Sample Preparation (Jan. 2020)
Length: 3 days
Dates: January 21-23rd 2020
Cost: At no cost
Lodging: Room and Board provided
Trainees: 4-6 Trainees
Who: PNCC Awarded Proposal members only
Pacific Northwest Center for CryoEM (PNCC) would like to offer a three-day hands-on training workshop for 4-6 trainees on “Introduction to basic theory and hands-on practice in preparing cryo-EM specimens for SPA”. This short course will be held at PNCC between January 21-23rd, 2020. Students do not require any pre-existing knowledge of cryo-EM specimen preparation. Previous experience with negative-stain sample preparation may be useful but is not required.
At the end of this module students will:
- Be able to successfully freeze one of three benchmark samples using one (or more) of the following PNCC devices: TFS Vitrobot Mk IV, Leica GP2
- Clip and prepare samples for loading into an Autoloader equipped system
- Safely manipulate frozen samples for storage and shipping
- Visually identify basic issues arising from sample preparation and propose fixes
Optionally, with another day, students may also:
- Practice using their own samples with feedback from PNCC trainers
- Practice using different grid substrates, such as Lacey Film, AuFoil, thin-carbon, and graphene-oxide.