Biology, MedTech and medical research are changing very rapidly and will become major drivers for future needs in large facilities. We aim at bringing together the European Large Facilities and representatives of biology to define aligned strategies for large facilities in life science challenges. The development of instrumentation in electron microscopy as well as progress in computational methods and machine learning are opening new opportunities.
The use of synchrotron radiation at storage rings, and recently Free Electron Lasers FELs, at large facilities in the last decade has boosted research in structural biology and imaging of biological samples at a wide range of length scales. Several facilities are upgrading their high-energy rings to emittances approaching the diffraction-limit, which enables them to focus on defining dynamic processes in soft materials and life sciences.
The goals of the “LEAPS Meets Life Sciences” conference are to:
- Present an overview on state-of-the-art scientific and technological achievements and how current X-ray probes and large facilities contribute to this field;
- Create a platform for the interaction of different communities to interact and define needs and challenges for the decade to come;
- Devote tutorial sessions on emerging biology and emerging technology implementations at large facilities;
- Motivate the next generation of scientists and engineers to use extensively the outstanding opportunities at the large facilities within the LEAPS Consortium;
- Initiate an open discussion between life sciences and large facilities to guide an European-wide strategy.
The program should allow for a lively interaction of the participants. The interaction of young researchers with “mentors” at lunch during the week, and networking in the excursions in the near surroundings of the conference place will foster the network between engineers, physicists and life scientists.
The selected audience of this conference will profit from Life Sciences experts meeting the light source community in an open atmosphere at the spectacular setting on Elba island in central Italy.
