Structure determination by cryoEM at 100 keV

19 Aug 2024 (2:00 pm)

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19 Aug 2024 (2:30 pm)

Part of:

Inside the Researcher’s Mindset Congress (2024)

Venue:

Institute of Infectious Disease & Molecular Medicine

Speaker:

Dr Katerina Naydenova

Electron cryomicroscopy can, in principle, determine the structures of most biological molecules, but is currently limited by access, specimen preparation difficulties and cost. We present a purpose-built instrument operating at 100 keV (instead of the widely-used 300 keV instruments) – including advances in electron optics, detection and processing – that makes structure determination fast and simple at a fraction of current costs. We demonstrate the capabilities of this new microscope by determining the structures of eleven different biological specimens, using a fraction of the time and data normally required. Microscopes designed specifically for high efficiency, on-the-spot imaging of biological molecules will help drive the continuing exponential growth in the number of structures determined by cryoEM.