NSF Award
2319804
An award is made to Brandeis University to acquire a Thermo-Fisher Tundra cryo-electron microscope. This microscope will enable visualization and analysis of complex structures at the macromolecular level, and will bring together researchers from diverse fields, ranging from materials science and chemistry to cell, molecular, and structural biology, thus fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. It will be available to researchers at Brandeis and in the local region. The microscope will also have a significant impact on education, training, and outreach. It will help train the next generation of scientists, including those from underrepresented groups, through hand-on courses and workshops for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars. In addition, outreach programs for high school students will increase scientific knowledge and understanding among the public.<br/> <br/>The research projects enabled by the Tundra cryo-electron microscope span different scientific fields including the study of biomaterials, cells, and biological structures. For example, several groups of researchers will use cryo-electron microscopy to understand how molecules self-assemble into larger structures, as well as how those same design principles could be used to create new synthetic nanomaterials. Other groups will use the instrument to investigate the shapes and functions of cell membranes and proteins. The Tundra microscope will be essential for capturing detailed images and determining the structures of these molecules. Overall, the microscope will advance knowledge of how biological molecules are structured and how they function, which has important implications for understanding of how life works, and for taking inspiration from biology to create the next generation of materials for human use.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
