Improving software for analyzing protein structures using X-ray crystallography
Official title: DIALS: supporting structural biology through open source diffraction processing software
Funded at University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab · NIH-10868098 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on making a special software better so that scientists can more easily understand the shapes of proteins, which can help in studying diseases like COVID-19, and it’s designed to help researchers in the U.S. do their work faster and more accurately.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $1,204,713 |
| NIH project number | 1R24GM154040-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10868098 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research include individuals affected by diseases that involve protein misfolding or dysfunction, such as COVID-19 or malaria.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to protein structure or those not involved in research settings may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on enhancing the DIALS software, which processes diffraction data from X-ray crystallography to determine protein structures. By improving this open-source tool, researchers can more effectively analyze weak signals in diffraction patterns, leading to better understanding of protein structures relevant to various diseases, including COVID-19. The project aims to create a national resource that supports researchers in the U.S. by providing advanced software capabilities for rapid data processing and decision-making during experiments. This initiative will facilitate high-impact biological research by enabling faster and more accurate structural analysis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly enhance the ability to determine protein structures, leading to advancements in drug development and disease understanding.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has successfully utilized similar software approaches in structural biology, indicating a strong potential for impactful results in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab
Berkeley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brewster, Aaron Samuel — University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab
- Study coordinator: Brewster, Aaron Samuel
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.