🔗 NEWS
That's a wrap on the 2026 University of California, Santa Cruz Cryo-EM Workshop! 🎉
A huge thank you to all the participants for bringing your curiosity, enthusiasm, and great questions. We froze samples, collected data, solved problems, and proved once again that coffee and cryo-EM make an excellent combination. ☕❄️🔬
A special thanks to Yifan Cheng, Wah Chiu, Joseph (Joey) Davis, Richard Waldo and Structura Biotechnology team, John Dzimianski, Eric Shell, Joyce Frank, Matthew Russon, David Bulkley, Eliza Nieweglowska and Helen Donelick from Thermo Fisher Scientific.Also to Neelima Sukumar, Ph.D. from ThermoFisher Scientific, NanoSoft, Exciting Instruments, Hamed Samee from Calibre Scientific, Sean Mulligan from CryoEM Supply and MiTeGen.
Until next time—may your ice be thin, your particles plentiful, and your maps high resolution!
MIDAS is now available
Introducing MIDAS: the Microlectron Diffraction Integrated Data Automation System designed to revolutionize the way you process microED datasets. With its automated pipeline, MIDAS takes you from raw image files to a seamlessly merged final dataset with minimal user intervention. Say goodbye to tedious manual processing and hello to efficiency and precision in your research workflow!
Your cryo-EM facility as a business model
A cryo-EM facility or lab isn’t just infrastructure—it’s a business.
Key insights from the webinar:
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Funding is just the beginning: The microscope is only the “tip of the iceberg”—ongoing costs like staffing, IT infrastructure, maintenance, and consumables are critical.
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Think beyond acquisition: Sustainable facilities or labs require planning for: Data processing and storage Service contracts and upgrades Power stability and uptime
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Build a strong user base: Growth depends on attracting internal and external users to drive both scientific output and revenue.
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Adopt a business mindset: Successful facilities and labs balance: Scientific outcomes (publications, grants) Revenue generation (recharge models, external users) Training and education
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Continuously evolve: The most successful labs adapt their model over time—leveraging partnerships, new funding sources, and technology upgrades.
💡 The takeaway: A well-funded microscope is important—but a sustainable, strategically managed facility is what drives long-term impact.
👉 Watch the full webinar:Obtain funding for your next electron microscope: https://ter.li/zrf9r6gv
Only few weeks out before the 1st UCSC CryoEM Workshop
Meet our partners and speakers
Speakers:
Prof. Yifan Cheng (UCSF/HHMI)
Prof. Wah Chiu (Stanford/SLAC)
David Bulkley (UCSF)
Rich Waldo (Structura Biotechnology)
John Dzimianski (UCSC)
Prof. Joseh "Joey" Davis (MIT)
Sponsors:
UCSC PBSci Seed Funds
Agouron Institute
ThermoFisher Scientific
NanoSoft
Calibre Scientific
Exciting Instruments
Vitreum
MiTeGen
CryoEM Supply
We are happy to announce the 1st UCSC CryoEM Workshop
We are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 1st UCSC Cryo-EM Workshop, an intensive, hands-on program focused on Single Particle Analysis (SPA).
June 23–26, 2026
UCSC Biomolecular Cryo-EM Facility, Santa Cruz, California
This four-day course is designed for graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, staff scientists, faculty, and professionals from the biotech and biopharma sectors who seek comprehensive training in end-to-end cryo-EM SPA workflows. The program integrates live data collection with advanced computational processing, guiding participants from raw micrographs through 3D reconstruction and biological interpretation.
Hands-on training will include:
• Data acquisition on a Thermo Scientific Glacios 200 kV equipped with a Falcon 4i direct electron detector
• Image processing using cryoSPARC and cryoDRGN
• Best practices for generating publication-quality structures
We are honored to host keynote presentations by Yifan Cheng (UCSF, HHMI) and Wah Chiu (Stanford-SLAC), whose contributions have been foundational to modern structural biology
Program highlights:
• No registration fee
• Limited to 35 participants to ensure an optimal hands-on experience
• Three selected attendees will have the opportunity to submit samples for preparation, screening, data collection, and full data processing during the workshop
By the conclusion of the course, participants will have developed practical expertise in SPA data processing and will join a collaborative network of cryo-EM practitioners across academia and industry.
This workshop is made possible through the generous support of Thermo Fisher Scientific, MiTeGen, NanoSoft, Calibre Scientific, CryoEM Supply, the UCSC Physical & Biological Sciences Division, and the Agouron Institute.
Space is limited, and we encourage early registration. Applications deadline is April 10.
Please refer to the flyer for full details and application information
#CryoEM #StructuralBiology #ElectronMicroscopy #SingleParticleAnalysis #UCSC #Biotech #Biopharma
Featured Article by ThermoFisher Scientific
New international collaboration poised to unlock more health-related discoveries
RNA cover page - November 2024
RNA . 2024 Oct 16;30(11):1513-1528. doi: 10.1261/rna.080103.124.
Santa Cruz Sentinel featured article
