Services Provided

Pricing for Our CryoEM Services

We provide transparent pricing for academic and industry partners. All reagents and consumables, and labor are included.  A few of the packages we provide for our customers are listed below.  If you have a challenging sample or difficult cryoEM project we can help design a unique solution that fits your budget and research aims.   

1. Nanoparticle Characterization.  

Cryo-TEM allows for the high-resolution visualization of biological samples in their near-native state. This technique captures the detailed ultra structural of your sample in solution without the structural artifacts caused by heavy metal stains or chemical fixatives. Researchers can accurately characterize the size and internal structure elements of fragile samples. This includes lipid nanoparticles, virus like particle, peptide based nano-particles, extracellular vesicles, or other large macromolecules.  Ideal for characterizing size, morphology, and the regularity of polymorphic samples approx. 50–300 nm.   

Note: Prices above are estimates for 4 samples. Single-sample screening starts at $260 (Internal) / $430 (External) / $500 (Industry)

2. Cryo-EM Specimen Preparation and Screening (SPA and Cryo-ET).

We provide a comprehensive Sample-to-Structure workflow for both Single-Particle Analysis (SPA) and Cryo-Electron Tomography (cryo-ET). Send us your sample and we will send you the data for your structure. We prepare cryo-grids and perform rigorous screening to optimize freezing conditions specifically for your project. We are highly experienced in working with “difficult” samples that suffer from preferred orientation, low-abundance or dilute samples and complexes that fall-apart at the air-water interface (AWI).

3. High-Resolution Data Collection

Why waste more money than you have to? We are cryoTEM data collection experts. You might not need 24 hours of beam time to get a structure. Our instruments are set up for rapid data collection to save you time and money.   

What to Expect When You Work with Our Core. 

• Consultation: A free initial consultation is provided to determine project feasibility and the best technical approach. 
• Shipping: Samples can be shipped overnight on dry ice. If your sample is sensitive to flash-freezing, please ship it on an ice pack, and we will vitrify it immediately upon arrival. 

• Labor: Our talented staff scientists will complete your experiments in a timely fashion. For industry customers, we work directly with the Office of Sponsored Research to prepare Consultation Agreements. 

• Cryo-grid Storage: We store your prepared cryo-grids for up to one year for free. Grids can be shipped back to your lab upon request. 

• Turnaround Time: The average turnaround time is two to three weeks from the date we receive your sample. 

• Reporting: A detailed technical report, prepared by the Core Director, is provided upon the completion of every experiment. In addition, we schedule a remote meeting with your group to provide progress updates and discuss the final results. 

Education and Training 

Our facility is more than just a laboratory, we are educators and innovators in the field of cryo-EM. We have the technical expertise to collaborate with you and move your project forward. In addition to our Sample-to-Structure model, we provide training so you can become an expert at cryoEM.   

• Proven Success: Our expertise delivers results, with over 100 maps deposited in the EMDB and 24+ publications featuring our core’s data since 2019. 

• Mentorship: Our training program is robust, backed by 20+ years of experience and over 50 students trained to become independent users. We update our training curriculum bi-annually to stay current with the latest technological advances. 

• Empowering You: We offer comprehensive training in specimen preparation and electron microscopy. Since 2019, we have been democratizing cryo-EM to help researchers become independent. Please refer to our Training Section on our website for details and educational materials. 

• Group Training Rates: If your research group is interested in learning cryo-EM together, please let us know. We offer competitive group rates to get your entire team up to speed on specimen preparation and microscope operation. 

• Accessible to All: We support internal and external customers alike. Researchers across the UNC System, as well as NCSU, can now benefit from our internal rate structure, ensuring world-class cryo-EM remains budget-friendly. 

Individuals that have completed our training program can use our facility to prepare cryo-specimens and operate the cryoTEM to do their own experiments.  A detailed breakdown of the cost structure for each of the services and equipment we offer is listed here. 

For all inquiries please contact Dr. Joshua Strauss mailto:Joshua_Strauss@med.unc.edu