Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center

The Columbia University Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center (CEC) provides researchers with training and access to advanced instrumentation, data collection capacity, and processing support required to incorporate Cryo-Electron Microscopy into their studies. Data generated by the Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center have been published in a number of high-impact studies.

Use of the Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center is available to all Columbia-affiliated researchers, although users must undergo training and receive project approval before instrument time can be scheduled through iLab. External users may utilize the resources of the facility if scanning time is available. New users should contact the facility for more information.

Equipment and Services

The CEC supports a Krios G3i 300 kV FEG Cryo-TEM microscope at the Zuckerman Institute.

The Krios G3i is optimized for both high-resolution 3D imaging of proteins and macromolecular assemblies, and high-resolution cellular tomography. The Krios has phase plates and an autoloading cartridge system which allows samples to be transferred between Krios and Glacios microscopes. The Krios is also equipped with both an FEI Falcon 3 direct electron counting camera and Gatan Quantum Life Science energy filters with a K3 direct electron detection camera for low-dose zero loss filtered imaging (Gatan K3-BioQuantum).

The center PhD level staff also provides:

• training
• guidance in cryo-grid preparation,
• data collection employing various automation software
• initial frame-processing steps

Access to New York Structural Biology Center

The CEC partnered with the New York Structural Biology Center (NYSBC) to offer researchers access to additional Krios Cryo-TEM and Glacios screening microscopes. These instruments are located in support space in the Hammer Health Sciences Building and at the nearby NYSBC campus (89 Covent Avenue).

This partnership allows researchers at Columbia University to leverage both NYSBC  and CEC staff expertise, joint programming, and regional events. In addition, CU researchers can utilize a limited amount of free imaging time at NYSBC.

Interested users should contact the facility. 

Acknowledgment Text

When publishing papers with work making use of the facility please acknowledge the facility with the following text:

"Some of this work was performed at the Columbia University Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center."