OpenLabs
The IUCr-UNESCO OpenLab is a network of operational crystallography laboratories based in different countries worldwide, many in less endowed regions of Africa, South and Central America and South Asia. They are aimed at allowing access to crystallographic knowledge and technology in all parts of the world, key for the fruitful development of science, and to open possibilities for conducting high-level research. In the period 2014-2024, the IUCr and UNESCO have partnered with several major crystallography equipment companies to organize approximately 30 OpenLabs in over 20 different countries.
The OpenLab concept was launched by the IUCr and UNESCO as one of the major activities for the UN International Year of Crystallography 2014. Co-founders of the initiative were Gautam Desiraju, Claude Lecomte and Michele Zema from the IUCr and Maciej Nałęcz and J. Jean-Paul Ngome Abiaga from UNESCO-IBSP (International Basic Science Programme). The initiative was coordinated by Michele Zema from 2014 to 2024 in his capacity as IYCr2014 Project Manager and eventually as IUCr Executive Outreach Officer. Since 2024, the initiative has been coordinated by the IUCr Outreach Committee.
Read more about OpenLabs at https://www.iucr.org/outreach/openlabs and in the following articles:
- M. Zema, G. R. Desiraju, C. Lecomte, M. Nałęcz and J. J.-P. Ngome Abiaga, IUCr–UNESCO OpenLab: 25 editions in 22 countries and counting, Acta Cryst. (2017). A73, C363.
- M. Zema and C. Lecomte, The IUCr-UNESCO OpenLab project, Acta Cryst (2015). A71, s177.
In the period 2017 to 2019, the OpenLab initiative was chosen as one of the LAAAMP actions aimed at training researchers in crystallography and synchrotron instrumentation sciences. There is a need to improve the scientific background in such disciplines in order to build the next generation of Advanced Light Sources facilities in the Emerging Countries, and this is the role that the OpenLab initiative has played within this context. Since 2020, LAAAMP has been involved in the organisation of crystallography and synchrotron schools through other frameworks.
LAAAMP Director of Crystallography Training: Michele Zema