NYU Langone’s Cryo–Electron Microscopy Laboratory has two cryo–electron microscopes operated by our expert staff. We also have plunge freezing and cleaning systems. Additional electron microscopes suitable for negative stain or tissue sections are available in the Microscopy Laboratory.

If you need assistance operating an instrument, our technicians offer training and project consultation.

Before you reserve time on one of our instruments, you are welcome to email William Rice, PhD, director, at William.Rice@NYULangone.org, Bing Wang, PhD, senior scientist, at Bing.Wang@NYULangone.org, or Huihui Kuang, senior scientist at Huihui.Kuang@NYULangone.org to discuss how we can best assist you.

Thermo Scientific Titan/Krios G3i

• 300-kV XFEG electron source
• Gatan K3 direct detection camera behind Gatan Bioquantum imaging filter
• 3 condenser lens system for parallel illumination at varying beam sizes
• 12-sample autoloader
• Volta phase plate available
• Falcon 3EC direct electron detector
• Ceta detector

Data Collection Software

• Leginon 3.7 for single particle collection
• SerialEM 4 for tomography collection
• Thermo Scientific EPU
• Thermo Scientific tomography

Validation

• Several publications at close to 2 Å resolution
• Mouse apoferritin at 1.44 Å resolution
• Hemoglobin (64 kDa) at 2.5 Å resolution

Thermo Scientific Talos Arctica

• 200-kV XFEG electron source
• Gatan K3 direct detection camera
• 2 condenser lens system
• 12-sample autoloader
• Ceta detector
• Volta phase plate available

Data Collection Software

• Leginon 3.7 for single particle collection and MicroED
• SerialEM 4 for tomography

Validation

• Many publications at sub 3Å resolution
• Apoferritin at 2.0 Å resolution
• Beta galactosidase at 2.2 Å resolution

Thermo Scientific Vitrobot Mark IV

• Plunge freezing of samples
• Two-sided blotting

Leica EM GP

• Plunge freezing of samples
• One-sided blotting

SPT Labtech Chameleon

• Fully automated, robotic plunge freezing of samples
• Typical spot to plunge times: 100 ms – 500 ms
• Results uploaded to web page for later viewing/documentation
• Uses self-wicking activated grids – no blotting
• Minimum volume recommended: 8 µl total
• Uses ~100 nl per grid total
• Settings available on Krios to light up the stripe for easy visualization

Gatan SOLARUS Advanced Plasma Cleaning System

• Plasma cleaning of specimen supports
• Gases available: Ar, O₂

PELCO easiGlow Glow Discharge Cleaning System

• Glow discharge of specimen supports
• Room air used

SafeMatic Evaporator

• Gold sputter coating available for home-made gold grids
  • Standard Au thickness 35 nm; can make thinner
  • Training available upon request
  • Use Solarus afterwards with Ar/O₂ to remove carbon to have a pure metal foil
• Carbon coating available to prepare thin players of carbon
  • Can make 2 nm carbon to float onto grids or add to thin carbon layers for strengthening

Leginon Software

• Automated holefinder, with ice-thickness prediction, ensures that only the areas within the desired ice-thickness range are collected (green rectangles in above figure)
• “Smart Leginon” allows for fully automated, unattended screening of multiple grids
• All sessions are assisted and we encourage you to learn how run independently.
• Tilted data collection is available on either microscope. Let us know in advance since it requires more time during the day to set up.