CryoEM

Last updated: 2025.01.14.

About the use of cryo-electron microscopy

KEK Cryo-EM Facility operates two cryo-electron microscopes, a 300 kV Titan Krios G4 and a 200 kV Talos Arctica G2 (Falcon 4), both manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific. The facility has three primary missions:
　1. Providing machine time to academic and industrial users for more than 200 days a year
　2. Assisting with grid freezing, data collection, and, if necessary, single-particle analysis
　3. Supporting the adoption of cryo-EM techniques

Academic users can access KEK cryo-EM through BINDS.
□ Applications for KEK cryo-EM BINDS projects are always welcome. Please apply here.
Example of a KEK cryo-EM BINDS project application.
□ KEK-Talos Initial Training Manual for External Users (ver.33) (*Latest version!)
（ver.32） （ver.31） （ver.30） （ver.29） （ver.28） （ver.27） （ver.26） （ver.25） （ver.20）
□ KEK-Titan Initial Training Manual for External Users (ver.3) (*Draft version!)
□ English version of KEK-Titan Initial Training Manual for External Users (ver.3) (*Draft 　version!)
□ Tsukuba University-CRYOARM300II Initial Training Manual for External Users (ver.1) (*Draft version!)

□ Feature article on the KEK Cryo-EM Facility published in Journal of Crystallographic Society of Japan. (*Includes user guidelines and grid preparation tips!)。

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Fee Schedule

Titan Usage Fees

Academia:

Equipment Use 3,000 yen/hour* (Minimum usage: 9 or 24 hours/day)

Data Acquisition and Analysis Support: Free

Company:

Equipment Use 15,000 yen/hour (Minimum usage: 24 hours/day)

Data Acquisition and Analysis Support 30,000 yen/hour (Minimum usage: 8 hours/day)

Talos Usage Fees

Academia:

Equipment Use 2,000 yen/hour* (Minimum usage: 9 or 24 hours/day)

Data Acquisition and Analysis Support: Free

Company:

Equipment Use 10,000 yen/hour (Minimum usage: 24 hours/day)

Data Acquisition and Analysis Support 30,000 yen/hour (Minimum usage: 8 hours/day)

*The fee covers the actual cost of consumables (grids, C-clips, C-clip rings, filter paper, liquid nitrogen, HDDs, etc.).

**For corporate users, in addition to the above one-time facility usage, other options are available, such as academic guidance contracts and joint research contracts (membership in the Cryo-EM Consortium is also available). For details, please contact the Cryo-EM administrative office (cryoem-contact@ml.post.kek.jp).

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Document

Cryo-EM Usage Policy

Regulations for the Use of Cryo-Electron Microscopes

KEK Cryo-EM Microscope Usage Guidelines
KEK Cryo-EM Facility Use Regulations

Documents to be submitted for measurement

Please note that membership in the Cryo-EM Consortium is required for measurements.

Regulations for the Use of Cryo-Electron Microscopes

KEK Cryo-EM Consortium Regulations
KEK Cryo-EM Consortium Bylaws

Application Form (Word)

Application Form (PDF)

Required Documents for Measurement (Application Form (Please submit at least 10 days prior to the scheduled use date.))

□ Facility Usage Application Form (for Academic Institutions)

□ Facility Usage Application Form (for Companies)

Notification of Use of Genetically Modified Organisms

□ Notification of Use of Genetically Modified Organisms

Usage Report (Please submit promptly after use.)

□ Facility Usage Time Report (for Academic Institutions)

□ Facility Usage Time Report (for Companies: Optional)

Cryo-EM Internship

The Structural Biology Research Center (SBRC), Institute of Materials Structure Science (IMSS), KEK, offers a Cryo-EM Internship Program for undergraduate students, graduate students, technical college students, and early-career researchers. The program provides hands-on training using a 100 kV cryo-electron microscope.
*Applicants are required to obtain permission from their academic supervisor (or employer) and contact us for a preliminary consultation before applying.*

Duration: Approximately two weeks
Application Period: Open year-round
Contact: cryoem-contact@ml.post.kek.jp

Application Procedure
① Preliminary consultation & Interview (application details will be reviewed)
② Submission of application documents (application form, agreement form, and a copy of the insurance certificate) to the User Office (in principle, at least three weeks before the desired start date)
③ Review by SBRC (including acceptance decision and dormitory support)
④ Notification of the review result to the applicant
⑤ KRS user registration for accepted applicants

For details and application documents, please refer to the following materials.

□ Application Guidelines (PDF)
□ Application Form (Word)
□ Application Form (PDF)
□ Agreement (PDF)

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Access

KEK IMSS Structural Biology Research Center

View

305-0801
1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki
KEK IMSS CryoEM building
tel: 029-879-6303,　fax: 029-879-6179