CryoEM Facilities Link East to West

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specialist Nanoimaging Services has opened a facility in Boston to support its growing customer base on the east coast requiring cryoEM for drug discovery and vaccine development; currently COVID-19 projects are receiving priority consideration.

“For more than a decade, we’ve applied our scientific leadership and focus to drive the substantial expansion of our state-of-the-art facilities as part of our goal to become the largest industrial cryoEM facility in the world. Our Boston facility enables us to build on our commitment to advancing cryoEM technology and its access for our clients to improve and accelerate drug design and development," said Clint Potter, founder and CEO of NanoImaging Services. "By enabling local sample preparation and screening, NanoImaging Services has eliminated one of the biggest obstacles for cryoEM researchers – shipping sensitive proteins and removing the freeze/thaw step. Local sample preparation coupled with fast turnaround screening services, allows researchers to progress their projects more quickly and with greater success in a cost-efficient manner."
The new facility, which will help users both learn cryoEM techniques and develop their own cryoEM workflows, will house up to three Thermo Scientific Glacios Cryo-TEM microscopes and equipment to support local sample screening, preparation and analysis. The first Glacios instrument has been commissioned and is currently accepting client samples.

In addition, a new high-speed dedicated network facility in the west, connecting directly to its nearby San Diego headquarters was also announced by the company, which has expectations that it will become the largest private facility for cryoEM data collection globally, serving both its national and international clients. 

This facility will host up to four Thermo Scientific Krios Cryo-TEM and a Glacios Cryo-TEM microscope; it connects directly to the San Diego headquarters and Boston client center, so users can work directly with the NIS microscopists and view images in real-time with the company’s remote image viewer. The first Krios at the new facility is operational and heavily booked through the end of 2020. A new formal agreement between NIS and Thermo Scientific will allow the company to add more capacity with minimal lead time.