News 2004

First "Maga Circe" conference on metabolic systems (Dec 2, 2004) Our member Filippo Conti informed us that the title conference will be held in Monte Circeo (Latina, Italy) from May 7 to 10, 2006. According to the conference web site this conference is "the first of a long series of meetings in which different expertises, ranging from theoretical analysts of metabolic fluxes in networks, to spectroscopists and chemometry data analysts face each other in a fruitful exchange of ideas". We wish the organizers success and look forward to announcing the second "Maga Circe" conference next year on this site. For further information please write to magacirceconference@uniroma1.it.

A new 600 MHz in Milan (Nov 24, 2004) On Dec 3, 2004, there will be the opening ceremony of "CONSORZIO 7C" during which the new 600 Mhz spectrometer recently installed in Milano - at Istituto G. Ronzoni - will be inaugurated. The program will start at 10 in Istituto Scientifico San Raffaele (Dibit) and continue with the visit to the NMR laboratory. In the afternoon there will be a scientific session at the "Stazione sperimentale carta e cellulosa" during which the cababilities of the new instrument will be discussed. For more details write to eventi@bruker.it.

XXXV National Congress to be held near Rome (Nov 11, 2004) Next Italian Congress in Magnetic Resonance will be held in the wonderful site of Villa Mondragone in Monte Porzio Catone (Rome) from September 26 to 28, 2005. A web site for the congress is under construction and will be announced here as soon as it is ready.

Results of the Σ! 2214 project to be presented in Rome (Oct 20, 2004) Our member Anna Laura Segre informed us that a half-day meeting on the topic of "unidirectional NMR" (AKA, NMR Mouse) will be held in Rome on Nov 16, 2004. During the meeting results from the Eureka Project Σ! 2214 - MOUSE will be presented. Further information are available on the meeting leaflet (in Italian).

Position available at CERM, Italy (Oct 18, 2004) The Magnetic Resonance Center of the University of Florence (CERM) opens a research position at the post-Doctoral or pre-Doctoral level for candidates interested in characterization of proteins involved in FALS disease ad/or in protein folding/unfolding. Research Supervisor will be Prof. Lucia Banci. The ideal candidate would an NMR spectroscopist with some experience in ITC calorimetry as well as in other flanking spectroscopic techniques. However, candidates with other profiles will also be considered, provided their interest to address the above mentioned topics. Candidates are asked to directly contact Prof. Mario Piccioli or Prof. Lucia Banci (or both), in order to receive further information.

Position available at Dulbecco Telethon Insitute (Oct 18, 2004) A post-doctoral position is available in the field of "Protein structure determination by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance" at the Dulbecco Telethon Institute. The candidate should have experience in molecular biology, protein purification and biochemical characterization of proteins. For further information please contact Dr. Giovanna Musco.

First FECS School on Protein Chemistry (Oct 08, 2004) GIDRM member Henriette Molinari informed us that the First FECS School on Protein Chemistry will be held in Bressanone/Brixen (Italy) from January 9 to 14, 2005. We wish the organizers success and trust that many of our members will be able to take the apportunity to attend!

2004-2007 GIDRM board elected (Sept 27, 2004) On Sept 22, during the 2004 National Congress at Porto Conte (Sardinia), a new GIDRM board was elected for a period of three years. Our former vice-chair Prof. Stefano Mammi (UNI, Padova) was elected as the new chairman. The other elected board members are Dr. Gaetano Barbato (IRBM, Roma), Prof. Daniel Oscar Cicero (UNI, Roma Tor Vergata), Dr. Mauro Andrea Cremonini (UNI, Bologna), Prof. Mauro Fasano (UNI, Insubria, Varese), Dr. Silvia Spera (Polimeri Europa, Novara) and Dr. Lucia Zetta (CNR, Milano). The new board thanks the people who served on the board last year and the Election Committee who ran the election this year.

GIDRM-GIRM Gold Medal awarded to Prof. Lucia Banci (Jul 26, 2004) The Gruppo Interdivisionale Risonanze Magnetiche (GIRM) of the Italian Chemical Society (SCI) and the GIDRM have awarded the GIDRM-GIRM Gold Medal 2004 to our member Professor Lucia Banci (University of Firenze) for her scientific activity in the field of structural genomics and her contributions to promotion and diffusion of NMR. Professor Banci will receive the GIDRM-GIRM Medal on Sept. 23, 2004, during the XXXIV Italian National Congress on Magnetic Resonance. On behalf of the GIDRM members we wish to convey to Professor Banci our warmest congratulations!

XXXIV National Congress: no more single rooms available in Hotel Capocaccia (June 15, 2004) Another hotel has agreed to reserve rooms for the congress participants. Please see our updates about accomodation in Tramariglio.

Telethon fellowship available (Apr 20, 2004) We were informed by Dr. Giovanna Musco of the Dulbecco Telethon Institute that a fellowship to work on an NMR-related project is available. If you have experience in NMR of proteins and/or molecular dynamics write to: Dr. Giovanna Musco, Dulbecco Telethon Institute c/o DIBIT Scientific Institute, Biomolecular NMR, 1B4, Via Olgettina 58 20132 Milano (Italy), Phone: +39-02-26434824, Fax: +39-02-26434153, e-mail:musco.giovanna@hsr.it.

Baking bread with NMR (Apr 2, 2004) Wanting to check whether your daugh ferments right? Just take it to the nearest NMR microimaging system and follow the fermentation on the screen... Or simply read an interesting paper by Dr Jean-Marie Bonny et al.

(Italian) Premio Sapio 2004 (Mar 30, 2004). Anche quest'anno il GIDRM dà il patrocinio al Premio Sapio. Il Premio, quest'anno, prevede l'organizzazione, a partire da maggio 2004 e sino a settembre, di 7 giornate di confronto e di studio tra docenti e studiosi di fama nazionale e internazionale, presso le Universitą e i Centri di Ricerca in varie localitą d'Italia. Gli organizzatori ci informano che "obiettivo è quello di fornire l'opportunità a ricercatori italiani di far conoscere il loro lavoro e di divulgare i loro studi: per questo è fondamentale che tutti coloro che possono essere interessati a candidare le loro ricerche, a partecipare all'organizzazione delle giornate e a fornire indicazioni e suggerimenti siano a conoscenza di questa opportunitą e la sfruttino proprio per dare la giusta visibilitą al loro lavoro". Tutte le informazioni possono essere reperite sul sito del premio Sapio 2004.

(Italian) Programma Didattico della Scuola Nazionale di NMR in Stato Solido (Mar 30, 2004) Gli organizzatori della Scuola Nazionale di NMR in stato solido ci informano che sul sito della scuola è ora disponibile il programma e il modulo di iscrizione.

(Italian) Posizione disponibile per borsa di studio presso ISMAC, Milano (Mar 23, 2004) I nostri soci del CNR di Milano ci informano che è disponibile una borsa di studio presso l'ISMAC. Si richiede esperienza nella caratterizzazione mediante NMR di proteine e/o conoscenza di metodi di calcolo. Per informazioni e invio curricula rivorgersi al Dr. Roberto Consonni, Tel. 02-23699578.

4th International Workshop on Structural Characterisation of Proteins by NMR, X-Ray Diffraction and Computational Methods (Mar 9, 2004) The collegues of the Department of Chemistry of the University of Padua and the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry of the CNR in Padua informed us that the title workshop will be held in S. Vito di Cadore (Italy) from May 14 to 16, 2004. Further information are available at the workshop web site.

(Italian) Scuola Nazionale di NMR in solido (Mar 5, 2004) Il GIDRM e il GIRM, con l'indispensabile supporto finanziario-logistico della Fondazione per le Biotecnologie (FOBIOTECH), organizzano quest'anno una scuola nazionale di NMR in stato solido. Il corso (teorico/pratico) si terrà, come di consueto, a Torino nella sede di Villa Gualino dal 30 agosto al 4 settembre 2004. Ulteriori informazioni appariranno nel sito di FOBIOTECH.

Post doc position about "Fast quantitative NMR imaging of pasty materials under transient deformations" (Feb 13, 2004) Dr. Stéphane Rodts informed us that a post doc position is available at Laboratoire des Matériaux et Structures du Génie Civil, Paris, France. Further information are available from Dr. Rodts and in this document.

(Italian) Ricerca di spettroscopista NMR presso Eurand, Trieste (Feb 12, 2004) Il nostro socio Renato Toffanin ci avverte che al Dipartimento R&D "Polymer Conjugation" della Eurand SpA è disponibile un posto (livello post-doc o equivalente) per occuparsi della gestione del laboratorio NMR collocato presso l'AREA Science Park di Trieste. Il centro è dotato di due spettrometri Varian da 500 e 200 MHz. Il candidato o la candidata dovrebbe aver maturato esperienza nel settore dell'NMR dei carboidrati (oligosaccaridi e polisaccaridi) e dovrebbe essere in grado di interagire con il gruppo di sintesi organica. I CV devono essere inviati a: Costanza Galbardi, Eurand SpA, Area Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34012, Trieste, Tel: 040 3756611, Fax: 040 9220016, Email: costanza.galbardi@eurand.it

(Italian) Spettrometri d'occasione da Vanni Piccinotti (Jan 30, 2004) Riceviamo e volentieri pubblichiamo questo avviso del nostro socio Vanni Piccinotti. Sono disponibili per consegna immediata questi spettrometri NMR ricondizionati e garantiti a costi veramente contenuti: 1) Varian Gemini 200 1H/13C + VT, workstation SUN; a richiesta accessorio per osservazione 31P; 2) Varian Inova 500 superaccessoriato (3 probes, gradienti su tre assi, Autosampler, VAST). Per informazioni e quotazioni contattare Vanni Piccinotti NMR Service, Via delle Gore, 39A, 50141 Firenze. Tel. e Fax +39 055 434841, Email: vpnmr@facile.it

European School on Solid State NMR to be held in Valencia (Jan 29, 2004) GIDRM member Stefano Caldarelli informed us that he and his collegue Teresa Blasco will be organizing the European School on Solid State NMR in Valencia (Spain) from Sept 13 to 17, 2004. Topics will cover many different aspects of the solid state NMR spectroscopy from nuclear spin interactions in solids to quadrupolar nuclei and will be supported by practical hands-on computer simulations. More information can be found at the congress web site.