Short Description
The completed upgrade has transformed the existing Thermo Fisher Scientific / FEI Talos L120C G2 transmission electron microscope into a cryo-capable TEM by adding a Gatan ELSA 698.STP cryo-transfer holder, a dedicated pumping station and EPU software for automated data acquisition. The cryo holder enables frost-free transfer of frozen suspensions or cryo sections into the TEM at temperatures below -170 °C and, by cooling the entire holder tip, provides stable specimen temperature, minimal drift and reproducible imaging conditions. The integrated temperature monitoring and the Gatan 655 pumping station supply a clean, dry high vacuum for cryo operation and help maintain the holder’s performance over time. The magnification calibration package allows semi-automated calibration of the embedded digital camera and ensures correct scale bars and distortion-corrected STEM images, which is essential for quantitative measurements. The EPU software with associated license provides a user-friendly workflow for automated single-particle data acquisition, including atlas generation, selection of suitable target areas and template-based image collection.
Combined with existing expertise in TEM operation, specimen preparation and data analysis, this upgrade extends the research infrastructure to full cryo-EM capability for structural biology, biomedical research, macromolecular and nanoparticle analysis, and supports collaborative projects with academic and industrial partners.
Contact Person
Dr. rer. nat. Arndt Rohwedder
Research Services
For details please contact the responsible person.
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
The upgraded cryo-TEM infrastructure based on the Thermo Fisher Scientific / FEI Talos L120C G2 enables cryogenic transmission electron microscopy of frozen-hydrated samples and cryo ultrathin sections. Using the integrated Gatan cryo transfer holder, frozen suspensions (e.g. viruses, protein complexes, nanoparticles) and cryo sections can be transferred into the TEM at low temperature, enabling structural analyses with largely preserved native organization. The installed EPU software provides automated and standardized data acquisition (e.g. single-particle data sets) via grid atlas generation, selection of suitable target areas and template-based image collection.
The facility team has extensive experience in TEM operation, conventional specimen preparation (fixation, embedding, ultrathin sectioning) and in the establishment and optimization of cryo workflows. This includes choosing appropriate vitrification and sample preparation strategies, adjusting acquisition parameters for high-resolution structural and morphological studies, and supporting image analysis in collaboration with research groups from biology, medicine and materials science. The infrastructure is suited for collaborative projects in structural biology, immunology, cell and tissue biology, biomaterials and nanoparticle research, and supports both methodological development and training activities in (cryo)TEM.