INSTRUCT ACADEMIC SERVICES LIMITED

Their core work

Instruct operates as a pan-European research infrastructure for integrated structural biology, providing researchers with access to advanced techniques including NMR spectroscopy, electron microscopy (EM), and X-ray crystallography. Based in Oxford, they coordinate and streamline access to structural biology facilities across Europe, helping scientists determine the 3D structures of proteins and biological molecules. Their work directly supports translational research in drug discovery, vaccine development, and biotechnology by connecting researchers with the instrumentation and expertise they need.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015-2016), Instruct focused on providing direct access to core structural biology techniques — NMR, crystallography, drug discovery — and on foundational life-science data management and innovation infrastructure (iNEXT, CORBEL, West-Life). By 2017 onward, the emphasis shifted decisively toward expanding and consolidating their own infrastructure: growing membership, reaching new countries, broadening their user base, and adding training and outreach activities (INSTRUCT-ULTRA, OPEN SESAME). This evolution shows a maturing organization moving from "providing services" to "scaling the platform."

Instruct is actively internationalizing and broadening its user base, making them increasingly valuable as a gateway partner for any consortium needing structural biology capacity across Europe and beyond.

How they like to work

Instruct primarily operates as a participant (6 of 7 projects), joining large consortia — their 117 unique partners across 23 countries confirm this hub-like network position. They coordinated one project (INSTRUCT-ULTRA), which was specifically about expanding their own infrastructure, suggesting they lead when it concerns their core platform but otherwise contribute specialist infrastructure expertise to broader initiatives. Working with them means gaining access to a well-connected organization embedded in Europe's research infrastructure ecosystem.

With 117 unique consortium partners across 23 countries, Instruct is deeply embedded in the European research infrastructure landscape. Their network spans well beyond Western Europe, with the OPEN SESAME project demonstrating reach into the Middle East.

What sets them apart

Instruct occupies a rare niche as the dedicated European infrastructure organization for integrated structural biology — combining NMR, EM, and X-ray crystallography under one coordinating umbrella. Unlike individual university labs or national facilities, they function as a single access point to distributed instrumentation across the continent. For consortium builders, partnering with Instruct means instant credibility and practical access to structural biology capacity without negotiating with dozens of separate facilities.

Highlights from their portfolio

• INSTRUCT-ULTRA
  Their only coordinated project (EUR 419K), focused specifically on expanding Instruct's own infrastructure services — a clear strategic investment in scaling their platform.
• CORBEL
  Largest funding received (EUR 563K), a major cross-infrastructure initiative coordinating life-science research services across multiple European RIs.
• TRANSVAC2
  Longest-running project (2017-2023) connecting structural biology expertise to vaccine development — a bridge to health and pharmaceutical applications.