Structural Biology Rolling Proposal-CryoEM Beamtime

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Rolling proposals for Cryo-EM beam time

NO SUBMISSION DEADLINE

(a Rolling Proposal can be submitted at any time during the year)

Beamtime Application for a Structural Biology Rolling Proposal

Guidelines for preparing a CryoEM Proposal

This type of proposal must be used ONLY to apply for beamtime to use the cryo-electron microscope CM01 (CryoEM beamtime)
For accepted proposals, the ESRF will give a financial support (travel, accommodation, canteen on site) to a maximum of two users per experimental session.

Complete information on CM01 CRYO-ELECTRON MICROSCOPE can be found here.

For Rolling applications for Crystallography and BioSAXS beamtime: please consult the specific guidelines

General Instructions

Consult our document "Advice on writing a good proposal"

An Application for beam-time for a Rolling Proposal has two parts:

the electronic "Standard Beamtime Application Form"
the "Experimental Method form" (word document to be downloaded - see point 2)

Important:

Proposals must be written in English.
All sections of the form must be filled in. Particular attention should be given to the safety aspects, and the name and characteristics of the substance(s) completed carefully. Please respect the space available on the form.
An experimental report on previous measurements - including experiments on CRG beamlines - must be submitted electronically before subsequent requests for beam time are made, using the Experimental Report Form. Please mention on your new beamtime application form the experiment(s) for which you have submitted report(s);
Requests for beam time are based on shifts of 8 hours. Allocations of beam time will usually be made in multiples of 3 shifts.
Multiple Requests: Fill in a separate beamtime application form for each experiment or project.

Experimental Method Form

Make sure you use the Experimental Method Form Template specific for CryoEM beamtime applications:

This document should consist of a maximum of four A4 pages (including references) with a minimal font size of 12 pt.
The last 2 last pages are reserved for images/data proving the suitability of the samples for Cryo-EM measurements.

1. Aim of the experiment and scientific background

State clearly the aim of the proposed experiment together with the general and specific scientific background; give results of preliminary work carried out with synchrotron radiation and/or other methods.

2. Experimental method

Describe the arrangements which will be made for the reception, preparation, use and disposal of the sample.

Describe the experimental set-up and requirements, in some detail. Queries concerning the feasibility (technical or safety aspects) of an experiment should be clarified with ESRF staff before the proposal is submitted. The User Office can assist you to find the most appropriate person.

3. Results expected

Describe the results expected from the measurements, their scientific (or technical) relevance, and how they relate to existing work on the topic.

4. Concluding remarks

Justify the beam time you request and give technical reasons which make the ESRF necessary for your experiment.

Include REFERENCES where these are relevant, but do not assume that they will be systematically consulted for essential details.

Electronic sample sheet

Guide to electronic sample sheet

Full details of the sample(s) contained in all structural biology proposals must be provided to the ESRF at the time of submission of the beamtime application form. For each new structural biology proposal submitted, the main proposer (or one of the co-proposers) should complete and submit one Sample Sheet per sample mentioned in the proposal. The electronic Sample Sheet is accessible via the ESRF User Portal (SMIS).

Failure to provide this information in the correct format will mean an application will NOT be accepted.

Further to the completion and submission of Sample Sheets per proposal, a list of Sample Sheets is created for each submitted proposal.

The information is communicated to the Joint Safety Officer for Biology and the Beamline Operation Managers in order to provide them with the maximum of information on new proposals. This will help the Safety Group to define the level of risk associated to each sample, and will aid the Beamline Operation Managers in calculating the amount of beam-time each proposal requires.

Specific requirements for CM01:

Proof must be included with the proposal (Cryo-EM raw images satisfying class averages, etc...) justifying the use of the Titan Krios microscope.

Please consult the Cryo-EM information web pages.

Safety information

Biosafety information
Details on the procedure to submit the electronic Sample Sheet form

Who to contact:

the Experimental Safety Officer: Martine MORONI
Tel: +33 (0)4 7688.2369
Fax: +33 (0)4 7688.2418

Submission of the application form step by step

The Electronic Submission is done through the ESRF User Portal (SMIS). You will require your ESRF login (last name) and personal password to login to the application. If you are registered in the ESRF data base but you have forgotten your personal password, kindly contact the User Office by e-mail (user office). If you are not yet in the ESRF data base, you will be able to create your own user account and to access the proposal submission application.

IMPORTANT: Should you run into difficulties submitting your proposal electronically contact the User Office who will give you instructions to proceed with the electronic submission of your proposal.

Access to the electronic application form for beam time:

tab "Proposals/Experiments"
>> select: "Proposals" in the drop-down list
tab "New Proposal"

What to do?

SELECT "Structural Biology Rolling Proposal": a drop-down list gives the option between:

* a Crystallography Proposal
* a BioSAXS Proposal
* a CryoEM Proposal

COMPLETE and SUBMIT your electronic CryoEM beamtime application form: data registered in this proposal (details for the main-proposer, the co-proposer(s), proposal title, beamline(s) and shifts requested,...) is submitted directly into an ESRF data base;

Once saved, the recently submitted proposal is given a REFERENCE NUMBER and registered for further process under the tab "Proposals in Progress". It can be modified until the validation by the main proposer.

COMPLETE the Experimental Method form and SAVE it in your local folder:

MS Word for WINDOWS

The length of the experimental method form should consist of a maximum of four A4 format, including references, with a minimal font size of 12 pt. It can be modified until the validation by the main proposer.
The last 2 pages are reserved for images/data proving the suitability of the samples for Cryo-EM measurements.

Via the ESRF User Portal (SMIS) (tab "Proposals/Experiments" -> "Proposals" -> "Proposals in Progress")

DOWNLOAD the Experimental Method file of your proposal and SUBMIT IT (the application accepts ONLY the PDF format): it will be automatically linked to your electronic beamtime application form.

A PDF file of your complete proposal is issued by the application: please CHECK IT carefully before you validate it.
COMPLETE and SUBMIT the "Sample Information and Safety Sheet" for your new proposal

The submission of AT LEAST one Sample Sheet is MANDATORY to allow the validation of the proposal by the main proposer

How to modify your proposal?

The proposal can be modified by the main proposer ONLY BEFORE the validation of the proposal by the main proposer (next step). Once validated by the main proposer the proposal is automatically given a final number and it is not anymore possible to modify it.

Validation of the proposal by the main-proposer

VALIDATE the PROPOSAL and ASSIGN A FINAL NUMBER

The submission of your new proposal will NOT be complete unless you validate it.

VALIDATION and MX FINAL NUMBER:

* with the validation of the proposal by the main proposer, the proposal is given a FINAL NUMBER which is of the type: MX-###. An automatic notification will inform the ESRF staff and the MX Review Committee members who will grade the proposal within the 3 weeks following the submission of the proposal.

* the proposal will be registered under the tab "Proposals with Final Number / Experiments"

WARNING!

Once validated by the main proposer and registered with its FINAL NUMBER, a proposal cannot be anymore modified by the main proposer

Acknowledgement of your proposal

The User Office acknowledges the submission of the proposal by e-mail