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Center for Magnetic Resonance

Contents

• Contact Information
• Grant Number
• Research Emphasis
• Current Research
• Resource Capabilities

Contact Information

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory
NW 14-3220
170 Albany Street
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
http://web.mit.edu/fbml

Principal Investigator/Contact
Robert G. Griffin, Ph.D.
Phone: 617-253-5597
Fax: 617-253-5405
rgg@mit.edu

Contact
Christopher J. Turner, Ph.D.
Phone: 617-253-0258
turner@ccnmr.mit.edu

Grant Number

Grant No. EB002026

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Research Emphasis

The focus of this resource is the development and application of state-of-the-art instrumentation for high-field NMR and EPR investigations of diverse biological systems including soluble and membrane proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, cells, and tissues. The experimental facilities include:

• High-resolution spectrometers for solution NMR operating between 360 and 750 MHz with capabilities of triple-resonance gradient experiments
• Solid-state spectrometers in the 200-750 MHz range with magic angle spinning to 35 kHz and down to temperatures of 20 K
• A CW and pulsed EPR spectrometer operating at 140 GHz, with TE001 cylindrical resonators

Major research efforts are concerned with structures of membrane proteins, soluble proteins, and nucleic acids as well as EPR and solid-state NMR of transient intermediates in biochemical reactions.

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Current Research

Highlights of work conducted at the Center include advances in high frequency dynamic nuclear polarization with magic angle spinning (MASDNP), structure determination of large proteins by solution NMR, development of novel methods for determining structure of solid proteins, and high frequency EPR and ENDOR.

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Resource Capabilities

The facility currently consists of 14 instruments:

• Two 600 MHz solution-state NMR spectrometers, one of which is equipped with a cryoprobe.
• Two 750 MHz NMR spectrometers. One used exclusively for solution NMR and equipped with a cryoprobe, and one used for both solution and solids NMR.
• Seven solid-state NMR spectrometers operating from 200 to 700 MHz.
• Two dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) spectrometers, one operating at 380 MHz for protons and 250 GHz for electrons, the other operating at 210 MHz for protons and 140 GHz for electrons.
• One pulsed EPR spectrometer operating at 140 GHz at temperatures down to 4.2 K.

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Additional Features

The facility has received funding from NIH for a 900 MHz NMR spectrometer, which is scheduled for delivery in the later part of 2005. The building renovations necessary for this instrument were recently completed.