Instruct-ULTRA Project Completed: Enhanced Services, Communication and Outreach

The Instruct-ULTRA project ran from January 2017 until December 2020, and has been instrumental in advancing Instruct-ERIC, as the leading provider of integrated structural biology in Europe.

Developing new technology, enhancing communication and increasing outreach were key objectives of the ULTRA project, and achievements include: 

• Establishing the Instruct Best Practice workshop for cryoEM, now in its fifth year
• Introducing new services to the Instruct catalogue including megabody technology and in-cell NMR
• Developing the Instruct communication strategy and toolkit for outreach and dissemination
• Raising the profile of Instruct by organising promotional events including a scientific session at the European Biophysical Society Association Congress in 2019 and a virtual meeting of Instruct stakeholders in 2020

Made up of eight Work Packages, Instruct ULTRA set out plans for growth, sustainability and quality of service and supported research and development activity that has led to a number of scientific publications.  Pathways for new membership and international engagement were developed and during the operation of the ULTRA project five new members joined Instruct-ERIC Spain, Latvia, Finland, EMBL and Lithuania.

In addition to its success in enhancing the work of Instruct-ERIC, the ULTRA project has accomplished significant advances in boosting the visibility of research infrastructures beyond Europe. This has been achieved in collaboration with the RI-VIS project, which is tasked with raising the international profile of research infrastructures in the wider research community. For more information on the RI-VIS project, visit the website.