The cryoEM facility provides access to state-of-the art cryo-EM instruments for University of Münster researchers as well as for external users
The facility comprises lab space and a sample preparation area as well as the following electron microscopes:
-Talos L120C transmission electron microscope (TEM).
-Titan Krios G4 300kV TEM
-Aquilos 2+ FIB-SEM
Further information about the instrument can be found in the instruments section.
All University Münster groups as well as external users are welcome to use the cryoEM platform.
Please contact us for further information.
A state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscope (Cryo-EM) was officially inaugurated at the Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN) of the University of Münster on April 19. The instrument is one of the most powerful of its kind worldwide and will be used by around 20 research groups from the fields of medicine, biology, and chemistry under the leadership of Christos Gatsogiannis.
The Cryo-EM can visualize extremely small cellular structures, even down to individual atoms. This enables researchers to study the structure and function of proteins and gain a better understanding of how diseases develop within living cells.
The equipment was funded with €7.5 million by the German Research Foundation and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. In addition to the Cryo-EM, the facility includes a screening electron microscope and a specialized microscope for sample preparation.
The laboratory at SoN provides ideal conditions for operating such a sensitive instrument. It is specially designed to minimize vibrations and shield the microscope from magnetic interference.
Background: Cryo-electron microscopy is a technique that images biological samples at extremely low temperatures (around −196°C). Rapid freezing preserves the samples in a nearly natural state. The method was recognized with the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, awarded to Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson.
In short: The new Cryo-EM strengthens the University of Münster’s position as a leading international center for imaging research and enables groundbreaking studies of cellular structures and proteins.
