Cryo Electron Microscopy

The cryo EM facility specializes in visualizing biological complexes such as viruses, small organelles, and macromolecular biological complexes of 200 kDa or larger preserved in non-crystaline ice. The near native imaging conditions allows three dimensional reconstruction of the cellular machinary. Using state of the art computer controlled, automated microscopes, image reconstruction software, and visualization tools, sub-nanometer resolution structures of large biological complexes can be achieved.

FEI Tecnai T12 cryo-transmission electron microscope
  • 120keV lanthanum hexaboride electron source
  • 2048 x 2048 pixel CCD camera
  • Side-entry Gatan 626 cryo-holders

FEI Tecnai TF30 Polara cryo-transmission electron microscope
  • 300keV Field Emission Gun (FEG) electron source
  • 4096 x 4096 pixel CCD camera
  • Ultra-stable Polara liquid nitrogen or helium stage

FEI Vitrobot: Climate-controlled robotic grid preparation

Two carbon evaporators and glow discharge units

Automated microscopy software packages for both single particle and tilt series (tomographic) data acquisition