About the core facility
The core facility provides services to all research groups affiliated with institutions belonging to the Helse Sør-Øst region. We also serve universities and university colleges in the region. Our portfolio includes protein crystallization, 3D structure determination of proteins at atomic resolution by X-ray crystallograph, and various structural modeling and related bioinformatics. We can provide services of recombinant protein expression and purification. The facility has all major methods for quantitative protein-interaction studies, including ITC, MST and SPR, and we can analyze both protein-protein and protein-ligand complexes. We also have several methods for protein stability studies; nanoDSF and DLS. Access to instruments and technologies are granted following a short traning if needed.
Funding and management
The core facility is funded by a grant from South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (Grant 2015095), as well as modest user fees. The University of Oslo has funded most of the instruments. The facility was initiated as a platform at Rikshsopitalet-Radiumhospitalet FH by Prof. Magnar Bjørås, who served as platform manager until 2011. From 2012, researcher Bjørn Dalhus has been managing the platform, now as a regional platform for the HSØ region.
Users
The service is aimed at research groups at all institutions in the Helse Søt-Øst region in need for high-quality, experimental structure determination and bioinformatics analysis of proteins in order to interpret clinical data, including advanced sequence analysis, experimental structure determination and/or computational molecular modelling/ simulations. We also provide this service to research groups affiliated with universities (UiO, NMBU) and university colleges in the region. Industrial partners are also welcomed to use our services, depending on the capacity.
Fees
We provide access to all methods and instruments to experienced users for modest user fees. Due to the labor intensive and challenging nature of a full 3D structure determination by X-ray crystallography, such projects are normally carried out in the form of a collaborative project with co-authorship; however, technical assistance can also be provided for additional fees instead. In addition, more general consulting services within molecular biology and protein biochemistry will be provided for free as far as resources allows. Details on methods and pricing are given under the Service description.
Location
The facility is located at the Department for Medical Biochemistry (MBK) at Rikshospitalet - Oslo University Hospital - Rikshospitalet. Section B1, 3rd floor. The facility will move to the UiO Life Science Building (LVB) during 2026.