The advanced research infrastructure MicroMAX, which boasts the world’s most intense X-ray beam and requires only microcrystals, is now ready to provide groundbreaking insights into the universe of proteins following its construction phase. Consequently, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is providing funding opportunities for collaborative research projects where the use of MicroMAX is essential for the success of the projects.
In Lund, the MicroMAX beamline is now operational. It is an advanced scientific instrument that enables direct observation of changes in the structures of proteins and enzymes, for instance, during a reaction with molecules or light.
Unlike conventional X-ray crystallography, the time-resolution of MicroMAX matches relevant structural changes. This can be likened to transitioning from still images to filming protein structures at up to 100,000 frames per second. Thus, researchers can now directly observe numerous chemical reactions and make real time observations of how a drug binds to a protein, how antibiotics degrade, or how an enzyme works.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation is now offering funding opportunities for researchers affiliated with a Danish research institution to apply for grants for academic use of the new research infrastructure MicroMAX in Sweden under the programme “MicroMAX Collaborative Research Grants.”
“We are excited that MicroMAX is now available for researchers to utilise this unique research infrastructure. Therefore, we aim to support research projects that will benefit from this facility to gain new knowledge about the structure, functionality, and dynamics of biomolecules. The funds are targeted Danish researchers, preferably in collaboration with international colleagues, who wish to realise exciting project ideas,” says Lene Oddershede, Chief Scientific Officer, Planetary & Technology at the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Studies under conditions resembling the human body
MicroMAX is one of the few synchrotron beamlines with advanced capabilities of studying biomolecules at room temperature. This provides a distinct advantage over most other crystallography research instruments, where nearly all protein and enzyme structures are determined at cryogenic temperatures, i.e., below –150°C, where their movements are frozen in structures that may not be relevant under physiological conditions.
MicroMAX, in contrast to the cryogenic environments, allows studies under conditions closely resembling the human body. Thus, it is possible to achieve a more accurate understanding of, for example, drug effects and biomolecular structures.
One of the biggest challenges in determining the structure of biomolecules today is growing large crystals of sufficient quality for crystallography. MicroMAX allows the use of microcrystals, which are much easier to produce than large crystals, thereby greatly expanding the accessible range of biological molecules than previously possible.
Who is eligible for the grants?
The Novo Nordisk Foundation aims to support collaborative research projects between two or three researchers, of which least the main applicant must be affiliated with a Danish research institution. Additionally, at least one researcher in the team must be an expert on X-ray crystallography or a closely related method. Grants of up to DKK 7 million per project are available. The total budget is up to DKK 42 million distributed over two application rounds.
Projects should fall within the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s strategic focus areas of biomedicine, health sciences, sustainability, biotechnology, natural sciences, technical sciences, or data science.
Find more information about grants for research use of MicroMAX here.
The call is open and will close on 16 September 2025. The second application round of “MicroMAX Collaborative Research Grants” is expected to open in spring 2026.
About MicroMAX
MicroMAX is a research instrument at the MAX IV synchrotron at MAX IV Laboratory – a Swedish national research institute hosted by Lund University. The Novo Nordisk Foundation awarded a grant for the construction and operation of MicroMAX in 2018.
