NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma officially unveiled a new microscope that enables advanced research capabilities during a grand opening on Thursday, Dec. 5.
“This Tundra cryo-transmission electron microscope is the first of its kind here at OU and in the state of Oklahoma. And, since it is a relatively new instrument, there are only a handful in the nation,” said Ann West, director of the Oklahoma Center for Biomedical Research Excellence in Structural Biology. “This microscope will allow researchers to complete single particle analysis for macro-molecular structure determinations.”
A cryo-TEM allows scientists to examine extremely small things, like proteins or viruses, in their natural state. The instrument passes an electron beam through a thin, frozen sample and captures detailed 2D images. Multiple 2D images can then be combined to produce 3D reconstructions that reveal atomic-level details.
“It’s very exciting that this instrument will be part of the core user facility of the Sam Roberts Noble Microscopy Lab. This technology will support many current and future students,” said SRNML Director Andrew Elwood Madden.
This facility was made possible through collaborative support from the Office of the Vice President for Research and Partnerships, the SRNML and COBRE.
Others present at the ceremony who will be involved in the use of the Tundra cryo-TEM include COBRE Biomolecular Structure Core Director Len Thomas, SRNML Research Scientist Julian Sabisch and SRNML Research Associate Preston Larson.
Learn more about COBRE, the SRNML and the Tundra cryo-TEM.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
Robin Zape-tah-hol-ah Starr Minthorn (Kiowa), professor and chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the University of Oklahoma Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, has been elected president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) — becoming the first Indigenous person to hold this role in the organization’s history.
A new study from the University of Oklahoma suggests that small genetic differences in two proteins – previously known for their role in premature infants’ lungs – may also influence how their eyes develop, potentially affecting the risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
University of Oklahoma researcher Elizabeth Wellberg, Ph.D., is the senior author of a review article in The Journal of Clinical Investigation that gathers current research evidence about the effects of GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic and Zepbound, on cancer risk.
