Single particle cryo-EM is used for determining the 3D structure of biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acid complexes. The technique involves imaging of many (tens or hundreds of thousands) copies of a purified macromolecule under cryo-conditions. Then, computer-based image processing is used to combine the images, which include different views of the macromolecule, and reconstruct a 3D map.

Technical advances in recent years have made it possible to obtain near-atomic resolution maps, and the key developers of the technique were awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

All the workflow for high-resolution single particle cryo-EM is available at the EM Unit. This includes a state-of-the-art Titan Krios TEM equipped with direct detectors.