Getting beamtime is easier than it looks. Not sure where to start? Email us at BCSBBeamtime@lbl.gov, tell us a little about your project, and we’ll help you find the right option and get you on the schedule.
Prefer to browse? Here are all the ways to get time on the beamlines at the Berkeley Center for Structural Biology (BCSB). Find your situation in the table below, then see that section for details.
| If you… | Choose | Proposal needed? | Amount of time | Timing |
| Are an HHMI Investigator | HHMI Investigator Time | No | Up to 6 shifts per request (9 if non-local) | Email the scheduler any time |
| Need a short experiment, fast | RAPIDD | Yes | Up to 3 shifts per proposal | Submit anytime; answer in 2-3 weeks |
| Want an ongoing program, or a larger experiment | General User Proposal | Yes | More than 3 shifts | Two deadlines per year |
| Want guaranteed, priority access | Participating Research Team | No (purchase) | Reserved, ongoing | Contact us |
| Want expert staff to collect and process data for you | Collaborative Crystallography | Yes (through GUP or RAPIDD) | Per approved proposal | Same as GUP or RAPIDD |
Before You Start (All Users)
New users must complete a proprietary and/or non-proprietary user agreement before using the beamlines. Proprietary users must also provide advance funding for their beamtime. Not sure which applies to you? See our Proprietary/Non-proprietary page [add link].
HHMI Investigator Time
For: HHMI Investigators. Beamlines: 8.2.1, 8.2.2 and 2.0.1. No proposal required.
- Check the BUDS schedule [add link] for open shifts.
- Email your requested dates to the BCSB Scheduler: BCSBBeamtime@lbl.gov.
Limits: Up to 6 shifts per request, or 9 for non-local users. Additional time may be granted in special circumstances with the beamline scientist’s approval.
The 72-hour rule: Open HHMI shifts are held for Investigators until 72 hours before the start of beamtime. After that, any user can book them on a first-come, first-served basis.
New to the HHMI beamlines? We invite new HHMI Investigators to try them out. Email the scheduler and we will help you get started. You will need a non-proprietary user agreement in place before your first shift.
RAPIDD: Rapid Access
For: Users who need limited beamtime quickly. Amount: Up to 3 shifts per proposal.
Submit a proposal through the ALS at any time. You will hear back in 2-3 weeks. [Add link to RAPIDD submission page.]
General User Proposal (GUP)
For: Users who want to establish an ongoing program of work at the Advanced Light Source (ALS), or carry out a single experiment that needs more than the 3 shifts RAPIDD allows.
Proposals cover a 6-month period. There are two deadlines each year:
| Operating cycle | Proposal deadline |
| January-July | First Wednesday in September |
| August-December | First Wednesday in March |
Next deadline: [March 3, 2027. Verify against the ALS calendar.]
Participating Research Team (PRT)
For: Companies and academic groups that want reserved beamtime on an ongoing basis.
PRT members have purchased beamtime on the sector 5 beamlines (5.0.1, 5.0.2, and 5.0.3). PRT members receive priority over general users and may at any time ask to be moved to the top of the waiting list for cancelled or unused time.
Requirements: Fully executed ALS user agreements must be in place before beamtime. PRT funding, and any applicable proprietary funding, must be received by LBNL at least five business days before beamtime.
Interested? Contact Daniil Prigozhin (DaniilPrigozhin@lbl.gov) or Stacey Ortega (SLOrtega@lbl.gov).
Collaborative Crystallography
For: Non-proprietary academic users of the sector 5 beamlines, from beginners to experts, who want more extended service.
You send crystals to an expert crystallographer on our staff, who collects and processes the data. They can also solve structures and help write journal articles.
How to join: Submit a proposal through GUP or RAPIDD. Approval there must come first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to submit a proposal?
It depends on the option. HHMI Investigators and Participating Research Teams do not submit proposals. RAPIDD, General User Proposals, and Collaborative Crystallography do.
What is the difference between RAPIDD and a General User Proposal?
RAPIDD is for limited, quick access of up to 3 shifts per proposal. You can submit anytime and hear back in 2-3 weeks. A General User Proposal (GUP) is for ongoing programs of work, or single experiments that need more than 3 shifts. GUPs cover a 6-month period and have two deadlines per year.
When are the General User Proposal deadlines?
The first Wednesday of September for the January-July cycle, and the first Wednesday of March for the August-December cycle. [Next deadline: March 3, 2027. Verify against the ALS calendar.]
How long does it take to hear back?
RAPIDD results take 2-3 weeks. [GUP decision timeline: add here.]
What is a “shift”? Can I run ½ shift?
A shift is 8 hours. Yes, you can run ½ shift which is 4 hours.
What do I need to do before my first beamtime?
New users must complete a proprietary and/or non-proprietary user agreement. Proprietary users must also provide advance funding for their beamtime. See our Proprietary/Non-proprietary page [add link] to find out which applies to you.
I’m an HHMI Investigator. How do I book time?
Check the BUDS schedule [add link] for open shifts on beamlines 8.2.1 and 8.2.2, then email your requested dates to the BCSB Scheduler at BCSBBeamtime@lbl.gov. No proposal is needed.
How many shifts can I request as an HHMI Investigator?
Up to 6 shifts per request, or up to 9 for non-local users. Additional time may be granted in special circumstances with the beamline scientist’s approval.
What is the 72-hour rule?
Open HHMI shifts are held for HHMI Investigators until 72 hours before the start of beamtime. If they haven’t been reserved by then, they are released to any user on a first-come, first-served basis.
I’m a new HHMI Investigator. Can I try the HHMI beamlines?
Yes. Email your request to the BCSB Scheduler (BCSBBeamtime@lbl.gov) and we will help you get started. You will need a non-proprietary user agreement in place before your beamtime begins.
What is a Participating Research Team (PRT), and how do I join?
PRT members are companies or academic groups that have purchased beamtime on the sector 5 beamlines (5.0.1, 5.0.2, and 5.0.3). They get priority over general users and can ask to be moved to the top of the waiting list for cancelled or unused time. PRT funding must reach LBNL at least 5 business days before beamtime. To join, contact Daniil Prigozhin (DaniilPrigozhin@lbl.gov) or Stacey Ortega (SLOrtega@lbl.gov).
What is Collaborative Crystallography?
It is a program for non-proprietary academic users, from beginners to experts. You send crystals to an expert crystallographer on our staff, who collects and processes the data.
How do I join Collaborative Crystallography?
Submit a proposal through GUP or RAPIDD. Approval there must come first.
How do I cite the BCSB in my publications?
See the “Citing the BCSB” section below for the acknowledgment text. Beamlines 2.0.1 and 5.0.1 have extra detector funding statements to include.
Who do I contact with other questions?
Email BCSBBeamtime@lbl.gov and we’ll point you in the right direction. For PRT membership, contact Daniil Prigozhin or Stacey Ortega (see above).
Citing the BCSB
Please include the following in your publications:
The Berkeley Center for Structural Biology is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Participating Research Team members, and the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, ALS-ENABLE grant P30 GM124169. The Advanced Light Source is a Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.
Using beamline 2.0.1? Add: The Eiger detector on beamline 2.0.1 was funded under NIH grant 1S10OD032212.
Using beamline 5.0.1? Add: The Pilatus detector on beamline 5.0.1 was funded under NIH grant S10OD026941.