A Midlands Regional Cryo-EM facility

人体细胞中充满了大型蛋白质组装体，它们就像分子机器一样执行细胞的功能。其中包括进行新陈代谢的机器；调节我们的遗传物质；控制细胞分裂的过程；最后是制造机器的机器。结构生物学家试图确定这些机器的结构和功能。通过这项研究，我们不仅了解了支撑生命的机制，还学习了如何开发治疗疾病的新方法。传统的结构生物学技术在研究大分子组合时已被证明是不够的。最近，在新型相机和强大的计算方面的突破使得使用电子显微镜来确定这些机器的结构成为可能。这绕过了传统方法的局限性，代表了结构生物学的一场革命。我们正在申请一台高端低温电子显微镜作为区域设备。我们在中部地区有一个非常强大的合作伙伴网络，他们的研究将被新仪器所改变。这将使我们能够详细地了解许多重要的生命过程，包括基因表达、DNA复制和修复、细胞组织和通讯。

Human cells are full of large protein assemblies that act as molecular machines to carry out the functions of the cell. These include machines that carry out metabolism; that regulate our genetic material; that manage the process of cell division; and finally the machines that make the machines themselves.Structural biologists seek to determine the structure and function of these machines. Through this, we not only gain an understanding of the mechanisms that underpin life, but also learn how to develop novel approaches to cure disease. The traditional techniques of structural biology have proven insufficient when studying large molecular assemblies. Recently, a breakthrough in new cameras and powerful computation has made it possible to use electron microscopy to determine thearchitectures of these machines. This circumvents the limitations of traditional methods and represents a revolution in structural biology.We are applying for a high-end cryo-electron microscope to be operated as a regional facility. We have a very strong network of partners in the Midlands whose research will be transformed by the new instrument. This will enable a detailed mechanistic understanding of many of the important processes of life including gene expression, DNA replication and repair, cellular organisation and communication.