Overview
Overcoming Global Supply Challenges in Cryo-EM
Challenge
With cryo-EM, drugs and vaccines can be designed to specifically target and map precisely the desired sites for drug interaction on protein surfaces. One factor that is key to the success of the technology is preparing suitable specimens for imaging using cryo-EM. There is currently a major worldwide gap in the supply of suitable specimen supports (called grids) and limited options for customized design and manufacture of these grids.
Solution
By partnering with the UBC ANF, researchers from Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health are now beginning to address this gap, both by leveraging existing technology for grid manufacture and by engineering novel methods to manufacture new grid supports for cryo-EM. This partnership allows the researchers to develop an efficient manufacturing process for the development of customized grids that meet stringent quality control measures. It also enables them to be independent of supply chain problems while simultaneously driving a successful and innovative interdisciplinary collaboration.
