Why cryo-EM?
Cryo-EM has become the method of choice to visualise molecular details in various fields and industries.
Thanks to rapid technological advances in electron microscopy and detection hardware, automation, and computational analysis, electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) has quickly become an indispensable tool for the study of organic and biological material. Its many strengths make it the application of choice for various fields of research and industries, such as life sciences and pharmacology.
How you can benefit from cryo-EM
- See molecular features of biological or soft-matter nanomaterial sample at near-atomic resolution
- Solve 3D structure of biological macromolecular particles, which allows deep analysis of features and properties necessary for structure based design of ligands and therapeutics
- Visualise binding of ligands and therapeutics to targets of interest to fully understand their mode of action
- Solve the 3D structure of unique biological structures, such as viruses, liposomes, bacteria, subcellular structure
Strengths of cryo-EM
- Highest resolution of any imaging technique for biological samples
- Imaging of native state without imaging artefacts
- Low amounts of sample needed
- Provides insights into particle dynamics
Case studies
- Free fatty acid binding pocket in the locked structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
- Synthetic self-assembling ADDomer platform for highly efficient vaccination by genetically encoded multiepitope display
- Cryo-electron microscopy reveals two distinct type IV pili assembled by the same bacterium
- In situ cryo-electron tomography reveals filamentous actin within the microtubule lumen
- CryoEM structure of the outer membrane secretin channel pIV from the f1 filamentous bacteriophage
Access the facility
Ask us how we can assist you with your next research project.
Get started in cryo-EM with free sessions
Apply through the LUCID scheme, a program that awards free cryo-EM sessions to GW4 academic leaders, to jumpstart your cryo-EM research.