Description
The Chemical Deuteration Laboratory (DEULAB) at the European Spallation Source ERIC (ESS) has been established in anticipation of the increasing demand for deuterated molecules as a result of the construction of the world’s most powerful neutron source. As part of the Deuteration and Macromolecular Xtallization (DEMAX) platform of ESS, it complements the existing proficiency at ESS for the production of deuterium-labelled macromolecules for neutron scattering.
The newly-established DEULAB will augment the current capabilities of laboratories at ISIS, ILL and FZJ, the expertise of which have now been leveraged through joint-efforts towards deuteration via the Deuteration Network. In addition to the Deuteration Network members, the DEULAB utilizes partnerships with local institutions such as the Lund Protein Production Platform (LP3) and Lund University.
Deuteration research at the DEULAB will focus on the chemical synthesis of complex deuterated molecules, and on the development of novel deuteration methods. Current work centres around the use of cell-free, enzymatic transformations of deuterated precursors to produce novel or synthetically-challenging molecules, and the derivatisation of deuterated cell culture components to access complex deuterated molecules through combined biological-chemical deuteration. Both of these projects are collaborative projects with other members of the Deuteration Network, allowing the production of materials that none of the laboratories has the capability to deliver alone. Both an update on the current DEULAB status and an overview of the current research projects and results will be presented.
Primary author
Anna Leung
(European Spallation Source ERIC)
