diff --git a/projects/interactions/private/pybindings/DarkNewsCrossSection.h b/projects/interactions/private/pybindings/DarkNewsCrossSection.h
index eb87072d..f25c987b 100644
--- a/projects/interactions/private/pybindings/DarkNewsCrossSection.h
+++ b/projects/interactions/private/pybindings/DarkNewsCrossSection.h
@@ -498,20 +498,8 @@ void register_DarkNewsCrossSection(pybind11::module_ & m) {
         .def("SampleFinalState",&DarkNewsCrossSection::SampleFinalState)
         .def("get_representation", &DarkNewsCrossSection::get_representation)
         .def(pybind11::pickle(
-            [](const LI::interactions::DarkNewsCrossSection & cpp_obj) {
-                pybind11::object self;
-                if(dynamic_cast<LI::interactions::pyDarkNewsCrossSection const *>(&cpp_obj) != nullptr and dynamic_cast<LI::interactions::pyDarkNewsCrossSection const *>(&cpp_obj)->self) {
-                    self = pybind11::reinterpret_borrow<pybind11::object>(dynamic_cast<LI::interactions::pyDarkNewsCrossSection const *>(&cpp_obj)->self);
-                } else {
-                    auto *tinfo = pybind11::detail::get_type_info(typeid(LI::interactions::DarkNewsCrossSection));
-                    pybind11::handle self_handle = get_object_handle(static_cast<const LI::interactions::DarkNewsCrossSection *>(&cpp_obj), tinfo);
-                    self = pybind11::reinterpret_borrow<pybind11::object>(self_handle);
-                }
-                pybind11::dict d;
-                if (pybind11::hasattr(self, "__dict__")) {
-                    d = self.attr("__dict__");
-                }
-                return pybind11::make_tuple(d);
+            [](LI::interactions::DarkNewsCrossSection & cpp_obj) {
+                return pybind11::make_tuple(cpp_obj.get_representation());
             },
             [](const pybind11::tuple &t) {
                 if (t.size() != 1) {
diff --git a/python/LIDarkNews.py b/python/LIDarkNews.py
index 96f66a6a..18d98f6f 100644
--- a/python/LIDarkNews.py
+++ b/python/LIDarkNews.py
@@ -147,18 +147,10 @@ def __init__(
         self.table_dir = table_dir
         self.interpolate_differential = interpolate_differential
 
-        # Define the target particle
-        # make sure protons are stored as H nuclei
-        self.target_type = Particle.ParticleType(self.ups_case.nuclear_target.pdgid)
-        if self.target_type==Particle.ParticleType.PPlus:
-            self.target_type = Particle.ParticleType.HNucleus
-
         # 2D table in E, sigma
         self.total_cross_section_table = np.empty((0, 2), dtype=float)
-        self.total_cross_section_interpolator = None
         # 3D table in E, z, dsigma/dQ2 where z = (Q2 - Q2min) / (Q2max - Q2min)
         self.differential_cross_section_table = np.empty((0, 3), dtype=float)
-        self.differential_cross_section_interpolator = None
 
         if table_dir is None:
             print(
@@ -166,7 +158,7 @@ def __init__(
             )
             return
 
-        # Make the table directory where will we store cross section integrators
+        # Make the table directory where will we store cross section tables
         table_dir_exists = False
         if os.path.exists(self.table_dir):
             # print("Directory '%s' already exists"%self.table_dir)
@@ -190,7 +182,35 @@ def __init__(
             if os.path.exists(diff_xsec_file):
                 self.differential_cross_section_table = np.load(diff_xsec_file)
 
-            self._redefine_interpolation_objects(total=True, diff=True)
+        self.configure()
+    
+    # serialization method
+    def get_representation(self):
+        return {"total_cross_section_table":self.total_cross_section_table,
+                "differential_cross_section_table":self.differential_cross_section_table,
+                "ups_case":self.ups_case,
+                "tolerance":self.tolerance,
+                "interp_tolerance":self.interp_tolerance,
+                "table_dir":self.table_dir,
+                "interpolate_differential":self.interpolate_differential
+               }
+    
+    # Configure function to set up member variables
+    # assumes we have defined the following:
+    #   ups_case, total_cross_section_table, differential_cross_section_table,
+    #   tolerance, interp_tolerance, table_dir, interpolate_differential
+    def configure(self):
+
+        # Define the target particle
+        # make sure protons are stored as H nuclei
+        self.target_type = Particle.ParticleType(self.ups_case.nuclear_target.pdgid)
+        if self.target_type==Particle.ParticleType.PPlus:
+            self.target_type = Particle.ParticleType.HNucleus
+        
+        # Initialize interpolation objects
+        self.total_cross_section_interpolator = None
+        self.differential_cross_section_interpolator = None
+        self._redefine_interpolation_objects(total=True, diff=True)
 
     # Sorts and redefines scipy interpolation objects
     def _redefine_interpolation_objects(self, total=False, diff=False):
@@ -380,18 +400,6 @@ def SaveInterpolationTables(self, total=True, diff=True):
             ) as f:
                 np.save(f, self.differential_cross_section_table)
 
-    ##### START METHODS FOR SERIALIZATION #########
-    # def get_initialized_dict(config):
-    #     # do the intitialization step
-    #     pddn = PyDerivedDarkNews(config)
-    #     return pddn.__dict__
-    #     # return the conent of __dict__ for PyDerivedDarkNews
-
-    # @staticmethod
-    # def get_config(self):
-    #     return self.config
-    ##### END METHODS FOR SERIALIZATION #########
-
     def GetPossiblePrimaries(self):
         return [Particle.ParticleType(self.ups_case.nu_projectile.pdgid)]
 
diff --git a/resources/Examples/Example1/DIS_ATLAS.py b/resources/Examples/Example1/DIS_ATLAS.py
index 6d92731b..92c72654 100644
--- a/resources/Examples/Example1/DIS_ATLAS.py
+++ b/resources/Examples/Example1/DIS_ATLAS.py
@@ -46,10 +46,6 @@
 primary_injection_distributions["energy"] = edist
 primary_physical_distributions["energy"] = edist
 
-# we need this conversion to make sure the flux is in units of 1/m2
-flux_unit_conv = LI.distributions.NormalizationConstant((100 / 1)**2)
-primary_physical_distributions["flux_norm"] = flux_unit_conv
-
 # direction distribution
 # let's just inject upwards
 injection_dir = LI.math.Vector3D(0, 0, 1)