The course covers the major structural and biophysical techniques for characterization of high and low resolution structure and structural transitions, macromolecular complex formation, protein folding, stability, interactions and enzymatic mechanisms:

• small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS),
• nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR),
• static and dynamic light scattering (SLS/DLS),
• analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC),
• differential and isothermal calorimetry (DSC/ITC),
• spectroscopic approaches,
• cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM),
• bioinformatic tools to analyse protein-protein interactions,
• interdisciplinary approaches.

This single-particle school is a unique intensive 12-day hands-on
course/workshop, in which theory and practice are tightly intertwined.
The understanding of the principles of cryo-EM data processing stands
central in this event and a few pioneers will explain the approaches to
the participants to the level where they can apply it themselves. The
spectrum of topics covered suits attendees who are new to the field as
well as those for whom the cryo-EM technique is of growing importance
and who wish to acquire an in-depth understanding of its fundamental
principles.

The final days of the meeting will be devoted to advanced topics such as
high-resolution refinements and the processing of heterogeneous data
sets ("4D cryo?EM?). Advanced topics will include:

• Optimizing data collection with direct electrons detectors and exploiting movies.
• Full data set automatic CTF correction.
• Correction of anisotropic magnification.
• Reaching atomic resolution without reference bias: alignment-by-classification (ABC) refinement procedures.
• Unbiased "Random Startup" of 3D and 4D reconstructions.
• 4D refinement procedures for high resolution results using IMAGIC-4D and/or Frealign.
• Fitting and refining atomic coordinates in high-resolution cryo-EM maps (~4? or better) using programs like REFMAC and Coot.
• Validation of the final results.

Robert F. Stewart school on electron density and related properties

High resolution X-ray diffraction and polarized neutron diffraction are the most relevant methods for respectively modeling charge density and magnetic moment (spin) distributions. Combining both experimental methods in a joint refinement leads to a precise spin resolved electron distributions in magnetic materials.

The aim of this School is to teach all participants the basic knowledge about paired and unpaired electron density distributions using neutron and X-ray diffraction methods and to practice existing refinement software.

This school is dedicated to electron density and its analysis with the emphasis on the combination of complementary experimental methods to enrich the electron density models leading to more complete description of the electronic behavior of crystalline solids.

The school will end with a round table about application of topological analysis and electrostatic properties of a charge distribution in chemistry, biochemistry and physics. Also we will discuss the role of the spin density in material science and how to combine experimental and theoretical methods for a better electron density modeling.

Target Audience: The audience will be typically early career scientists e.g. assistant professors, post-doctoral research fellows, and graduate students of crystallography, medicinal chemistry, solid state and materials science, biochemistry, theoretical, quantum and computational chemistry.

The number of participants is limited to 50.

The bursaries application can be made for ECA and AFC

Topics of the School

• Solution properties
• Nucleation: classical and non-classical approaches
• Crystal growth kinetics and mechanisms
• Crystallization routes
• Crystallization techniques
• Crystal morphology
• Mineral textures
• Polymorphism
• Hydrates and solvates
• Crystallization screening
• Industrial (mass) crystallization
• Chirality
• Biomineralization
• Co-crystals
• Diamonds growth

FPSchool aims to contribute to the training of scientists in treatment of X-ray and neutron diffraction data.The school is based on intensive hands-on sessions using the computer programs of the FullProf Suite.

The lectures and tutorials will provide the essential tools necessary for an efficient use of the FullProf Suite at an intermediate level. In addition to general applications, the new features on material science data analysis and magnetic structure determination and refinement will be given particular attention.

International School on Fundamental Crystallography
Fifth MaThCryst school in Latin America
Workshop on nanocrystallography

Havana, Cuba, 30 October - 5 November 2016

Change of date

The Commission on Mathematical and Theoretical Crystallography is strongly committed to promote education in all the fundamental aspects of crystallography that nowadays are overlooked in common University courses.This mission is accomplished through a series of meetings in a wide range of regions. In fall 2016we organize a school in Havana, where the series started in 2007, followed by schools in Montevideo, in Uberlândia and in La Plata.

Scientific Program

ISFC5: October 30 - November 4

Optional pre-school day: Sunday, October 30

Lecturers: Arbelio Penton Madrigal, Ernesto Estevez Rams, Leopoldo Suescun

• Introduction to matrix algebra with exercises
• Fourier transforms and convolutions

Monday, October 31, to Friday, November 4

SECTION I: INTRODUCTION AND BASIC CONCEPTS

Lecturers: Massimo Nespolo, Mois I. Aroyo

• Affine spaces vs. vector spaces
• Mappings: affine and Euclidean; isometries
• Sets; homomorphisms, isomorphisms, automorphisms
• Symmetry operations as special case of isometries
• Introduction to group theory: abstract groups, subgroups, cosets

SECTION II: CRYSTALLOGRAPHY IN DIRECT SPACE

Lecturers: Massimo Nespolo, Mois I. Aroyo

• Periodic structure of the crystalline matter
• Crystal lattice vs. crystal pattern and crystal structure
• Crystallographic calculations in direct space
• Symmetry directions in a lattice
• Unit cells: primitive cells, multiple cells, conventional cells in 2D and 3D
• Crystal families
• Symmetry groups and types of symmetry in direct space
  • morphological symmetry
  • symmetry of physical properties
  • symmetry of lattices
  • symmetry of the unit cell content
  • symmetry of crystallographic patterns
  • Hermann-Mauguin symbols for point groups
  • Lattice systems
  • Crystal systems
• Stereographic projection and the morphology of crystals
• Types of crystallographic point groups through the stereographic projection
• Symmetry operations with a glide component
• Space groups and types of space groups
• Exercises on the space group diagrams from Volume A of the International Tables for Crystallography
• Online tools for crystallography

SECTION III: CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC IN RECIPROCAL SPACE

Lecturers: Ernesto Estevez Rams, Leopoldo Suescun

• Fourier transforms and convolutions
• Crystallographic calculations in reciprocal space
• Diffraction symmetry: Laue classes, Friedel's law, resonant scattering
• Integral, zonal and serial reflection conditions and their use to determine the space-group type

SECTION IV: CRYSTALLOGRAPHY ONLINE

Lecturers: Mois I. Aroyo, Massimo Nespolo

• Introduction to the Bilbao Crystallographic Server
• Space Groups Retrieval Tools
• Group - Subgroup Relations of Space Groups
• Structure utilities and computer tools: different structure descriptions and structural relationships
• Tools for the study of structural phase transitions on the Bilbao Crystallographic Server

Workshop on nanocrystallography: November 5

Lecturers: Ernesto Estevez Rams, Ramundo Lora Serrano, Arbelio Penton Madrigal

• Definition of nanocrystals
• The truncated crystal model
• Diffraction effect in nanocrystals
• Surface relaxion in nanocrystals
• Total scattering methods in nanocrystallography
• Diffraction characterization of nanocrystals.

Posters exhibition

Monday, October 31 to Saturday, November 5

Venue

ISFC5 and workshop will be held at the Universidad des la Habana. Detailed information will follow.

Language

The official language of the school is English but the presence of Spanish speaking tutors familiarized in advance with the lectures will provid assistance to those needing it by translation or answering questions on the topic.

International Program Committee

• Prof. Mois Ilia Aroyo, Universidad del País Vasco, Bilbao, Spain, Chair
• Prof. Massimo Nespolo, Université de Lorraine, France
• Prof. Ernesto Estévez Rams, Universidad de la Habana, Cuba (1^st and 5^th ISFC, 2007, 2016)
• Prof. Leopoldo Suescun, Universidad de la República, Uruguay (2^nd ISCF, 2010)
• Prof. Raimundo Lora Serrano, Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, Brazil (3^rd ISCF, 2012)
• Prof. Gustavo A. Echeverría, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina (4^th ISFC, 2014)

Local Organizing Committee

• Prof. Ernesto Estévez (Chair)
• Dr. Arbelio Penton Madrigal
• Dr. Beatriz Concepcion Rosabal

Contact:

For inquiries about the scientific program, please contact mathcryst@iucr.org. For all inquiries about the organisation, please contact:
Prof. Ernesto Estévez Rams
Universidad de la Habana, Cuba
estevez@imre.oc.uh.cu.

International School and Conference on Biological Materials Science

Topics will encompass the formation mechanisms as well as the characterization of complex-shaped and hierarchically structured multifunctional materials present in living nature. Based on this, a further key topic will be the consideration of these architectures as archetypes for the generation of novel functional materials with an expanded property spectrum. We invite you to submit your contributions with regard to materials synthesis and design inspired by biological principles and structures. The conference will address Bio-inspired materials based on organic and/or inorganic phases including their mechanical, optical, electronic and magnetic properties as well as actuated systems. Further discussions will be dedicated to materials, which display their function in contact with biological systems, e.g. tissues. Moreover, theoretical modelling of the formation, structure and properties of biological and bio-inspired materials will play a main role.

Winter School of the Priority Program 1569 (SPP 1569) supported by the German Science Foundation (DFG). In addition to this satellite meeting also contributions of the SPP 1569 are included into the poster sessions of the conference.

The key objective of the SPP 1569 is to explore the principles of gene-regulated biomineralization for the production of multifunctional inorganic materials. The scientific aim is the application of biomolecules for the in vitro generation of inorganic functional materials as well as the biomineralization of these materials by living organisms in vivo. By using this route, materials with an enhanced property spectrum, which is not available via conventional processing techniques, shall be gained at ambient conditions by molecular architecture. The main objective is to generate materials with improved properties and novel property combinations by the conjunction of inorganic and organic components. Contact Juliane Kränzl spp1569@imw.uni-stuttgart.de

• Intended for advanced PhD students, postdocs and young scientists
• Theoretical and in-depth tutorial training on state-of-the-art methods in macromolecular crystallography

• 25 available places for selected students
• Grants available with all expenses covered
• APPLICATIONS until January 20th, 2016 at http://www.ifsc.usp.br/mx2016

Main Topics

• Diffraction data processing
• Phasing and structure determination
• Model refinement and validation

Speakers and Tutors

• Alejandro Buschiazzo Montevideo, Uruguay
  
• Kay Diederichs Konstanz, Germany
  
• Paul Emsley Cambridge, UK
  
• Richard Garratt São Carlos, Brasil
  
• Ronan Keegan Oxford, UK
  
• Eugene Krissinel Oxford, UK
  
• Joana Pereira Hamburg, Germany
  
• Andrey Lebedev Oxford, UK
  
• Andrew Leslie Cambridge, UK
  
• Garib Murshudov Cambridge, UK
  
• David Waterman Oxford, UK
  
• Pavol Skubak Leiden, The Netherlands
  
• Randy Read Cambridge, UK
  
• Andrea Thorn Cambridge, UK
  
• Isabel Uson Barcelona, Spain

The main objective of the ECS3 is to provide advanced training in both theoretical and practical aspects of crystallography, primarily for end-stage PhD students, postdoc and early state researchers who are already dealing with structure determination from either single crystals or powders or both. School program aims in improving fundamental knowledge which students already possess, and upgrading it regardless of the technique applied. Starting from the symmetry accessing all the way to unitization of contemporary X-ray powder diffraction and macromolecular structure determination, ESC3 will cover a very wide range of topics interesting for both single-crystal and powder community. Also, participants will get the chance to broaden their knowledge in some of advanced topics regarding particular frequently encountered problems, such as disorder or twinning. School also aims in presenting state-of-the-art application of crystallography in various fields of research starting from advanced inorganic (nano)materials, via crystal engineering and drug design, to macromolecules.

The School aims to focus on the ongoing synergy between Computational and Structural Biology. It features a great team of speakers from both fields, including three Nobel laureates. Participants in the School will become familiar with the principles of multiple methods such as: X-ray crystallography and Electron Microscopy of very large structures, Molecular Dynamics, Computational Protein Design, QM/MM, Structural Classification, and Biophysics. In parallel, the state-of-the-art applications of these techniques to outstanding biological problems will be presented.

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• David Bensimon, École Normale Supérieure
• Avinoam Ben Shaul, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Ron Dror, Stanford University
• Sarel Fleishman, Weizmann Institute of Science
• William Gelbart, UCLA
• Daniel Harries, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Stephen Harrison, Harvard Medical School
• Barry Honig, Columbia University
• Tom Kirchhausen, Harvard Medical School
• Rachel Kolodny, University of Haifa
• Michael Levitt, Stanford University
• Emmanuel Levy, Weizmann Institute of Science
• Ohad Medalia, University of Zürich
• Gali Prag, Tel Aviv University
• Tamar Schlick, New York University
• Gideon Schreiber, Weizmann Institute of Science
• Arieh Warshel, University of Southern California
• Ada Yonath, Weizmann Institute of Science

The Australian Synchrotron and Society of Crystallographers in Australia and New Zealand (SCANZ) are pleased to announce the Australasian Crystallography School 2016.Â

This school is intended for PhD students and early postdoctoral researchers wishing to develop their theoretical and practical skills in structure determination by X-ray crystallography.

The course will combine lectures by expert crystallographers with intensive hands-on computer-based practical sessions to provide a thorough introduction to the theory and practise of X-ray crystal structure determination.Â

It is open to people from institutions within Australia and New Zealand; although selected participants from overseas may also be considered (numbers will be limited).

SCANZ student members may apply online for consideration for Maslen scholarships as well as the crystal school.

Memristive phenomena combine the functionalities of electronic resistance and data memory in solid-state elements, which are able to change their resistance as a result of electrical stimulation in a non-volatile fashion. In nanoelectronics, this functionality can be used for information storage and unconventional logic, as well as neuromorphic computing concepts that are aimed at mimicking the operation of the human brain.

A multitude of fascinating memristive phenomena has emerged over the past two decades. These phenomena typically occur in oxides and higher chalcogenides and are one of the hottest topics in current solid-state research, comprising unusual phase transitions, spintronic and multiferroic tunneling effects, as well as nanoscale redox processes by local ion motion. They involve electron correlation, quantum point contact effects and exotic conformation changes at the atomic level.

An Advanced School jointly organized by IUBMB/University of Havana-Cuban Section of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

The School will comprise different topics related to the experimental determination of protein three-dimensional (3D) structure as well as structural bioinformatics tools for protein function annotation, protein-protein interaction analysis and drug design. The School is oriented to postgraduates and young researchers seeking for fundamental knowledge on protein crystallisation, 3D-structure determination and related bioinformatics methods. The main goal of the School is to help participants to understand and incorporate these topics into their research and teaching activities. The course will be organised in around 20 lecturers and students will participate in round-table discussions and share their results with experts and colleagues in two poster sessions.

The application form will contain the title of the poster presentation, authors, authors' affiliation, and an abstract not exceeding 250 words. Also a letter expressing the interest in attending the School and a recommendation letter from the supervisor will be attached.

A total number of 40 participants will be chosen by an international committee and around 10-15 fellowships covering registration fees and partial travel and/or lodging expenses will be granted. Registration fees will be 100 Euro for postgraduate students, 150 Euro for academics and 200 Euro for industry researchers.

Organisers: Carlos Alvarez, Centre for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Cuba; Pedro A. Valiente Flores, Centre for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Cuba; Kalet León, Centre for Molecular Inmunology, Havana, Cuba; Rossana García, Centre for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Cuba.

Lecturers: Terese Bergfors, Howard M. Einspahr, Christian Betzel, Lars Redecke, José A. Gavira, Kalet León, Wendy González, Paulo Ricardo Batista, Peter Tieleman, Kovy Levy, Paolo Carloni, Pablo Campomanes, Garegin Papoian, Rosangela Itri.

The workshop is organized by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, in cooperation with Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research.

The aim of the school is to introduce young researchers to the latest developments in the field of nano-biophysics/biochemistry and structural biology, and to their revolutionary impact on biology, biotechnology, drug design and delivery as well as early diagnostics of wide spread diseases. The rapid development of nano-sciences and novel nano-materials has in fact made available a new range of tools and approaches that have revolutionized biological and medical research, by allowing scientist to manipulate nano-particles and macromolecular objects, to build supramolecular entities with improved functionalities, to monitor the function of single molecules, and to understand cell behavior at molecular level.Â

Topics will include:

• single molecule approaches
  
• optical manipulation
  
• scanning probe techniques
  
• high resolution optical techniques
  
• nanoscale bio-devices
  
• novel bio-inspired nanomaterials
  
• molecular design
  
• structural biology techniques

We are pleased to announce that 'The 36th Berlin School on Neutron Scattering' will be held from 25th February to 4th March 2016 at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin in Germany. The school program consists of three days of lectures giving a theoretical introduction to the fundamentals of neutron scattering and the principles of various neutron scattering techniques. After the lectures, there will be three and a half days of hands-on experiments on seven different neutron scattering instruments. The students will be divided into groups of four to five people from similar subject areas and will do triple-axis spectroscopy, powder diffraction, small angle scattering, reflectometry, time-of-flight spectroscopy, tomography and residual stress analysis under the guidance of experienced scientists. Furthermore, there will be a students' poster session which will give the students the opportunity to present their work and discuss with the HZB scientists how neutron scattering could benefit their research. - The school will finish with lectures on how to use neutron scattering as a tool for research in the areas of biology, chemistry, engineering and physics etc. This course is part of the curriculum of the Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences at the Technical University Berlin.

Scope of ISSCG-16

Researchers who are playing active roles in frontiers of wide-ranging fields of crystal growth will give lectures on a wide array of topics ranging from instructive topics to the latest topics. Students will therefore have an opportunity to systematically learn about crystal growth from its fundamentals to its applications. All of the lecturers and students will stay in the same lodging for six days. The friendly and at-home atmosphere will be a valuable opportunity for both lecturers and students.

The summer school is run in conjunction with the 18th International Conference on Crystal Growth and Epitaxy.

Ape­ri­od­ic crys­tals are long range or­dered struc­tures which lack trans­la­tion­al in­vari­ance. They are found in a large va­ri­ety of sys­tems (min­er­als, or­gan­ic com­pounds, sin­gle el­e­ment un­der pres­sure, ox­ides, fer­ro-electrics, in­ter­metal­lic com­pounds) and en­com­pass in­com­men­su­rate­ly mod­u­lat­ed struc­tures, in­com­men­su­rate com­pos­ites and qua­sicrys­tals.

The struc­ture de­ter­mi­na­tion of ape­ri­od­ic crys­tals and the in­flu­ence of the ape­ri­od­ic or­der on their phys­i­cal prop­er­ties have made tremen­dous progress in re­cent years. How­ev­er the high di­men­sion­al de­scrip­tion and su­per­space ap­proach used to de­scribe the atom­ic struc­ture of ape­ri­od­ic crys­tal re­mains dif­fi­cult to grasp for the non-spe­cial­ist.

In this school the basics of the analysis of aperiodic crystals will be explained for a non-specialist tar­get­ au­di­ence, i.e. Phd stu­dents or ex­pe­ri­enced sci­en­tists work­ing in the field of crys­tal­log­ra­phy, chem­istry, ma­te­ri­al sci­ence or sol­id state physic and will­ing to have a ba­sic un­der­stand­ing of ape­ri­od­ic crys­tals.

This is a joint Antwerp Summer University School and C-MAC Euroschool.

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