Instruct-ERIC is pleased to announce that it has established strong connection with the SBGrid Consortium, part of Harvard University, USA.
SBGrid is a consortium of more than 500 laboratories in more than 180 institutions worldwide, accessing a collection of structural biology applications and software packages, ranging from data analysis to bioinformatics platforms.
It operates out of Harvard University in Boston, USA, but through Instruct-ERIC, now has foundation in Europe.
Estrella Fernandez-Gimenez officially began their contract with SBGrid in March 2025. In collaboration with Instruct, Estrella combines their role of curating SBGrid's software collections with expanding the consortium in Europe, working through both Harvard University and CNB-CSIC in Madrid, Spain.
Estrella has previously completed their PhD at CNB-CSIC, part of Instruct-ES, which put them in the ideal position to understand the power of software applications for structural biology research.
Estrella commented, “Working with Jose Maria Carazo and Carlos Oscar Sanchez Sorzano at CNB-CSIC really demonstrated the combined importance of both data collection and effective data analysis in structural biology. By joining both worlds through SBGrid and Instruct-ERIC, there is a clear process that researchers can use to get the best possible data. The expertise at Instruct and the software of SBGrid is a great combination.”
Harald Schwalbe, Director of Instruct-ERIC, emphasises: “I am happy that the project, started from our Instruct centre in Spain, now connects with the larger structural biology community in Instruct. The interaction between Harvard in Massachusetts and Instruct is vital to enrich and strengthen our international high-level cooperation.”
CNB-CSIC provides their own structural biology framework, SCIPION, recently included into the SBGrid catalogue of software. SCIPION is developed as a tool for analysing cryo-EM data, a key function of the Instruct Image Processing Centre (I2PC) at CNB-CSIC.
The aim for Estrella and SBGrid is to incorporate more members and more software platforms from Europe, widening the diversity of applications available for users.
Through Instruct, researchers can access advanced technologies for structural biology projects. The collected data can then be analysed through SBGrid platforms – the collaboration between both consortia will provide an effective workflow for structural biologists.
Find out more about the continued collaboration between SBGrid and Instruct here.