The 'Instruct' network joins so far fifteen of Europe's leading structural biology research institutes with the aim to provide access to some of the most advanced technology in the world to academic and commercial scientists across Europe.

The European Commission has presented a new structural biology research infrastructure, the Instruct network, with support from a 4.5 million grant under the 'Research Infrastructures' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The main aim of this new network is sharing knowledge and technologies in biomedical science. In addition, to the 15 main partner institutions based in Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, there are also additional national centres affiliated to the Instruct network in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden.

Thanks to this new network, researchers will have access to the most advanced technology in the world with regard to the biomedical science. Opening up access to the technology will give researchers a real boost and will be reflected in the quality of their eventual research outcomes. Examples of such technology are sample preparation for cryo-electron tomography using ion beam milling at the Max Planck Institute Martinsried in Germany, and the automated system for mammalian expression housed at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

So far, the Instruct network has an online community of over 500 scientists from 25 countries, and each user can adapt their profile depending on their different interests and priorities. There is a single user-friendly application process for accessing all available technology at all Instruct partner centres. In addition to share technology and knowledge, through the website at the researchers disposal, they can access to useful resources like the calendar of events, job adverts and information about funding.