NCCAT: National Center for CryoEM Access and Training

摘要 我们建议建立国家低温电子显微镜接入和培训中心(NCCAT)，设在 西蒙斯电子显微镜中心(SEMC)，这是纽约结构生物学中心的一部分 (NYSBC)，总部设在纽约。NCCAT将提供对最先进设备的访问，包括 样品准备机器人，高端显微镜和直接探测器，筛选显微镜，以及所有 使用低温电子以尽可能高的分辨率解算结构所需的其他辅助设备 显微镜(低温电子显微镜)方法。一支高素质的技术团队将提供直接的支持、指导和 协助确保在尽可能短的时间内生产出质量最高的结构。一个 已经建立良好的交叉培训计划将得到扩展和延伸，以提供跨 技能水平和职业目标多种多样。NCCAT将采用公开和透明的申请程序 确保在全国范围内机会均等。 NCCAT的业务将建立在SEMC/NYSBC已经建立的做法基础上，并受益于 整个充满活力的环境以及许多已经到位的训练有素的工作人员的专业知识。NCCAT 将被安置在新的定制空间中，提供最佳的、环境稳定的条件。这个 主要仪器将包括3台Titan Krios TEM，配备直接探测器、能量过滤器和 相位板，以及3个配备了cmos摄像头的屏幕显微镜。已经简化了工作流程 建立良好的，将扩大，以确保我们尽可能有效地收集最高质量的数据。一个 用户服务运营将为现场、远程访问和邮寄数据收集服务提供公平和 平等获得全国用户基础。我们将指导和协助用户使用CryoEM的各个方面，包括 样品制备、数据采集和图像处理。一项培训计划将包括全面的 期望，从确保用户生产有效结构所需的基本知识，到更详细的 为寻求独立的用户提供培训，培训完全嵌入的研究人员，他们将有望毕业到 经营着他们自己的低温EM研究实验室。虽然我们预计我们最初将被召唤为 我们主要在单粒子低温电磁领域进行培训，我们处于有利地位，可以在以下领域提供支持 我们预测的冷冻ET将迅速增长。 虽然NCCAT的目标并非与生俱来的创新性，但我们打算将该标准定为第一个 世界一流的、国家可访问的冷冻EM访问和培训设施，所有人都可以免费和公平地使用 美国的研究人员，并继续努力使科学具有最高质量和价值。

Summary We propose to establish the National Center for CryoEM Access and Training (NCCAT) to be housed at the Simons Electron Microscopy Center (SEMC), which is a part of the New York Structural Biology Center (NYSBC), based in New York, NY. NCCAT will provide access to state-of-the-art equipment, including specimen preparation robots, high-end microscopes and direct detectors, screening microscopes, and all the other ancillary equipment required to solve structures to the highest possible resolution using cryo electron microscopy (cryoEM) methods. A highly qualified technical team will provide direct support, guidance and assistance to ensure that structures of the highest quality are produced in the shortest possible time. An already well established cross-training program will be expanded and extended to provide training across a wide variety of skill levels and career goals. NCCAT will adopt an open and transparent application process to ensure equal-opportunity nationwide access. The operations at NCCAT will build on already established practices at SEMC/NYSBC and benefit from the overall vibrant environment as well as the expertise of many of the highly trained staff already in place. NCCAT will be housed in new, custom-built space that will provide optimal, environmentally stable conditions. The major instrumentation will consist of 3 Titan Krios TEMs equipped with direct detectors, energy filters and phase plates, and 3 screening microscopes equipped with CMOS cameras. Streamlined workflows, already well established, will expanded to ensure that we collect the highest quality data as efficiently as possible. A user service operation will provide on-site, remote-access, and mail-in data collection services with fair and equal access to a nationwide user base. We will guide and assist users with all aspects of cryoEM, including sample preparation, data collection and image processing. A training program will encompass a full range of expectations, from the basics required to ensure that users produce valid structures, through more detailed training for users seeking independence, to fully embedded researchers who will be expected to graduate to running their own cryoEM research laboratories. While we anticipate that we will initially be called to serve and train mostly in the area of single particle cryoEM, we are well positioned to provide support in the area of cryoET that we predict will grow rapidly. While the goals of NCCAT are not innately innovative it is our intention to set the standard as one of the first world class, nationally accessible cryoEM access and training facilities that is freely and fairly available to all researchers in the US, and to continually strive to enable science of the highest quality and value.