Multi-user Transmission Electron Microscope

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a transformative imaging method that has been blazing the trail of biological discovery research since its inception in the first half of the 20th century. Unparalleled by any other analytical technique, TEM allows researchers to delve into the sub-cellular realm and examine tissues, cells, organelles, viruses, and macromolecular structures in exquisite detail. As such, TEM has been, and continues to be, essential to gaining ground-breaking and scale-spanning insights into the fundamental mechanisms that govern life.

At the University of Exeter (UoE), the life science community's demand for TEM is rapidly increasing, surpassing the capabilities of our current equipment. Recent technological strides in TEM have significantly enhanced microscope stability, versatility, throughput, and resolution—attributes where our existing equipment now falls short. Our two outdated TEMs are also incompatible with the latest advancements in software and automation, preventing us from harnessing the full potential of emerging techniques such as correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM).

We are applying for a new cryo-capable TEM in line with BBSRC's Transformative Technologies priority. A state-of-the-art microscope with enhanced capabilities is both a significant technological advance and an imperative investment, to drive forwards our research capabilities and to remain competitive at the cutting edge of life science research. This new equipment will allow us to tackle complex biological questions in a broader range of systems, facilitating impactful research outputs and cross-disciplinary collaborations, high-level training, and support of a diverse and highly skilled scientific community in Exeter and beyond.

As our understanding of cellular and molecular processes continues to evolve at pace, the demand for advanced TEM capabilities has become increasingly critical. We have the following 3 objectives:

To expand our TEM infrastructure significantly and develop capability to meet the growing community demand.
To modernise our ageing TEM infrastructure and generate a more efficient and sustainable workflow.
To foster scientific collaboration within Exeter, the GW4 university alliance, internationally and with industrial partners, facilitating research advances across key BBSRC priority areas.
To meet these objectives, and with the full and enthusiastic support from the University of Exeter and our GW4 partners, the lead PI has assembled a diverse team of individuals at different career stages with strong track records in their respective disciplines. Each team member contributes a unique skillset and expertise, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment with the potential to drive significant innovation and research advances. We also propose more efficient and sustainable ways to support local and national infrastructure and outline detailed training plans for ECRs and technical professionals who stand to benefit significantly from this strategic investment.