals. He explained the advantages over nylon loops: Minimize the amount of liquid around the crystal, improving the cooling rate and decreasing the scattering background; reproducible shape and size provides a good match to the sample size, makes it easier to center by automated algorithms, etc.)

Ana Gonzalez introduced web-ice a new tool for image analysis, autoindexing and strategy calculation. In the future, this tool will be integrated with the data collection software. She gave an interactive tutorial to illustrate the usage of the current version.

Thomas Eriksson gave an overview of the computer environment, with an emphasis on the description of new facilities: Linux boxes replacing one SGI Octane at the beamlines, development on a new Linux based desktop for remote access to the computers and new DVD and Fire-Wire options for data backup.

The participants were asked for input regarding plans for future developments. The results are summarized under the following links:

Talks