Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) allows scientists to view biological molecules at a level of detail that was once unimaginable by sending electrons through samples frozen in ice. By flash-freezing samples at -290 degrees Fahrenheit, scientists can lock the normally dynamic specimens into place, while also protecting the sample from the damage of the bombarding electrons. This technique allows them to visualize proteins, cells and polymers at atomic resolution, in what has been called the “resolution revolution.” The technology played a key role in creating the first mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and continues to contribute to countless other medical advancements.
UMass Amherst’s Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS) Core Facilities now boast a 100-kilovolt Tundra cryo-electron microscope and expert support, unlocking access to these enhanced imaging capabilities for researchers across campus from a broad range of disciplines. It’s the culmination of three years of work, made possible by a $1,655,774 grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.
“This microscope is designed to be user-friendly, but still requires specialized training,” explains Emily Agnello, who joined UMass Amherst as assistant director of cryo-EM at IALS in March. “That’s where our team comes in. We’re here to provide the necessary one-on-one training and support for everything from sample preparation to data processing.”
Agnello will also provide the full-time support required to maintain the infrastructure of the room-sized microscope and the terabytes of data it produces every day.
One bottleneck to collecting high-quality data is screening dozens of samples to find the most optimal conditions. Researchers previously had to travel to UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester to screen samples. Now, freezing samples and screening them can be done on-site with expert input. The medical school will still assist with high-end data collection with its 200- and 300-kV microscopes.
The new microscope has the power to reveal how proteins move by generating a series of still images and stringing them together using high-end computer graphics cards to visualize motion. However, facility Director Alexander Ribbe notes that cryo-EM has applications beyond structural biology to include other soft materials such as polymers.
“The interest in cryo-EM on campus is definitely there,” says Agnello, who has been working with cryo-EM for six years. “I think what gives people pause is that it’s a new technique that requires a lot of technical training. I’m here to help lower that barrier. Cryo-EM is here to stay at UMass Amherst, and the community is just getting started.”
UMass researchers who are interested in running samples on the new microscope can begin the process in CORUM.
Read Original Story at UMass News
Learn more about working with EM