Electron Microscopy – Multimedia

Scientists from the University of Bristol, CNRS and Imophoron Ltd worked with the computer technology giant Oracle to develop a new kind of vaccine that needs no refrigeration. They used synthetic biology, cryo-electron microscopy and high-performance cloud computing to produce a candidate vaccine against the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus. Their findings could revolutionise the way vaccines are designed, developed and stored.

Mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical tool with a myriad of applications spanning biology, chemistry, clinical research, pharma and beyond. Take a closer look at what this versatile technique has to offer in our latest eBook.

Using high-resolution electron microscopy, researchers from the Pasteur Institute in Paris have obtained unprecedented insights on incredible structures called tunneling nanotubes.

2017 has been an incredible year for neuroscience discoveries and breakthroughs. This list details the top 10 most-read stories of the year.

In summary, ISG15 expression levels are crucial for trophoblast morphology and function (migration/invasion). By blocking trophoblast invasion, reduced ISG15 levels could contribute to impaired spiral artery transformation that reduces utero-placental blood flow in preeclampsia. Thus, agents inducing ISG15 expression are likely to be therapeutic in preeclampsia.

The cryo-electron microscopy revolution at The MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

Ken Keene Jr documents his father's journey with frontotemporal dementia.

In this list, we bring together 7 of the biggest data challenges faced by scientists right now.

Gold nanoparticles are one of the most popular and extensively researched type of nanoparticle.

With the increasing use of nanotechnology in food and consumer products, there is a need for reliable detection and characterization methods for nanoparticles (NPs) in complex matrices. NPs often interact with each other or with their surroundings leading to aggregation, adhesion to surfaces or dissolution in dispersion solvents. Accurate and precise characterization of metrics such as size, shape, particle mass and number concentration therefore remains a challenging analytical task. Asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (AF4) hyphenated with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a powerful technique for the detection and characterization of inorganic NPs in complex matrices. In order to acquire accurate data the AF4 separation method and settings must be optimized for each new sample matrix and analyte NP combination. Furthermore, additional information obtained by single particle (sp) ICP-MS analysis of collected fractions or an imaging method such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are necessary for trouble shooting and for independent verification of results. spICP-MS as stand-alone technique is a powerful screening method for many inorganic NPs. A number of examples where AF4-ICP-MS and single particle ICP-MS were applied for the detection and characterization of NPs in food and biological matrices will be presented including: • Silver NPs in chicken meat • Silicon dioxide NPs in tomato soup • Aluminum-containing NPs in noodles • Gold NPs in cells