# TRD #1: New approaches to specimen preparation

> **NIH NIH P41** · NEW YORK STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY CENTER · 2021 · $233,927

## Abstract

2. TRD#1: New Approaches to Specimen Preparation
Abstract
We are developing novel methods for specimen preparation that provide several advantages over traditional
methods. These advantages include consumption of very small amounts of sample, and providing for more
control over the quality of the prepared grids. The system uses a robotic device, called Spotiton, to dispense
drops with volumes on the order of nanoliters to precise locations on an EM grid. The success of the device is
coupled to a new “self-blotting” grid that we have developed to provide a method for spreading sample to a thin
film without the use of externally applied filter paper. Over the next 5 years we will design, develop, test and
validate a generalized Spotiton system capable of multiple tasks including making well controlled vitrified grids,
managing time resolved and fast mixing experiments, and preparing ~100 independent negatively stained
samples on a single grid. We anticipate that a version of this device will be manufactured by a commercial
company so that it becomes generally available to the research community.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10136614
- **Project number:** 5P41GM103310-21
- **Recipient organization:** NEW YORK STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Alex de Marco
- **Activity code:** P41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $233,927
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2002-09-30 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10136614

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10136614, TRD #1: New approaches to specimen preparation (5P41GM103310-21). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10136614. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*