Integrated Molecular Structure Education and Research Center (IMSERC) at Northwestern

We are pleased to announce that the first of its kind dedicated electron diffractometer is scheduled to be installed in IMSERC on February 5^th, 2024! Northwestern is the first academic site in USA that will be equipped with Rigakus Synergy-ED diffractometer.

IMSERCs state-of-the-art PXRD and SCXRD capabilities propel my research forward and reveal fascinating chemical phenomena. Read more on Sylvia's success story regarding the transformation of dynamic crystalline Metal-Organic-Frameworks on an energy landscape

The in-situ PXRD capabilities at IMSERC have provided essential data for my doctoral work. Read more on Becca's success story regarding panoramic solid-state synthesis using In-situ powder X-ray diffraction techniques

The Farha group has monitored a time-resolved in situ polymorphic transformation from one 12-connected Zr-MOF to another using a powder diffractomer at IMSERC. Work was highlighted on the cover of ACS Materials Letters

Mass spectrometry techniques within IMSERC are able to quantitate a wide range of analytes to a very low level while still maintaining many orders of magnitude in dynamic range. For example, mass spectrometry can be used to quantitate drugs in biological fluids as well as pollutants present at low ppt levels in environmental samples.

IMSERC has new imaging capabilities available for tissue, materials, and/or other surface analysis research. The technique is capable of routinely achieving 20 um resolution, and it can be tuned down to even 5 um for spatial resolution in pixel creation. The newly acquired Rapiflex Tissuetyper MALDI-TOF instrument from Bruker allows for a 70x increase in speed throughput while also affording for greater than 10x spatial resolution. Send IMSERC your imaging requests today. Learn more.

Northwestern's Integrated Molecular Structure Education and Research Center (IMSERC) has been awarded the 2019 Core Facilities Service Excellence award. This is a NU-wide award provided by the Office for Research, the evaluating body. This award is given annually to recognize exemplary core facilities within the University based on their annual evaluation as well as their national recognition and contributions to scientific breakthroughs.

Daniel G. Chica used Thermal Analysis techniques on our Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA) system for optimizing crystal growth of ⁶LiInP₂Se₆, a 2-dimensional semiconductor used for direct thermal neutron detection. Read mode about Daniel's success story

IMSERC welcomed its new Director, Dr. Ben Owen, on November 1, 2019. Prior to joinging Northwestern, Ben worked for Agilent Technologies as a Product Specialist for Mass Spectrometry in the Chicago metro area. Ben earned his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Purdue University in Professor Hilkka Kenttämaa's research group where he focused on mass spectrometry instrumentation and method development for the analysis of lignocellulosic biomass metabolism and degradation for biofuel production. Ben's office is located in Tech BG53B (Andy Ott's former office). Ben will co-direct IMSERC and the combined mass spectrometry and clinical pharmacology cores in IMSERC.

The second out of three new single crystal diffractometers has been installed. Instrument will be used in the next 3-4 weeks for service work and training of new users before releasing the instrument to students

The instrument was upgraded with Avance III HD console w/ BBFO probe and SampleXpress in the early August, 2018. It runs the automation used be done on Au400. The Prodigy probe is finally installed today after one year delay. It is our best instrument for most heteronuclear NMR experiments. The 31P has a sensitivity of ~700 on this instrument. To put it in perspective, the A600 has the sensitivity of ~500 and Au400 has ~200 for 31P.

The first out of three new single crystal diffractometers has been installed. Instrument will be used in the next 1-2 months for service work and training of new users before releasing the instrument to students

The 1.6mm HFX probe from PhoenixNMR allows our users to do 19F samples. With spinning rate up to 40k Hz, proton solid NMR spectrum also looks much sharper.

Gabrielle Allison joined the IMSERC team in the fall of 2018. She is an Indiana University graduate with experience in clinical method development. She worked in R&D at the American Institute of Toxicology where she developed analytical LC-MS/MS methods for clinical lab testing in a CLIA and ISO certified laboratory. She has also worked in the Animal Health Division of Covance Laboratories, a clinical research organization where clinical trials are brought to market. At IMSERC, her expertise is enabling the Clinical Pharmacology core to expand its service lines and foster drug development research with interested collaborators. She specializes in small molecule method development and is currently in charge of rapid PK testing within the Clinical Pharmacology core. For more information about the work Gabby and the Clinical Pharmacology core offers, visit http://imserc.northwestern.edu/cpc

This installation is the highlight of whole NMR upgrade project. The new HFCN600 boasts the best 19F sensitivity (~ 7000) around Chicagoland!

As a backup to the DCH cryoprobe, a new BBFO probe is tested on the Ag500. In addtion, the old BACS-60 autosampler is replaced by a SampleXpress.

The Bruker Avance III system is upgraded with new BOSS III shims, BBFO probe, and SampleXpress, bringing much needed convenience to our users.

The 2^nd DD2-mr400 is upgraded to a Bruker Avance HD Onebay console capable of doing both Solids and Liquid NMR experiments. The standard configureation is for Solids, with a 4mm Bruker HX probe.

The old Agilent DD2-mr400 console and autosampler are replaced with brand-new Bruker Avance HD Nanobay console and SampleXPress! It marked 1st step of our multi-million dollar NMR upgrade project this year at IMSERC.