CryoEM-PT Central Node

Electronic Microscopy is assuming an increasingly crucial role in research in the areas of Health and Life Sciences, especially after the development of the Transmission Electron Microscope. However, in Portugal, there is, to date, no Electronic Cryo-microscope accessible to the scientific and business community with R&D activity in the areas of Life Health Sciences.
To fill this gap, the “National Network of Advanced Electronic Microscopy for Health and Life Sciences (CryoEM-PT)” was created. It is now proposed to acquire a state-of-the-art Electronic Cryo-Microscope, to be installed at the Central Node of CryoEM-PT, the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) in Braga, to start the network’s activities. With this project, we propose to: a) acquire and install a 200 kV Cryo-Electron Microscope for single particle analysis, cryo-tomography and microcrystal diffraction, accompanied by equipment for sample preparation and data processing; b) hire human resources to manage the instrument and support users in the use of the equipment; c) implement a CryoEM-PT sustainability plan; d) establish the CryoEM-PT management structure; e) organise training sessions for users; f) establish the conditions for access to microscope to users in companies and academic institutions and support their experiments; and g) expand the universe of users through dissemination activities of CryoEM-PT.