NIEHS Cryo-EM Core Facility

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The NIEHS Cryo-EM Core continues to lead the deployment and to promote the adoption of techniques in cryo-electron microscopy in the region. Over a dozen peer reviewed articles in high impact journals during FY2023 are a clear indication. The Core has played an important role in the intramural response to the COVID-19 pandemic with several reviewed publications describing potential pharmacological targets or reagents against SARS-CoV-2). Many collaborations have led to important contributions to the understanding of structural underpinnings of disease and therapy. These disease relevant structures solved at the Core involve mitochondrial genetic diseas, Parkinson and dementia, anticancer drug delivery systems), antibacterial resistance. Other structures are involved in fundamental biological processes such as pain, cold and heat sensing, metabolic pathways, and responses to cellular stress. The Core benefits from a close collaboration with the Molecular Microscopy Group on the development of methods that enhance technical capabilities. These include deployment of in house engineered robotic equipment for sample deposition and time resolved structure determination, improved and accelerated methods for data collection, and software for in-line processing and assessment of data. This year we completed the deployment of a cryogenic focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (cryo-FIBSEM). This instrument will allow us to delve into the cell to solve the structure of macromolecular complexes in situ.