X-probe · Project

Faster Protein Imaging Tools for Drug Discovery and Biotech R&D

healthPrototypeTRL 4Thin data (2/5)

Imagine trying to take a photo of something that moves incredibly fast — like a hummingbird's wings mid-flight. That's basically what scientists need to do with proteins inside your body: catch them in action to understand how they work and how drugs can target them. X-probe trained a new generation of researchers to use Europe's most powerful X-ray lasers to snap those "photos" of proteins before the X-rays destroy the sample. Along the way, they built new sample-handling tools and software to process thousands of X-ray images automatically.

By the numbers

consortium partners across Europe

countries represented (CH, DE, FR, IT, SE)

leading European X-ray facilities involved (ESRF, MAXIV, European XFEL, SwissFEL)

industrial partners in the consortium

total project deliverables

thousands

X-ray diffraction images processable by the software

The business problem

What needed solving

Studying protein structures — critical for drug discovery and biotech — requires extremely powerful X-ray sources and specialized tools that most companies cannot develop in-house. Existing sample preparation methods and data analysis software struggle to keep up with the capabilities of next-generation X-ray facilities like XFELs, creating a bottleneck between available infrastructure and usable results.

The solution

What was built

The project produced new nano-crystallography tools for sample handling and preparation at XFEL sources (with stated intent to market them), plus software packages for processing, merging, and scaling X-ray diffraction data from thousands of images. In total, 12 deliverables were produced across the consortium.

Audience

Who needs this

Pharmaceutical companies doing structure-based drug designContract research organizations offering crystallography servicesScientific instrument manufacturers for X-ray facilitiesComputational biology software companiesBeamline operators at synchrotron and XFEL facilities

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Pharmaceutical R&D

enterprise

Target: Drug discovery companies and contract research organizations

If you are a pharma company struggling with slow protein structure analysis during drug target validation — this project developed new nano-crystallography tools for sample handling and preparation, plus software that processes thousands of X-ray diffraction images. These tools can accelerate your structural biology pipeline by making next-generation X-ray facilities more accessible to your R&D team.

Biotech Instrumentation

mid-size

Target: Scientific instrument manufacturers and lab equipment suppliers

If you are a scientific instrument company looking to expand into the growing market for X-ray crystallography sample preparation — this project developed and aimed to market new tools for sample handling at X-ray free electron laser facilities. With 4 major European X-ray facilities involved as partners, these tools were designed for the real operational needs of cutting-edge research infrastructure.

Scientific Software

SME

Target: Computational biology and data analysis software companies

If you are a software company serving structural biology labs — this project built software packages for processing, merging, and scaling X-ray diffraction data from thousands of images. With 4 research facilities and 3 industrial partners validating the tools, there may be licensing or integration opportunities for your existing analysis platform.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access these tools or software?

The project data does not include pricing information. Since this was a Marie Curie training network, the tools and software were developed in an academic context. Licensing or commercialization terms would need to be discussed directly with the consortium partners who built them.

Can these tools work at industrial scale in a pharma lab?

The tools were designed for use at major X-ray facilities (ESRF, MAXIV, European XFEL, SwissFEL), not stand-alone lab equipment. The software for processing thousands of diffraction images does address scale, but deployment would be tied to access at these specific research infrastructures.

What is the IP and licensing situation?

Based on available project data, the consortium includes 3 industrial partners and 2 SMEs across 5 countries. IP ownership likely follows EU grant rules, with results belonging to the partner that generated them. Specific licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the tool or software developers in the consortium.

How mature are the sample-handling tools?

The deliverables explicitly mention developing and marketing new tools for nano-crystallography sample handling and preparation. This suggests the tools reached at least a working prototype stage with commercial intent, though the project's primary focus was researcher training.

Can the software integrate with existing crystallography pipelines?

The software packages were built to process, merge, and scale X-ray diffraction data from thousands of images — a standard step in structural biology workflows. Based on available project data, compatibility with existing pipelines would need to be verified with the software developers directly.

Is there ongoing support or development after the project ended?

The project closed in December 2018. Based on available project data, ongoing maintenance depends on whether individual partners continued development. The project website (x-probe.org) and consortium contacts would be the best source for current status.

Consortium

Who built it

The X-probe consortium brings together 11 partners across 5 European countries (Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden), with a balanced mix of 4 universities, 4 research organizations, and 3 industrial partners including 2 SMEs. The 27% industry ratio is notable for a training network and signals real interest from the private sector in these tools. The research partners include 4 of Europe's top X-ray facilities — ESRF, MAXIV Laboratory, European XFEL, and SwissFEL — meaning the tools were developed and tested where they will actually be used. For a business considering these technologies, the involvement of industrial partners and SMEs suggests practical, not just academic, development priorities. The consortium is coordinated by Sapienza University of Rome.

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZACoordinator · IT
LUNDS UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
EUROPEAN SYNCHROTRON RADIATION FACILITYparticipant · FR
ASTRAZENECA ABparticipant · SE
SAPIENZA INNOVAZIONE CONSORZIOpartner · IT
UNIVERSITY OF HAMBURGparticipant · DE
PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTpartner · CH
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR
GOETEBORGS UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
MOLIROM SRLparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

The coordinator is Sapienza University of Rome (Italy). SciTransfer can help identify the right contact person and facilitate an introduction.

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the nano-crystallography tools or diffraction software? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner — contact us for a tailored introduction.

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