Cryo EM
In cryo-electron microscopy, specimens are rapidly frozen and maintained at liquid nitrogen temperatures. By avoiding the chemical fixation, dehydration and staining required for standard EM protocols, cryo-EM aims to preserve structures close to their native, hydrated state.
The Wolfson Bioimaging Facility provides cryo-SEM and cryo-TEM techniques that have been successfully applied to image chemical and biological material such as liposomes, viruses, and larger proteins.
In recent years, cryo-TEM image acquisition and single particle analysis have advanced rapidly to reveal protein structures at a resolution that was previously only achievable by X-ray crystallography. The GW4 Cryo-EM facility enables such applications with its FEI Talos Artica TEM and also supports advanced electron tomography of cell ultrastructure.
The cryo-TEM (Tecnai 20) within the Wolfson Bioimaging Facility enables users to screen samples and obtain preliminary data prior to more detailed analysis on the higher specification Talos Artica cryo-TEM.
GW4 Cryo-EM facility
The Wolfson Bioimaging Facility works in partnership with the GW4 Cryo-EM Facility, both located at the University of Bristol.