Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging

World-class £5 million Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging opens in Glasgow.

21:38 11 September 2018

A £5 million structural biology centre that houses a cutting-edge electron microscope has opened on Tuesday in Glasgow.

 

The Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging will use the microscope to image biological molecules at the atomic level. It is designed to support research into diseases posing greatest threats to human and animal health. It will also be used to support cancer research, vaccine development and drug design and discovery.

 

SCMI director Dr David Bhella said: “Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryoEM) is revolutionising the field of structural biology.

 

“The Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging is a tremendous opportunity not only for the CVR, but also for life sciences in Scotland.

 

“Our new facility will place the CVR and the University of Glasgow right at the centre of vital structural biology research by offering a world-class capability.

 

“The new technology will help us investigate key processes in infection and cancer biology.”

 

 The centre was opened by Dr Richard Henderson, Nobel Laureate 2017 for Chemistry.

 

He said “CryoEM, after many years of technical improvements, has now become an immensely powerful method for determining the structures of biological molecules and molecular assemblies that have resisted many other approaches.

 

“The new Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging provides a local capability for world-class structural biology on viruses, immune complexes and other macromolecular assemblies.”