CryoEMGroup home page

IBBR CryoEM user group is organized to support users involved in cryoelectron microscopy research and utilizing experimental facilities at IBBR.  This space will feature relevant announcements and pertinent information.

New users

New and aspiring users must read the onboarding notes.  You may request access to that and other information here.  If you subsequently lose the link to shared folder, here it is again.

Training is mandatory to all wishing to prepare grids at IBBR. Book your appointment here.  

Group membership is granted to all users that establish cryoDB account.  If for some reason you need one but not the other, you may request group membership here.  This is unusual situation, so do provide an explanation.

Active users

• Room 1121 checklist (aka the “Vitrobot rules”) - any changes will be posted to the group email, but check periodically 
• Instructions for non-IBBR users delivering grids
• Suggested shopping list
• How to get into the instrument queue
• Data collection procedures and general rules
• Training documents (keep in mind that these could sometimes be out of date - go to shared folder (onboarding, see above) to make sure you are looking at the most recent version)
• Some mandatory reading
  • Note on clipping grids
• Some frequently answered questions will be highlighted as they become frequent.
• Microscope status
• Access to CryoSPARC (IBBR users only) and CryoSPARC use guide.
• Detailed negative stain protocol. We do permit NS work on our scopes but only at cryo temperatures.  You can bring negative stain grids and store them for data collection on site.  If interested in preparing these types of grids at IBBR, contact the lab safety officer for instructions regarding radiation safety training.  When cleared by UMCP radiation safety, contact us for further directions.

All the inquires should be directed to Ed Pozharski (UM, epozhars@umd.edu) and/or Tom Cleveland (NIST, tclevela@umd.edu).