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Volker Urban
Intense Pulsed Neutron Division
Appointment: 1997 - 1999
Supervisor: Pappannan Thiyagarajan
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General Information
- Instrument Scientist
- Center for Structural Molecular Biology
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- PO Box 2008 ; MS-6142
- Oak Ridge , TN 37831
- Phone: (865) 576-2578
- Fax: (865) 574-8363
- Email: urbanvs@ornl.gov
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ANL Research Highlights
The primary component of the amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a highly ordered fibril composed of the 39-43 amino acid peptide, ß-amyloid (Aß). The presence of this fibril has been correlated with both the onset and severity of the disease. Using a combination of synthetic model peptides, solid-state NMR, electron microscopy, and small angle neutron scattering (SANS), methods that allowed fibrils to be studied directly both in solution and in the solid state, the three-dimensional structure of fibrils formed from Aß (10-35) is assigned. The structure consists of six laminated ß-sheets propagating and twisting along the fibril axis. Each peptide strand is oriented perpendicular to the helical axis in a parallel ß-sheet, with each like amino acid residue in register along the sheet.
The six sheets are laminated, probably also in parallel arrays, to give a fibril with dimensions of about 60 x 80 Å. Both the methodology developed and the structural insight gained here laid the foundation for strategies to characterize and design materials capable of amyloid like self-assembly.
New Endeavors
I am currently an instrument scientist at the Bio-SANS (Biological Small-Angle Neutron Scattering) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Bio-SANS was designed and optimized for analysis of the structure, function, and dynamics of complex biological systems. Bio-SANS is the cornerstone of the Center for Structural Molecular Biology (CSMB) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The Bio- SANS instrument is supported by additional CSMB capabilities that include development of advanced computational tools for neutron analysis and modeling, as well as biophysical characterization and X-ray scattering infrastructure. A dedicated biological sample preparation laboratory is located adjacent to the instrument.
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