Spectroscopy and Calorimetry Laboratory

About the facility

The Calorimetry and Spectroscopy Laboratory (LEC) supports scientific projects through advanced biophysical techniques that focus on structural, conformational and functional characterization of macromolecules such as proteins, polymers and nanoparticles. It operates as an open installation, serving internal and external users, and offering training, consulting and support in data analysis.

The main instruments available include the OMNISEC (Malvern) gel permeation chromatography system, which makes it possible to determine molecular weight, polydispersity index, and intrinsic viscosity and to detect aggregates in proteins and complexes by size exclusion chromatography. The Zetasizer Nano ZS90 (Malvern) particle size analyzer uses dynamic light scattering (DLS) to determine the hydrodynamic size of particles and biomolecules and measure zeta potential for colloidal stability analysis. The Jasco J-1500 circular dichroism spectropolarimeter makes it possible to study the secondary structure of proteins and analyze thermal stability and conformational changes. The K2 multifrequency spectrofluorimeter (ISS) permits sensitive steady-state and time-domain fluorescence studies to investigate conformational dynamics, protein-ligand interaction and changes in the local environment of fluorophores. The Monolith NT.115 (NanoTemper) performs microscale thermophoresis (MST) experiments, making it possible to quantify dissociation constants (Kd) in molecular interactions with low sample consumption. The Tycho NT.6 (NanoTemper) offers rapid analysis of the thermal stability and structural integrity of proteins under different formulation or storage conditions. The MicroCal VP-DSC (Malvern) uses differential scanning calorimetry to provide information on the thermal stability of biomolecules and the transition temperature (Tm), which is essential for developing stable formulations, for example.

The LEC team offers complete support to users at all stages of experimentation, from planning to data analysis. Researchers interested in using the lab infrastructure can submit their proposals through the open access system via SAU Online. We are available to collaborate in the scientific development of projects involving the biophysical and structural characterization of biomolecules.

How to submit research proposals