Network of German NMR centres (G-NMR)

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Michael Sattler; Professor Dr. Harald Schwalbe
• Subject Area: Biochemistry ; Analytical Chemistry ; Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry ; Structural Biology
• Term: from 2012 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 214051023

• Final Report Year: 2020

Final Report Abstract

Within the first funding period (2012-2015), a network of German NMR centers has been established. The decentralized network contained more than 30 groups located in German universities and research institutes. Within this network, extensive improvements in research and research-related teaching could be achieved. Such improvements included monitoring of equipment performance and coordination in NMR and IT infrastructure. The network further provided a positive impulse for teaching initiatives at the level of bachelor education (now endorsed by the GDCh) and national workshops at the level of doctoral students. The decentralized format of the G-NMR network is ideal, since NMR as a cost-intensive and highly innovative technique is established in every university at high level in research, service measurements and teaching. Therefore, the involvement of more than 30 groups in the network makes a large impact on promoting NMR spectroscopy in Germany. In the second funding period, successful initiatives that were triggered during the first funding period have been consolidated and we have implemented approaches and structures to sustain this network. A main achievement is the continuation of the G-NMR School format for postgraduate NMR teaching. We have further shaped the NMR teaching curricula and developed tools to distribute newly developed methods to a broad user base. This includes new pulse sequences (e.g. to enable sparse sampling), new pulses (e.g. those developed under optimal control theory), sample preparation (in particular for solid-state application including DNP), but also improvements in facility management and benefit from interactions with industry partners.

Publications

• (2020) Paramagnetic NMR in drug discovery. Journal of biomolecular NMR 74 (6-7) 287–309
  Softley, C. A., Bostock, M. J., Popowicz, G. M., & Sattler, M.
  
• Direct ¹³C-detected NMR experiments for mapping and characterization of hydrogen bonds in RNA. (2016) J Biomol NMR Mar;64(3):207-21
  Fürtig B, Schnieders R, Richter C, Zetzsche H, Keyhani S, Helmling C, Kovacs H, Schwalbe H
  
• (2017) J Biomol NMR. Sep;69(1):31-44
  Schnieders R, Richter C, Warhaut S, de Jesus V, Keyhani S, Duchardt-Ferner E, Keller H, Wöhnert J, Kuhn LT, Breeze AL, Bermel W, Schwalbe H, Fürtig B
  
• Novel 13C-detected NMR Experiments for the Precise Detection of RNA Structure. (2018) Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. Jul 1;58(27):9140-9144
  Schnieders R, Wolter AC, Richter C, Wöhnert J, Schwalbe H, Fürtig B
  
• Ultrashort Broadband Cooperative Pulses for Multidimensional Biomolecular NMR Experiments. (2018) Angew Chemie - Int Ed 57:14498–14502
  Asami S, Kallies W, Günther JC, Stavropoulou M, Glaser SJ, Sattler M
  
• Selective Inhibitors of FKBP51 Employ Conformational Selection of Dynamic Invisible States. (2019) Angew Chemie Int Ed 58:9429–9433
  Jagtap PKA, Asami S, Sippel C, Kaila VRI, Hausch F, Sattler M
  
• Introducing the CSP Analyzer: a Novel Machine Learning-based Application for Automated Analysis of two-dimensional NMR spectra in NMR Fragment-based Screening. (2020) Comput Struct Biotechnol J 18:603–611
  Fino R, Byrne R, Softley CA, Sattler M, Schneider G, Popowicz GM
  
• More than Proton Detection-New Avenues for NMR Spectroscopy of RNA (2020) Chemistry. Jan 2;26(1):102-113
  Schnieders R, Keyhani S, Schwalbe H, Fürtig B