Infrastructure

Our workhorse characterization microscope supporting biologics and drug development. Suitable for negative stain and cryoEM, this microscope has acquired nearly 3 million images over the course of its 13-year lifespan.

Equipped with Falcon III and CetaD cameras, and an autoloader, this microscope is ideal for screening cryoEM grids to assess readiness for Krios data collection.  And it is the perfect instrument for microED! 

Equipped with Falcon IV and CetaD cameras, and an autoloader, this microscope supports the same workflows we have established in San Diego, especially for our Boston area clients with samples that are difficult to ship.

Equipped with a Gatan K3 detector, Gatan Quantum energy filter, and Volta Phase plate, this instrument has provided data for more than 60 structures with resolutions between 1.8Å and 4Å.

Equipped with a Gatan K3 detector and Gatan Quantum energy filter, this instrument was commissioned Summer 2020.

.... there are more to come!

An advanced data collection pipeline that provides the option for full automation while permitting easy user intervention and adjustment to ensure the most efficient and effective data collection strategies for cryoEM and microED.

A complete pipeline for single particle analysis provides real-time feedback and rapid structure determination. Both CryoSPARC and Relion are available, along with internal NIS procedures developed from our breadth of SPA experience.

Secure web-viewing tools provide real time viewing of image collection. Real-time frame alignments and CTF measurements provide continuous feedback on data quality so that NIS and clients can remotely collaborate on ideal data collection strategy.

A complete pipeline for microED data reduction and processing provides real-time feedback during data collection and conversion to file formats suitable for importing into standard X-ray crystallography packages. Software for phasing, model building and refinement are also available.

A secure web-based portal provides a dashboard for report and data delivery. Images and data are transported within NIS on a high speed, redundant network. High bandwidth external internet connections support fast, encrypted uploads to custom or cloud-based storage services.

We support state of the art computing resources, all located within our own secure facilities, consisting of over 200 processing cores, 25 GPUs, and 3600 TB of storage space. All data are secured behind several redundant hardware firewalls and we follow NIST security guidelines for user access points.   

At NIS we have accumulated decades of experience and established reliable standard operating procedures for both Vitrobot and manual plunging devices.  We routinely vitrify soluble proteins, membrane proteins stabilized by detergents, nanodiscs and amphipols, lipid nanoparticles, and formulations such as creams, gels, and emulsions. TFS Vitrobots and ancillary equipment are available at all locations.

The chameleon vitrification method, developed by the founders of NIS, uses a piezo dispensing tip to spray a stream of ~50 pL droplets onto a self-wicking nanowire grid. Physical blotting is eliminated, sample waste and exposure time at the air-water interface are drastically reduced and the use of high-speed cameras allows fine control over a more uniform sample layer thickness. NIS-HQ currently has an early prototype available with upgrade pending January 2021

Negative stain is an excellent method for providing a “quick-look” at your sample to evaluate its suitability for further analysis.  We also offer optimized negative staining for more detailed assessments of sample behavior. When combined with 2D class averaging, this provides insight into protein domain structure, antibody flexibility and sample integrity. These services are available at all NIS locations.