Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has undergone a revolution over the past decade, with improvements in imaging detector systems, hardware, automation and data analysis rapidly pushing the limits of resolution to below 2 angstroms and allowing smaller (<60 kD) proteins to be reconstructed. The University of Wollongong (UOW) has established cryo-EM as a foundational capability in the Molecular Horizons Institute, a centre for molecular and life sciences. Fundamental to UOW’s vision has been the acquisition of three FEI electron microscopes: a Tecnai T12, a Talos Arctica and a Titan Krios. This suite of microscopes is integrated with a fully-equipped sample preparation lab, enabling a complete single-particle EM workflow through from negative-stain screening to high-resolution data collection and reconstruction.
UOW has partnered with the MASSIVE High Performance Computing facility (coordinated by Monash University) allowing microscope users to access world-class HPC resources to process cryo-EM data. The UOW Molecular Horizons cryo-EM facility has intentionally been designed as a full-service operation, providing client training and support during sample preparation, grid screening, microscopy and data analysis. Training is conducted both in regular workshops, as well as one-on-one sessions, enabling clients to achieve high levels of proficiency in EM techniques as well as self-sufficiency in microscope operation. In this poster we will present an outline of the current and planned capabilities of the UOW cryo-EM facility, as well as results from recent benchmarking experiments on our Talos Arctica and Titan Krios instruments.