SOLEIL Block Allocation Group Proposal (BAG)

Last update: 15/07/2010

Same dead lines each year as standard proposals:

FEBRUARY 15th
SEPTEMBER 15th

BAG proposals can now be submitted on two beamlines: PROXIMA 1 (Macromolecular crystallography) and, independantly, SWING (Small Angle X-ray Scattering - SAXS on Proteins in solution).

Single projects on either PROXIMA 1 or SWING can still use the standard proposal system.

SOLEIL BAG duration is ONE YEAR.

SOLEIL BAG proposals are prepared and submitted online, in a similar way as SOLEIL Standard proposals and using the same tool, the SUN set data base, from the User Menu.
To start the BAG submission you need to click on:
Submit a new proposal
And then select:
Block Allocation Group Proposal

The SOLEIL BAG proposal for Macromolecular crystallography (PROXIMA1) or for SAXS on Proteins in solution (SWING) requires the completion of 5 steps including the submission.

Proposals must be written in English.

The steps are the following:

1/ General part of the proposal

This consists in supplying the following information in the on-line 'form':

• Proposal title
• Keywords
• Research area of the proposal
• Is the proposal a new one, are submission of (N°) or continuation of a previous one (N°)?
• General summary
• Name of the BAG coordinator
• Beamline requirements
• Total estimated number of shifts required
• Laboratory support facility access required (chemistry lab. 1, chemistry lab. 2 (with restricted access), biology lab.)
• ...

Please pay a particular attention that The BAG coordinator is the person in charge of submitting and managing the BAG proposal.

He/she is the only contact person to SOLEIL for all administrative issues related to the BAG proposal and he/she is responsible for collecting and transmitting all information between the BAG Members and SOLEIL. 
 

Each BAG identifies one person acting as the "BAG Coordinator" and each BAG members identifies one person who will act as “Principal Investigator” (PI).

3/ Samples and substances declaration together with ancillary equipment declaration (for safety considerations)

Particular attention should be given to the safety aspects.

The name and characteristics of the substance(s) to be used, have to be completed carefully.

Experimental conditions requiring special safety precautions such as the use of lasers, high pressure cells, samples presenting biological dangers (for example tissue samples, bacteria, viruses), dangerous substances, toxic substances and radioactive materials, must be clearly stated in the proposal at step 3 (sample, substances and ancillary equipment declaration).

You have to declare in this step each sample or sample family (one ‘form’ per sample).
According to the type of sample or object you will have to fill in the following information using an appropriate template:


• Biochemistry sample
• Other sample (gas, chemical, solids, ...)


In the particular case of biological origin samples, we require you to give the name of the biological sample, the living organism from which it is derived and the way in which it was produced and purified.


Moreover, any ancillary equipment supplied by the user must conform to the appropriate French regulations (mechanical, electrical, high pressure, …) and eventually to SOLEIL specifications.


This information will be forwarded to the beamline manager, to the safety group, and to the requested SOLEIL laboratories.

Failure in providing this information will mean that the application will NOT be accepted.


4/ Results from previous proposals

5/ Proposal Submission 


 

Each BAG identifies one person acting as the "BAG Coordinator" and each BAG members identifies one person who will act as “Principal Investigator” (PI).


The BAG coordinator and the PIs have dedicated duties which are described in the following paragraphs:


BAG Coordinator

The BAG coordinator is the person in charge of submitting and managing the BAG proposal.


He/she is the only contact person to SOLEIL for all administrative issues related to the BAG proposal and he/she is responsible for collecting and transmitting all information between the BAG Members and SOLEIL (e.g. User Office, Travel Office, beamline manager and safety staff).


All correspondence will be sent by SOLEIL to the BAG coordinator who must inform the BAG members about the beam time allocation periods and organise their venues accordingly.


Cancellation of the allocated beam time should be made at least 3 weeks before the experiment. Shorter notice may result in the loss of beam time.

The BAG coordinator is in charge of providing all requested documents (eg. Experimental report, publication list, end of run report, …) at the appropriate time.


Principal Investigator (PI)

The PI or his/her named representative must be present at SOLEIL throughout a BAG session. He/she is the designated by the BAG coordinator when he/she declares the participants for each session. The PI or named representative is responsible of the activities carried out during the session.

The PI or its representative must know how to operate the beamline and stays on site during the entire session. His/her duties are the following:

• act as the spoke person with the local contact,
• insure that each team is technically able to properly handle the beamline and perform their experiments,
• assist the beginner team(s) for these tasks,
• act as a contact person for all matters concerning safety issues at SOLEIL.

The evaluation of the BAG proposal is made by the Peer Review Committee “ Biology and Health” (PRC5) during their meetings sessions held mid-April and mid-November each year.
There will be a short mid-term evaluation after 6 months.

The final evaluation, after one year, requires a detailed experimental report to write according to the template available online in the SUN set.

Further details about these procedures and reports will be given later.

Beam time is allocated in a way that provides regular access to the beamline. Experiments are scheduled by sessions of 24 or 48 hours (3 or 6 shifts).