New electron microscopes; project consultation and training available
On July 1, OHSU received three state-of-the-art electron microscopes as part of the Living Laboratory collaboration between the Oregon Center for Spatial Systems Biology (OCSSB) and the world leader in electron microscopy systems, FEI.
As an incentive to involve as many researchers on campus and in Portland with these resources, the Electron Microscopy Core is planning to provide pilot project consultation and assistance without charge for any investigator with an idea for using electron microscope approaches to foster their research. They also will provide training on the instruments for individuals who anticipate having long term electron microscope projects.
Old and new capabilities of the Electron Microscopy Core include:
- Titan Krios Cryo-Transmission Electron Microscope: This is one of less than fifty high-resolution cryo-electron microscopes of its kind in the world. It has the capability of achieving atomic resolution data, and is ideal for protein and macromolecular complex structural studies, and 3D tomographic reconstructions.
- Helios Dual Beam Scanning Electron Microscope: This is ideal for the analysis of surface proteins and topographies. The dual beam approach also allows novel 3D volume reconstructions of bacteria, sub-cellular organelles, and cells.
- Integrated Light Electron Microscopy (iLEM): This the first such instrument to be commercially available, and allows for correlative light and electron microscopy. It is ideal for identifying rare cells/events by fluorescence microscopy, and subsequent ultrastuctural analysis by EM.
- CM120/Biotwin: This transmission electron microscope is our standard for ultrastructural and immunogold analysis of cells and viruses.
If you have any questions about projects, training, or instrument capabilities, please contact Eric Barklis, Ph.D., director of the OHSU Electron Microscopy Core Facility.