Photon and Neutron Applications to the Study of Biological and Nanoscale Systems

From 19th to 21st May, at the Australian Synchrotron headquarters in Melbourne, the sixth edition of Photon and Neutron Applications to the Study of Biological and Nanoscale Systems took place. This bilateral meeting/school between Italy and Australia focuses on the applications of synchrotron light; for the first time, also neutron spectroscopy in the biological field, and nanostructured systems were dealt with. This year, during the three-day meeting, both scientific communities could share their experience on various applications of synchrotron light, as the wide spectrum of topics included in the programme clearly illustrates.

Cooperation between Italy and Australia is accomplished through the joint use of their laboratories: Elettra Sincrotrone in Trieste, and Australian Synchrotron in Melbourne. On this subject, the Memorandum of Understanding between the two centres was recently renewed to encourage cooperation in the field of synchrotron radiation and its use in several research  sectors, such as the spectroscopy of new materials, microscopy for nanotechnologies, biology, environmental science and the use of radiography in medicine. 

The 2014 meeting was also dedicated to multidisciplinary applications of free electron laser sources. On this matter, the free electron laser FERMI of Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste carried out the first experiments and the Australian scientific community expressed great interest in the progress achieved. The event was financed by the Italian Embassy in Canberra, by the Australian and the Italian synchrotron centres, and by Kyma, a spin-off company by Elettra, set up as a joint venture with other industrial partners.

Over 100 participants attended the event: both scientists from Australian universities and centres of excellence, and Italian top researchers. The activities raised a lively debate on the topics discussed and stimulated the interest of the attending Australian researchers to strengthen the collaboration with Italy in scientific and technological projects on synchrotron light and neutron spectroscopy.

The meeting has been in the end extremely productive, as it encouraged a greater bilateral cooperation in a strategic research sector and reinforced the strong existing scientific collaborations, in the frame of which Australian researchers will shortly visit Elettra.

The meetings are usually held every 2 years in Australia or in Italy: the 2016 edition is expected to be held in Trieste.

 

 

Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 October 2014 16:22