Robert P. Apkarian Integrated Electron Microscopy Core
Emory University
Contact: Ricardo Guerrero-Ferreira, Core Director
Phone: 404-727-1539
IEMC Instrumentation - Cherry L. Emerson Site
Microscopy Equipment
JEOL JEM-2200FS, 200 kV TEM
- Two direct electron detectors (Direct Electron DE-20 and Gatan K2) for high resolution imaging.
- In-column energy filter (Omega filter) for high-resolution cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) of thick samples.
- Capable of Microcrystal Electron Diffraction (Micro-ED) data acquisition.
- Images can be acquired with improved contrast using Zernike or hole-free (Volta-style) phase plates.
- Minimum Dose System (MDS) allows for imaging of beam-sensitive samples.
- SerialEM software is available for semi-automated data acquisition.
- Two Gatan 914 cryo holders allow tilt series acquisition and imaging of cryo-TEM specimens, and micro-ED data collection.
JEOL JEM-1400, 120 kV TEM
- The JEOL JEM-1400 120 kV LaB6TEM is equipped with a Gatan, 2k x 2k, CCD camera.
- Two Gatan 626 cryo holders are available for acquisition of cryo-TEM data.
- Capable of several modes of TEM, including tomography of sectioned materials, tomography of thin cryo samples, cryo-TEM image acquisition, room temperature TEM, and electron diffraction experiments.
- Serial EM is available for semi-automated data acquisition, allowing testing of cryo-TEM grids. A Minimum Dose System (MDS) function allows for imaging of beam-sensitive samples.
Hitachi HT-7700, 120 kV TEM
- The Hitachi HT7700 TEM has a Tungsten filament, and it is used for imaging biological and materials samples.
- Equipped with an AMT CCD camera, this instrument is capable of tilt imaging with a motorized goniometer which allows +/- 70° sample tilting.
JEOL JSM-IT700HR, SEM
- The JEOL JSM-IT700HR is an analytical, high-resolution, field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) capable of imaging under high and low vacuum conditions. It is used for imaging biological samples and materials.
- It is equipped with both a secondary electron detector, a high-sensitivity, multi-segment, solid-state backscattered electron detector, and a specialized low-vacuum secondary electron detector for uncoated, hydrated samples.
- This instrument features a large analytical chamber and a fully embedded JEOL JED-2300 energy-dispersive micro-analysis system (EDS) with a silicon drift detector (SDD), allowing simultaneous elemental analysis.
Leica DM6 FS cryo-CLEM, fluorescence microscope
- The Leica Cryo-CLEM system for Correlated Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM) is a cryo fluorescence microscope which allows the observation of frozen-hydrated samples from viruses to cells on cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) grids.
- Data acquisition on this instrument permits mapping of cryo-EM grids and transferring of coordinates to a transmission electron microscope for further, high-resolution, data collection with an automated system such as Serial EM.
ThermoFisher Helios 5 Hydra CX Plasma FIB-SEM
- The Hydra Bio Plasma Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscope with a Delmic METEOR integrated Fluorescent Light Microscope (iFLM) for Correlated Light and Electron Microscopy.
- This instrument is capable of volume-EM of cryo and room temperature samples including resin embedded tissues or cell cultures.
- Coupled with the iFLM system, included software allows for the automated generation of lamella on regions of interest for downstream, high-resolution structural characterization by TEM imaging or electron tomography.
Sample Preparation and Ancillary Equipment
ThermoFisher Vitrobot Mark IV
- For plunge freezing aqueous solutions, cell suspensions, and on-grid grown cells.
- Vitrification can be done in liquid ethane, liquid propane, or an ethane/propane mix to prepare samples for cryo-TEM or cryo-ET data acquisition.
BAL-TEC HPM 010 High Pressure Freezing machine
- This high-pressure freezing machine is used to prepare frozen specimens, including thick samples, suspensions, and monolayer cell cultures, without the need of cryoprotectants.
- By measuring temperature and pressure in real time, this machine freezes samples with liquid nitrogen under high pressure to avoid the buildup of ice crystals.
- High pressure frozen samples can be used for downstream electron microscopy applications or further processed by freeze substitution.
Leica EM AFS2 Freeze Substitution Apparatus
- For freeze substitution and progressive lowering of temperature (PLT) techniques.
- This instrument creates the appropriate environment for low temperature embedding and polymerization of resins.
- The system is supported by a Leica EM FSP (freeze substitution processor), an automatic reagent handling system, which dispenses reagents for both freeze substitution and PLT applications.
- There is LED illumination from within the chamber and a stereomicroscope for viewing and positioning of samples.
Microtomy Equipment
- Several ultramicrotomes are available for processing plastic-embedded samples for TEM applications including a Leica UC6rt, a Leica Ultracut S, and an RMC PowerTome PT-XL ultramicrotome.
- A Leica UC6i/FC6 cryo-ultramicrotome is available to prepare biological specimens for cryo-electron microscopy of vitrified sections (CEMOVIS). In some cases, cryo-ultramicrotomy is used to process soft materials which need to be frozen to be sectioned.
- Diamond knives for room temperature and cryo applications are used for block trimming, as well as semithin, and ultrathin sectioning, depending on the application and sample.
SEM Sample Preparation Equipment
- Several instruments are available for preparing samples for SEM applications including sputter coaters for gold or gold/palladium coating and critical point dryers (CPDs) to prepare biological samples and soft materials for SEM.
- The EMSCOPE SC-500 Magnetron Sputter system is capable of depositing thin layers of gold onto various types of samples for SEM.
- The Denton Desk II sputter coater has a gold/palladium target for the preparation of SEM samples.
- The Polaron CPD, with a large processing chamber, can hold large samples or many small samples for high-throughput preparation.
- The EMS K850 CPD can prepare samples using a variety of holder types including microscope slides.
Denton Benchtop Turbo Carbon/Gold Evaporator
- For the application of thin layers of carbon or gold on surfaces.
- This instrument can be used to prepare samples for SEM imaging.
- An Inficon SQM-160 rate/thickness monitor allows the guided, and accurate application of thin and ultrathin layers of carbon or gold to support grids or other materials.
GloQube Glow Discharger
- This instrument is used for cleaning and glow discharging TEM grids and modifying the charge or water interaction characteristics of surfaces.
- Various programs are available to generate specific conditions on the grid surface according to the needed downstream TEM applications.
- A two-chamber system for separated in-air and in-vapor processing avoids cross-contamination between chambers.
- The second isolated chamber can be used to create more specialize conditions. With automatic vapor delivery, controlled amounts of chemical vapors can be incorporated in the plasma.
Imaging Data Processing and Analysis
- An iMac workstation is available for users to carry out image processing through a direct connection with a workstation at the Biochemistry Connector site.
- A second, SBGrid-supported, TensorEX, 4 GPU, Linux workstation is available to IEMC users at the Emerson site to access structural biology processing software including single particle, tomography and x-ray crystallography applications.
IEMC Instrumentation - Biochemistry Connector Site
Microscopy Equipment
ThermoFisher Talos Arctica 200 KV TEM
- The ThermoFisher Talos Arctica Field Emission TEM has a BioQuantum Gatan K3 direct electron detector.
- Images are acquired using a Gatan Image Filter system (GIF) which is especially useful for high-resolution cryo-electron tomography, cryo-electron microscopy of thick samples, and to improve contrast on cryo-electron microscopy specimens.
- This instrument is equipped with an autoloader system, capable of loading 12 samples at a time, which can be maintained under liquid nitrogen temperatures for easy sample exchanges.
- Single particle data and tilt series acquisition are done using Serial EM. The ThermoFisher EPU software can also be used for the automated acquisition of single-particle cryo-EM data.
ThermoFisher Talos L120C 120 KV TEM
- The ThermoFisher Talos L120C, 120 kV, LaB6TEM is equipped with a 4k × 4K Ceta CMOS camera.
- This instrument is capable of several modes of TEM, including cryo-TEM, and room-temperature TEM.
- There are two Gatan cryo holders available for the acquisition of cryo-TEM data, a Gatan 626 and a Gatan ELSA holder.
- Semi-automated data acquisition using Serial EM is available for testing cryo-TEM grids, and a Low Dose function allows for imaging of beam-sensitive samples.
- The beam blocker allows for electron diffraction experiments.
Sample Preparation and Ancillary Equipment
ThermoFisher Vitrobot Mark IV
- For plunge freezing aqueous solutions, cell suspensions, and on-grid grown cells.
- Vitrification can be done in liquid ethane, liquid propane, or an ethane/propane mix to prepare samples for cryo-TEM or cryo-ET data acquisition.
Gatan CP3 Plunger (Model 930)
- For plunge freezing aqueous solutions, cell suspensions, and on-grid grown cells.
- Gentle blot for cryo grid preparations.
- Vitrification can be done in liquid ethane, liquid propane, or an ethane/propane mix to prepare samples for cryo-TEM or cryo-ET data acquisition.
Denton Benchtop Turbo Carbon Evaporator
- For the application of thin layers of carbon on surfaces.
- This instrument can be used to apply carbon on plastic-coated TEM grids for negative staining applications.
Gatan Solarus Plasma Cleaning System (Model 950)
- This instrument is used for cleaning and glow discharging TEM grids and holders.
- Direct connection to Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Argon sources allows for the combination of these gases to generate surface conditions amenable for a variety of samples for TEM applications.
Pelco Easy Glow
- This instrument is used for cleaning and glow discharging TEM grids.
- Various programs are available to generate specific conditions on the grid surface for various TEM applications.
GloQube Glow Discharger
- This instrument is used for cleaning and glow discharging TEM grids and modifying the charge or water interaction characteristics of surfaces.
- Various programs are available to generate specific conditions on the grid surface according to the needed downstream TEM applications.
- A two-chamber system for separated in-air and in-vapor processing avoids cross-contamination between chambers.
- The second isolated chamber can be used to create more specialize conditions. With automatic vapor delivery, controlled amounts of chemical vapors can be incorporated in the plasma.
Imaging Data Processing and Analysis
- An SBGrid-supported, TensorEX, 4 GPU (NVIDIA RTX A6000, 48GB GDDR6), Linux workstation is available to IEMC users.
- Structural biology processing software includes single particle, tomography and x-ray crystallography applications.
Please visit our website to learn more about the IEMC »
SPECIAL NOTE:
Additional Contact Information
IEMC Email:
emcore@emory.edu
IEMC Locations:
Emerson Site
Cherry L. Emerson Hall, Suite E106
1521 Dickey Drive NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30322
General Lab: 404-712-8674
Suite E107: 404-712-8491
Suite E113A: 404-712-8571
Bio-Connector Site
Biochemistry Connector, Suite G236
1510 Clifton Rd.
Atlanta, Georgia 30322
Main Office: 404-727-8960
Talos Arctica control room: 404-727-8999
< Back to GRA Core Exchange facilities