Henry Chapman

Henry Chapman serves as Professor of Physics at the University of Hamburg and leads the Coherent X-Ray Imaging division at the Center for Free Electron Laser Science (CFEL) within DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron). His research exploits X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) delivering billion-fold more intense pulses than synchrotrons to determine atomic structures of complex materials including macromolecules at room temperature.

His research interests focus on structural biology through advanced X-ray techniques, specializing in radiation damage mitigation via ultrafast pulses, 3D imaging algorithm development, and nanocrystallography. Chapman pioneered methods to "outrun" radiation damage using femtosecond X-ray pulses, enabling atomic-resolution imaging of protein nanocrystals. Current work spans quantum materials characterization, viral capsid analysis, and time-resolved enzymatic studies.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals dominant trends in:

• Development of multilayer Laue lenses for sub-10nm X-ray focusing
• Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) for structural virology
• Megahertz-rate imaging at European XFEL facilities
• Statistical approaches to protein dynamics and allostery
• Advanced sample delivery systems including polymeric-jet stabilization

Chapman's scientific recognition includes:

• Fellow of the Royal Society
• Fellow of the Optical Society of America
• Fellow of SPIE (International Society for Optical Engineering)

His group develops critical instrumentation like the CFEL TapeDrive sample delivery system and collaborates globally with structural biologists. Current projects emphasize dose-efficient imaging techniques, high-repetition-rate data acquisition at MHz frequencies, and computational methods for single-particle analysis. Chapman directs CFEL's Coherent Imaging Group while maintaining active leadership in DESY's structural biology initiatives.