Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
EMSL (pronounced em-zul), the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science User Facility located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington. The DOE Office of Biological and Environmental Research funds and oversees its research and operations.
Research
EMSL scientists and collaborators perform fundamental research that focuses on the biological, biogeochemical, and physical principles to predict processes occurring at the molecular and genomics-controlled smallest scales to the environmental Earth system changes at the largest scales.
EMSL uses six Integrated Research Platforms to uncover critical information for understanding and predicting the molecular functions of biological and ecosystem processes.
- Functional Omics integrates transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic analyses to uncover biological processes in plant, fungal, and microbial systems.
- Isotope and Chemical Analysis tracks the fate of isotopes and analyzes the chemistry of biological and environmental systems.
- Molecular Bioimaging provides images of the structure and location of proteins and other biomolecules at nanoscale spatial and temporal resolutions.
- Biogeochemical Transformation investigates how molecular interactions at the Earth’s land, water, and air interfaces transform and transport nutrients and contaminants within the environment.
- Cellular Dynamics uncovers the molecular signals within and between cells as they respond to their environment and other organisms.
- Molecular Plant Phenotyping probes the interaction between genes and the environment to understand, predict, and control plant traits.
Operations
EMSL is a user research facility whereby scientists, from around the world, can submit project proposals to access the laboratory’s experts and equipment at no cost. Proposals are screened through a competitive peer-review process to ensure the project is scientifically impactful and relevant to DOE's Office of Biological and Environmental Research mission.
Scientists whose proposals are accepted are referred to as “EMSL users.” Typical user research projects can last a few months to a few years. EMSL users do not have to stay on-site for the duration of their project and can visit the laboratory when needed. Much of the sample processing and analysis can be handled remotely.
EMSL's user community provides the laboratory’s management team with recommendations for scientific direction and efficient operations through an elected committee of representatives.
History
The beginnings (1986–1997)
The idea that would become EMSL began in 1985 with a National Academy of Sciences report titled Opportunities in Chemistry. The report identified scientific challenges relating to energy and the environment that required fundamental research to achieve a solution. In response, then director of PNNL, William R. Wiley, and lab senior managers proposed a center for molecular science that would bring together theoreticians with experience in computing, modeling of molecular processes, and researchers from the physical and life sciences. Their recommendations would become EMSL, a center with advanced instrumentation for the study of molecular-level chemistry.
Wiley envisioned a facility where the research was conducted in an integrated and collaborative manner. “Problems don’t come in small, unique, compartmentalized packages. We must recognize the interrelationships,” said Wiley.
Ohio-based Battelle Memorial Institute, which operates PNNL for DOE, approved $8.5 million in funding over four years to build the facility; develop research programs; and obtain the equipment, facilities, scientists, and staff to support these programs.
PNNL began construction of the facility in July 1994 and completed the laboratory in August 1997. EMSL opened October 1, 1997, for full operation as DOE's newest national scientific user facility.
The early years (1997–2001)
During its first five years, EMSL operations focused on building capabilities, recruiting scientific leadership, and attracting users. The scientific focus then expanded to include biology, particularly the study of naturally occurring microbes for environmental cleanup, alternative energy, and carbon dioxide reduction in the atmosphere – critical challenges important to DOE.
EMSL's early user program focused on single investigator studies – particularly those Wiley championed that crossed disciplinary boundaries – and quickly reached more than 1,000 users per year, representing every state and several foreign countries.
A maturing program (2001–2009)
During this period, EMSL focused on two grand challenges:
- a biogeochemistry question concerning the fundamental interaction between microbes and minerals, and
- a study addressing the structure and function of proteins in the cell membrane.
Work on these challenges led to new opportunities for the scientific community – with research campaigns designed to focus teams on a single challenge.
In January 2007, EMSL celebrated its first permanent expansion: a nearly 4,000-square-foot raised floor within its high-performance computing operations center for an 11.8-teraflop supercomputer named Chinook, which was then the fifth-fastest system in the world. In April 2008, EMSL dedicated a new office pod to distinguished user J. Mike White that houses nearly 100 staff and users. In early 2012, EMSL opened its Quiet Wing housing a suite of ultra- sensitive high-resolution microscopy and scanning instruments.
Building for the future (2009 to present)
In October 2010, EMSL’s premier computational chemistry software package, NWChem, went open source – allowing computer scientists worldwide to contribute to its future development and making it available to more researchers and students. The code has been cited over 3760 times (according to a Web of Science search in 2020) since 2010.
In June 2013, EMSL retired the Chinook supercomputer and welcomed Cascade, a 3.4-petaflops system.
EMSL celebrated its twentieth anniversary in August 2017, showcasing NWChem computational chemistry software, and advances in subsurface science and foundational biofuel production. Scientific leaders participated in the event, including internationally recognized scientists Thom Dunning, Steve Colson, and Jean Futrell.
Today EMSL focuses its scientific discovery research in Functional and Systems Biology and Environmental Transformations and Interactions, together with users from diverse scientific communities. This science is driving technology development and computational capabilities.
EMSL directors
- Thom Dunning — led construction activities, 1994–1997
- Teresa Fryberger — interim director, 1997–1998
- Jean Futrell — 1999–2002
- J.W. Rogers, Jr. — 2002–2004
- Allison Campbell — interim 2004–2005, 2005–2015
- Harvey Bolton — interim 2015–2016, interim 2017–2019
- Liyuan Liang — 2016–2017
- Douglas Mans — 2019–present
External links
- EMSL (Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory)
- EMSL user access
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
- Battelle
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- DOE Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
References