Thayumanasamy Somasundaram

Welcome! I am a Distinguished University Scholar, Faculty Senator, Senior Research Associate, and
the Director of the IMB X-Ray Facility [RRID:SCR_017922] specializing in macromolecular single crystal X-ray diffraction at Kasha Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. I train students how to collect and analyze macromolecular X-ray diffraction data using both home and synchrotron x-ray sources. I am a co-author on several peer-reviewed publications. During the Fall semester, I train the in-coming MOB graduate students on the practical aspects of macromolecular crystallization and x-ray diffraction data collection. The three-week training, XRF Protein Crystallization & X-Ray Diffraction Workshop [2022 Boot Camp | Syllabus | Schedule] is part of the Core Facilities Training Workshop.

I am an Executive Board member-elect of the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities and a member of ABRF Membership, and Meetings Committees and the past President of the Southeastern Association of Shared Resources. I have co-organized several SEASR meetings including the virtual meeting in 2021. In 2021, I received the Distinguished University Scholar Award, and was elected as a Faculty Senator, and was one of the IMB Director Election Committee members. I have organized PITTCON Conferee Networking Events (Funding for mid-size equipment and Core Facility Opportunities and Challenges). I am a member of the Editorial Board of Cell Press’s Star Protocol. Since 2012, I have been involved with the FSU Scientific Equipment Portal and our team won the 2017 Prudential (Davis) Productivity Award for the work. In 2019, I was part of FSU-ITS Voice of Community Video. Since 2020, I have been studying Arabic. In 2016, my colleague and I have designed and built a simple robotic imager and demonstrated it for 96-3 and 96 well plates (ver-1 and ver-2).

On Wed, Apr 27, 2022 Bhanu and I met the FSU President McCullough, First Lady Jai Vartikar during 2020-22 Faculty Award Celebration at the Dunlap Champions Club.

IMB XRF (see historic photos and data)  provides crystal screening service for proteins using ARI Crystal Gryphon robot, Formulatrix Rock Maker (s/w), Rock Imager 01, Formulator 16, and Rumed Incubator. XRF also facilitates X-ray data collection at synchrotron beam lines at the National Synchrotron Light Source-II. All services at XRF are provided for a fee. A purchase order and line number are required before services are rendered. Latest revised fees went into effect on Jul 01, 2019.

For the Sep 11, 2021 FSU football game with Jacksonville State, Bhanu and I were invited to the President’s Box at the Doak Campbell Stadium where we met with President Dr. Richard McCullough and First Lady Dr. Jai Vartikar.

Updated: Wednesday, Feb 22, 2023. | Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this site are strictly those of the site author and in no way represent those of Florida State University, the Board of Trustees, or the State of Florida.