Cryo-Electron Microscopy Platform

Cryo-EM Page

The NISB Cryo-Electron Microscopy Platform at NTU was set up to support the research community in NTU and Singapore. The equipment housed in our facility enables us to perform three different cryo TEM workflows:  Single Particle Analysis (SPA) for purified proteins, Cryo-Electron Tomography (Cryo-ET) for cell sections, bacterial and tissue samples and Micro Electron Diffraction (MicroED) for microcrystals. To assist our Cryo TEM workflow, we also have state of the art sample preparation equipment such as the Cryo-Focused Ion Beam (Cryo-FIB) and Correlative Light Electron Microscope (CLEM).

Equipment

T12

Tecnai-12 (T12) iCorr - 120kV TEM

An entry level 120 keV electron microscope and capable for correlated light and electron microscopy studies
Arctica

Tecnai Arctica - 200kV Cryo-TEM

A 200 keV cryo-EM equipped with direct electron detector and volta phase plate is capable to achieve 3 Å resolution, screen 12 samples in one go, providing an opportunity to boost the contrast in biological samples.

Krios

Titan Krios - 300kV Cryo-TEM

High-end 300 kV cryo-TEM capable to achieve the highest sub-2 Å resolution, loading 12 sample at a time, and capable of collecting 200-500 times more images in a day with direct electron detectors
Aquilos

Aquilos Cryo-FIB - Cryo-DualBeam System

A cryo focused ion beam (dual beam) scanning EM capable to prepare up to 8-10 compression-free ultrathin lamella in a day and identify biological samples using a light microscope, which subsequent used for electron microscopic analysis.
Corrsight

CorrSight - Correlative Light and Electron Microscope

Corrsight, a correlative light and electron microscope (CLEM), is build for live microscopy experiment and observation of vitrified samples
Vitrobot

Vitrobot Mark IV - Automated Vitrifier

The Vitribot Mark IV is used for CryoEM sample preparation. It enables users to reproducibly vitrify biological samples for cryoelectron microscopy.

The platform is open to all academic and industrial users.

Equipment can be accessed either independently (after training has been conducted) or with the assistance of one of our facility staff.

Independent usage

  • Equipment training allows users to operate our instruments independently.
    If instrumental work is going to be regular, or there are a fair amount of samples, training is recommended.
    Users will be required to clear safety requirements before training can commence.
    For more information, please go to our Facility Access page.

Usage with assistance 

  • Users can opt for our facility staff to operate the instruments for them. This is best if equipment usage is going to be one-off, irregular, or if there just a few samples.
  • Charges for usage with assistance are for the technical operation of our instruments and do not include data analysis. There is no guarantee of getting any results from your sample.

Billing and payment terms

  • The user will be invoiced monthly for the usage.
  • The user who fails to pay the bill in thirty (30) days from the date of invoice will be suspended for using the facility until the bill is cleared
  • The terms and conditions are subject to be reviewed and revised in future by NISB management.

Usage Rates

  • NISB offers competitive rates for the use of equipment as well as training and service. Please download the full rate chart here

Once trained, users can book instruments online using our booking system.

  • Instrument reservation is on a first come first serve basis. All users, have equal access for instrument booking.
  • There are no priority booking times, reserved timeslots or priority users.
  • If you find you are unable to use your booked sessions please cancel as soon as possible to allow others to make use of the instrument time.
    Usage charges will still apply for sessions canceled with less than 24 hours notice or if users fail to turn up.
Users are required to read and acknowledge the terms and conditions in the Guideline and Rules for NISB CryoEM Platform.

Please acknowledge our facility in any scientific publication or oral presentation where the data presented are collected from our instruments or with the help of NISB staff.

NISB should be acknowledged in the publications and presentation as follows: 

“The authors acknowledge the use of NISB Cryogenic Electron Microscopy Platform at NTU Institute of Structural Biology (NISB), Nanyang Technological University”

Significant scientific and intellectual contribution of NISB staff, either collaboration and/or supervision, warrants the co-authorship on any resulting publications.