Bruker Announces First 1.2 GHz NMR Installation in the United States at The Ohio State University - Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation

Rhea-AI Summary

Bruker Corporation (BRKR) installs a 1.2 Gigahertz (GHz) NMR system at The Ohio State University, enabling advanced life science and materials research. The system will be used for high-resolution liquid and solid-state NMR experiments to study advanced materials and biological molecules, with the goal of advancing the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, viral infections, or Alzheimer’s disease.

Insights

Biotechnology Analyst

The installation of a 1.2 Gigahertz NMR system by Bruker Corporation at The Ohio State University represents a significant technological advancement in the field of life sciences research. This development has the potential to accelerate drug discovery and cleantech research, with implications for a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

High-resolution NMR spectroscopy is a critical tool for understanding molecular structures and interactions. The ability to observe 'hidden' protein states and intrinsically disordered proteins can lead to breakthroughs in the treatment of diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. The support from the NSF underscores the strategic importance of this infrastructure for maintaining competitiveness in global research.

From an investment standpoint, this could signal long-term growth opportunities for Bruker Corporation and its stakeholders, as the technology may lead to new product developments and collaborations. However, the capital-intensive nature of such technologies and the time required for research to translate into marketable products or therapies must be considered.

Healthcare Industry Analyst

The integration of a GHz-class NMR system into research facilities like The Ohio State University is a pivotal moment for the healthcare industry. The system's capabilities in studying the structure and dynamics of biological molecules are crucial for advancing our understanding of complex diseases, potentially leading to novel therapeutic approaches.

Enhanced NMR systems contribute to the precision medicine trend, where treatments can be tailored to individual molecular profiles. For companies in the healthcare sector, this can mean a competitive edge in developing targeted therapies. Although the direct financial impact may not be immediate, the strategic positioning of such technologies could attract partnerships, funding and talent, thereby indirectly influencing market performance and investor interest.

Investors should monitor how the adoption of such technologies by research institutions might translate into commercial applications. The potential for patentable discoveries and the development of new drugs or diagnostics could have significant long-term financial implications.

Financial Analyst

The financial implications of Bruker Corporation's latest NMR system installation are multifaceted. In the short term, the investment in cutting-edge research infrastructure like this can enhance the company's reputation and market position. Long-term benefits may include the expansion of its customer base within academic and research institutions, potentially increasing revenue streams from equipment sales, service contracts and software upgrades.

While the initial outlay for such technology is substantial, the potential return on investment hinges on the system's contribution to scientific breakthroughs and subsequent commercial applications. Investors should assess Bruker's financial health, R&D expenditure and the NMR system's market adoption rate to gauge the potential impact on the company's stock performance.

It is also crucial to consider the broader market dynamics, such as the pace of innovation in NMR technology and the competitive landscape, which could affect Bruker's ability to capitalize on its investment and maintain a technological lead.

Novel GHz-class NMR systems are enabling unprecedented life science and materials research in functional structural biology, drug discovery, metabolomics and cleantech research.

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bruker Corporation, the leading provider of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy solutions for life and materials research, today announced the successful installation of a 1.2 Gigahertz (GHz) NMR system at the National Gateway Ultrahigh Field NMR Center (https://gateway-nmr.osu.edu/) at The Ohio State University.

New 1.2 GHz AVANCE® NMR system at The Ohio State University (Photo: Business Wire)

Ultra-high field NMR is complementary to other structural biology technologies in that NMR can measure functional molecular dynamics and structural rearrangements for functional structural biology. Key areas of NMR applications include organic chemistry, macromolecular structure determination, drug-target binding, protein-protein or protein-RNA interactions – all at close to native conditions and in solution, or even in situ in cell membranes. NMR also has unique capabilities to elucidate ‘hidden’, short-lived protein transition states from healthy to disease biology, e.g., in active enzymes or in the onset of protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, many key proteins in cell biology, e.g., transcription factors, or proteins implicated in cancer, infectious disease or neurodegeneration are intrinsically disordered, or partially disordered, and GHz-class NMR enables pivotal research of functional molecular disorder in many areas of pathobiology.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has played a crucial role in funding the 1.2 GHz NMR instrument at The Ohio State University. Dr. Robert Fleischmann, who is the NSF program officer of the grant that funded the 1.2 GHz NMR instrument (NSF Award 1935913), considers this instrument an important advancement of the scientific infrastructure in the United States: "Supported by one of the first awards made by NSF’s Directorate for Biological Sciences as part of the agency’s Midscale Research Infrastructure program, the 1.2 GHz NMR will fulfill a national need and enable U.S. researchers to be competitive in a global research environment and advance the U.S. bioeconomy. It’s a prime example of the type of infrastructure the program was designed to support – the critical tools and technology that fall between major research instrumentation and large facilities.”

The 1.2 GHz AVANCE® NMR spectrometer is a state-of-the-art instrument that enables high-resolution liquid and solid-state NMR experiments. It will be used by researchers at Ohio State and across the U.S. to study advanced materials, e.g., for batteries, and the structure and dynamics of biological molecules, with the goal of advancing the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, viral infections, or Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Rafael Brüschweiler, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at The Ohio State University, and PI of the National Gateway Ultrahigh Field NMR Center, is a leading expert in NMR. His cross-disciplinary research has been instrumental in the development of new techniques to understand the role of protein dynamics and interactions, as well as to analyze complex biological mixtures in metabolomics.

Professor Brüschweiler stated: “The installation of the 1.2 GHz NMR instrument gives us the capability to explore the structure and dynamics of biological molecules at an unprecedented level of detail. This breakthrough will enable significant advances in our understanding of how these molecules function, ultimately leading to the development of new treatments for diseases. We are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and look forward to the discoveries that this new technology will facilitate."

Dr. Falko Busse, President of Bruker BioSpin, described the installation of the OSU 1.2 GHz NMR as a milestone: “We are honored to work with The Ohio State University to bring this groundbreaking technology to the United States. GHz-class NMR represents a leap forward in the ability to study the structure and function of biological molecules. We look forward to the scientific impact that GHz-class NMR will have on cutting-edge life science and materials research at OSU and in the US.”

The Ohio State University has the first 1.2 GHz NMR in the United States, a milestone in advancing US life science and materials research infrastructure, with leadership and funding by the National Science Foundation. In Europe, eight 1.2 GHz NMRs are installed, with four more on order, while in Asia-Pacific the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) has taken the lead with a 1.2 GHz on order, while Riken in Japan already has the first single-story 1.0 GHz NMR installed.

NSF has also funded two 1.1 GHz NMRs, with a solid-state research system recently installed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (www.wisc.edu), and a liquids research system on order for the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center (www.ccrc.uga.edu) at the University of Georgia. Together with the 1.1 GHz at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org), these ultra-high field instruments can enable significant advancements in US scientific research.

Finally, with high interest recently also in compact, single-story 4 Kelvin 1.0 GHz NMRs, there are now nine 1.0 GHz systems installed at customer sites, with six in Europe, and one 1.0 GHz system each in Israel, Canada and Japan (including earlier two-story 2 Kelvin magnets).

About Bruker Corporation (Nasdaq: BRKR)

Bruker is enabling scientists to make breakthrough discoveries and develop new applications that improve the quality of human life. Bruker’s high performance scientific instruments and high value analytical and diagnostic solutions enable scientists to explore life and materials at molecular, cellular and microscopic levels. In close cooperation with our customers, Bruker is enabling innovation, improved productivity and customer success in life science molecular and cell biology research, in applied and pharma applications, in microscopy and nanoanalysis, as well as in industrial applications. Bruker offers differentiated, high-value life science and diagnostics systems and solutions in preclinical imaging, clinical phenomics research, proteomics and multiomics, spatial and single-cell biology, functional structural and condensate biology, as well as in clinical microbiology and molecular diagnostics. For more information, please visit: www.bruker.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231219164773/en/

Investor:

Justin Ward

Sr. Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Development

Bruker Corporation

T: +1 (978) 313-5800

E: Investor.Relations@bruker.com

Media:

Markus Ziegler

Sr. Director and Head of Group Marketing

Bruker BioSpin

T: +49 172 3733531

E: pr@bruker.com

Source: Bruker Corporation

FAQ

What is the significance of Bruker Corporation's (BRKR) installation of a 1.2 Gigahertz (GHz) NMR system at The Ohio State University?

The installation of the 1.2 GHz NMR system will enable advanced life science and materials research, allowing for high-resolution liquid and solid-state NMR experiments to study advanced materials and biological molecules, with the goal of advancing the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, viral infections, or Alzheimer’s disease.

What are the key areas of NMR applications mentioned in the press release?

The key areas of NMR applications include organic chemistry, macromolecular structure determination, drug-target binding, protein-protein or protein-RNA interactions, and the study of functional molecular disorder in many areas of pathobiology.

Who is the leading expert in NMR mentioned in the press release?

Dr. Rafael Brüschweiler, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at The Ohio State University, and PI of the National Gateway Ultrahigh Field NMR Center, is a leading expert in NMR.

What role has the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) played in funding the 1.2 Gigahertz (GHz) NMR instrument at The Ohio State University?

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has played a crucial role in funding the 1.2 GHz NMR instrument at The Ohio State University, supporting one of the first awards made by NSF’s Directorate for Biological Sciences as part of the agency’s Midscale Research Infrastructure program.