FACILITIES & OTHER RESOURCES

                                                                                           Updated: 30 June 2022

ROBERT P. APKARIAN INTEGRATED ELECTRON MICROSCOPY CORE (IEMC)

The Robert P. Apkarian Integrated Electron Microscopy Core (IEMC), one of the Emory Integrated Core Facilities (EICF), provides services and training on conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cryo-transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM), single particle cryo-electron microscopy (SP-Cryo-EM), cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET), conventional scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM). The IEMC supports academic, clinical, and industry users at two sites on Emory’s campus. Its focus and technical expertise aim to generate structural data from biological and non-biological specimens to support research in basic, biomedical, and material sciences and engineering.

The facility has recently incorporated micro-electron diffraction (micro-ED), cryo correlated light and electron microscopy (cryo-CLEM), and cryo electron microscopy of vitrified sections (CEMOVIS). Additionally, the acquisition of a Gatan K2 direct electron detector complements the existing DE20 direct electron detector for our cryo-EM and cryo-ET applications. The IEMC is supported by a qualified, supportive staff who not only contribute to research with their expertise but also with their commitment to training investigators (students, technicians and postdocs) on the various EM workflows. Users can utilize IEMC services autonomously or request IEMC staff to either assist or carry out entire workflows for them.

The Biochemistry Connector Site (ground floor of Rollins Research Center) hosts a state of the art Talos Arctica (200 kV) microscope for high-throughput acquisition of high-resolution SP-Cryo-EM data, equipped with a Gatan K3 direct electron detector and a Gatan Image Filter (GIF). For TEM and cryo-TEM sample imaging and screening, users have access to the Talos L120C (120 kV) instrument. In addition, this site includes a wet-lab space for room temperature sample preparation and a dedicated cryo-EM sample preparation area with a Gatan CP3 and a Vitrobot Mark IV plunge freezers.

The Emerson Site (ground floor of Cherry Logan Emerson Hall) includes dedicated wet-lab space for TEM preparation and processing, and immunocytochemistry. It hosts a Hitachi HT7700 (120 kV) for TEM, a JEOL JEM1400 (120 kV) for TEM, tomography of sectioned materials, and cryo-TEM, and a JEOL JEM2200FS (200kV) equipped with two direct electron detectors (Direct Electron DE20 and Gatan K2) for SP-Cryo-EM, Cryo-ET, and micro-ED. A Leica DM6 FS, with STP8000 allows acquisition of fluorescence data for cryo-CLEM. The IEMC is also equipped with Topcon SEMs for imaging and elemental analysis, as well as cryo-SEM of frozen-hydrated samples. Users also have access to a Vitrobot Mark IV to prepare cryo-EM samples, microtomes and cryo-ultramicrotomes for thick, semithin, and ultrathin microtomy, high-pressure freezing and cryo-substitution equipment for CEMOVIS or sample embedding, and sputter coaters for ultrathin metal film coating for room temperature and cryo-preserved specimens.

Together with the Emory Integrated Computational Core (EICC) and Emory’s Library & Information Technology Services, the IEMC also supports High Performance Computing with our Glacier Computation Cluster. Our staff also offers support for image analysis and processing for grants and publications.