Hi,
In addition to the excellend comments
posted already, I would like to venture an opinion regarding learning,
technology, and associated matters.
Do not make the problem fit the techniques
you know – instead try to make sure that you know (or know where to
learn) enough techniques to solve the problem at hand.
This rather simple principle appears to be
frequently forgotten or ignored – sometimes with humorous results.
As a corollary, I would like to also
mention that the relatively huge area of science that is often referred to as ‘macromolecular
crystallography’ can be approached as a basic area of science in itself,
or it may be viewed as a set of sophisticated technologies suitable for
answering complex questions in structural & basic biology, drug design,
protein engineering, etc. etc. Regardless of what you personally decide to do,
try to view it as both basic and applied science – this approach pays off
later.
Artem
P.S. twinned crystals still suck.
From: CCP4 bulletin
board [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Jayashankar
Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2008
5:18 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ccp4bb] Crystallogrphy
today
Dear friends and crystallographers,
During One of my lab meeting ,
I told twinning in crystals are ok, because ccp4's recent releases just need
the keyword TWIN to solve them,
As a new generation research student, I am now confused, is that I need to
learn and understand all programs(so many...but research does not mean
relaying on them)
to solve my crystallographic problems(is that all)....
if you see all the queries in ccp4BB is just about undocumented or misunderstood
program oriented questions.
is that all i have to learn in crystallography in future.
Still upto what limitations we are now in crystallography.
this is my very naive and prime question.
1.Phase problem
2.twin problem
3.solving intrinsically disordered proteins
4.hetro multimeric proteins
5.high order oligomers
6.cryo crystallography
7.automation in high through put crystallography
8.radiation damage
9.kinetic crystallography
10. crystal growth research (antigravity, pressure )
11.stereo graphics
if i am right all the above has been studied (....what we are not clear still
about them),
I need an answer to motivate me in doing my research in Crystallography.
S.Jayashankar
(A confused new generation research student)
Research Student
Institute for Biophysical Chemistry