Boulder Laboratory Specific Aims
Technological Research and Development
The following aims are designed to drive developments in cryo-electron tomography to achieve a resolution of 2nm.
- Specimen preservation by vitrification of biological samples and sectioning of biological material that is not intrinsically thin.
- Structure recognition in vitrified samples and within the complex environment of cells.
- Data acquisition using dynamic focusing and stable fiducial markers.
- Data processing including CTF corrections and averaging volume data.
- Further improvements in SerialEM for the acquisition of tomographic data from cryo-specimens.
- Development of algorithms and software in IMOD to extend the limits of electron tomorgraphy and to enhance the quality of tomographic reconstructions.
Collaboration and Service
Our aims for collaboration are focused on projects initiated by scientists whose research questions motivate improvements in the technologies currently under development in our lab.
Service projects include work done in conjunction with other labs and these projects employ established technologies.
Training and Dissemination
The Boulder lab has a long tradition of providing training in a range of methods related to the technologies developed here. We will continue this tradition through workshops on the use of our laboratory’s software, imaging tools, and methods for specimen preparation.