# Glacios 200 kV cryogenic transmission electron microscope (cryo-TEM)

> **NIH NIH S10** · UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI · 2021 · $2,000,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Structural biology has played a key role in defining the molecular architecture of life, leading to fundamental
insights into the function and biology of macromolecules. Within our Ohio Valley consortium, consisting of the
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati's Children's Hospital Medical Center, Miami University, and University of
Kentucky, all have well-established programs in structural biology, with a major focus on X-ray crystallography.
This has provided an outstanding training environment for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to learn
modern structural biology approaches to address fundamental questions around biomedically important
macromolecules. However, in recent years, cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has emerged as an
indispensable technique for structural analysis of proteins and molecular complexes due to the fact that it can
produce atom-resolution structures without drawbacks inherent to crystallization. Thus, our consortium
structural biologists have been actively working to incorporate this technology into their research programs,
primarily through collaboration and attempts to access instruments at other institutions. As a result of these
efforts, we now have a critical mass of investigators that strongly justifies bringing this technology to our region.
The University of Cincinnati has committed to laying the groundwork for this initiative by purchasing a Talos
L120C instrument for negative stain analysis and a Vitrobot to prepare grids with a vitrified sample. These
investments will allow users the ability to ascertain the quality of biological samples for further cryo-EM
analysis. To take us to the next level, we are requesting NIH funding for a Glacios 200 kV microscope with
Falcon 4 detector and autoloader, which will be housed in a newly developing cryo-EM facility at the University
of Cincinnati. The Glacios will allow us to further optimize samples for structural analysis in house, or provide
the justification for use of advanced cryo-EM instrumentation available at other institutions or NIH consortia for
higher resolution studies. Collectively, the acquisition of the Glacios will directly benefit over 30 NIH funded
investigators working in the focus areas of Cardiovascular, Cancer, Infectious Disease, and Neuroscience.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10176876
- **Project number:** 1S10OD030388-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
- **Principal Investigator:** THOMAS B THOMPSON
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $2,000,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10176876

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10176876, Glacios 200 kV cryogenic transmission electron microscope (cryo-TEM) (1S10OD030388-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10176876. Licensed CC0.

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