Saskatoon synchrotron operated via Brazil

A new first for Saskatoon’s synchrotron on Saturday, as researchers synced up with a synchrotron in Brazil in order to bring scientists to the leading-edge of research.

Canada’s Governor General, David Johnson was in attendance at the Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS) in Campinas, Brazil.

“The Canadian Light Source and the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory are collaborating on a number of exciting projects that will benefit both of our country’s scientific communities,” said CLS Executive Director Josef Hormes.

Saturday’s live experiment was performed over video chat and remote control software developed at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) in Saskatoon to take real-time scans of human tissue with Crohn’s Disease.

The technology used to magnify a sample is called a beamline. There are 15 beamlines in the U of S facility and a beam can get as small as one-millionth the diameter of a piece of human hair.

The demonstration involved accessing the VESPERS beamline at the CLS from a computer at the LNLS and receiving the resulting data.

Researchers will compare data gathered from both beamlines and use the results to create improved medical technology to fight this form of cancer.

“This project opens a new frontier in scientific research since scientists can perform experiments from anywhere in the world, not only at the place where the laboratory is located,” said the Director of LNLS Dr. Antonio Jose Roque da Silva.

The CLS has hosted 2600 researchers from academic institutions, government, and industry from across Canada and 20 countries on over 5,200 user visits, delivering over 15,000 experimental shifts to users since 2005.

The synchrotron at the U of S is the only facility of its kind in Canada.