A National Center for Cryo-Electron Microscopy

The S²C² is co-located with the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Light Source (SSRL) and the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science.  The S²C² is supported by the National Institutes of Health Common Fund's Transformative High Resolution Cryo-Electron Microscopy Program.

Mission Statement:

 The mission of the Stanford-SLAC CryoEM Center (S²C²) is to provide:

• Access to state-of-the-art instrumentation for specimen vitrification and cryoEM data collection towards atomic resolution structure determination.
• Support in screening and optimization of vitrified samples.
• Train scientists to become independent cryoEM investigators.

The Center has cryo-specimen preparation devices, data quality assessment tools for on-the-fly evaluation and visualization, and image data storage capacity.  Our export staff train, assist, and advise users, both on-site and remotely, and are available for consultation beforehand and for follow-up discussions.  We cross-train scientists who want to employ cryoEM within their own research portfolios.  Our training includes short-term and long-term in-residence programs for single particle cryoEM workflows, from specimen preparation to structure validation, and is targeted at a wide variety of skill levels.  Access to the Center is through an open process based on scientific merit.