The Advanced Light Source is home to many techniques that can reveal atomic details of molecules and materials. The Berkeley Center for Structural Biology (BCSB) leads a subset of these capabilities that are focused on elucidating the structure of biological molecules. For 25 years, pharmaceutical companies from across the nation have been collaborating with BCSB experts to study proteins related to disease. By unlocking the structures, our scientists have helped unlock treatments for a variety of conditions, including cancers and HIV. Listen to this podcast to learn more about the impact of our structural biology resources. 

Featuring: 

Marc Allaire, a biophysicist staff scientist in the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division and head of the Berkeley Center for Structural Biology (BCSB) at the Advanced Light Source (ALS). His team uses light generated by the ALS to perform a range of structural characterization techniques. Allaire personally leads investigations using X-ray crystallography, and previously also managed small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies at Brookhaven National Laboratory. 

Allaire frequently collaborates with the BCSB’s large pharmaceutical user base to help enable drug discovery. In addition to the sheer quantity and diversity of structures being solved, he enjoys the challenge of working on new ways to improve crystallography technology. Notably, he helped incorporate robotics that automate sample processing at the ALS, leading to faster results and more convenient access for users.