The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) nearly $20 million to build a new precision X-ray beamline for research on biological and environmental systems.
The X-rays for Life, Environmental, Agriculture and Plant sciences (XLEAP) beamline will be an important resource for the U.S. scientific community, filling a need for X-ray fluorescence-based technology supporting biological and biogeochemical research.
“We are thrilled to receive this funding from the NSF for the XLEAP beamline,” said Joel Brock, CHESS director. “This investment is not only a significant step forward for CHESS but also highlights the importance of advancing precision X-ray studies in the realm of agriculture, biology, and environmental sciences.
“XLEAP will be a game-changer, allowing researchers to explore live soil and plant systems under controlled growth conditions, paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries.”
Scientists at CHESS hope to develop a better understanding of the carbon cycle, which could lead to the development of safer and more nutritious crops.
“This $20 million federal investment will supercharge Cornell’s cutting-edge CHESS Lab and bring us to the next frontier of understanding the elemental and microscopic details of organisms.” said Senator Schumer. “When CHESS faced major cuts in federal support 10 years ago, I fought tooth and nail to ensure its pioneering research and hundreds of good-paying jobs would remain here in Upstate New York, and now this latest boost in federal investment shows that CHESS is top of its class not just in America, but the world.
“The addition of the new XLEAP beamline could not be in better hands at CHESS,” Schumer said, “and is just the latest in showing how Ithaca is leading the way in making Upstate NY a global leader in research and technology.”
“XLEAP is a perfect example of enabling technology that allows for fundamental research that creates knowledge that can be put to use addressing societal challenges,” said Susan Marqusee, NSF assistant director for biological sciences. “NSF is proud to support this key infrastructure that holds the potential to help advance the bioeconomy, build a resilient planet, and more.”
“X-rays are a really powerful tool for visualizing the chemical composition of complex structures like soils and plants,” said Louisa Smieska, XLEAP beamline scientist. “XLEAP is special because it will allow researchers to study live soil and plant systems in controlled growth conditions, not only in a steady state, but when we expose those systems to changes, such as the nutrients available, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, or adding nanoparticles, fungi, bacteria, or microplastics.”
By combining state-of-the-art technology and expertise at CHESS with other world-class research facilities at Cornell, XLEAP will aid in the development of tools suited to answer questions of fundamental biology, biomedical sciences, geology, environmental science, materials science, and cultural heritage.
Read more on the CHESS website
Image: School of Integrate Plant Science (SIPS) research associate Ju-Chen Chia and XLEAP Beamline Scientist Louisa Smieska examine plants in the SIPS growth chambers