TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY (TEM) CORE
The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis
Lois Pope LIFE Center Building Room 5-23A
1095 NW 14th Terrace, Miami, FL 33136
Contact: Vania Almeida, M.S., C.E.M.T.
Phone: (305) 243-7137 (lab) or (305) 243-8942 (scope)
Please email questions to: valmeida@miami.edu
The TEM Core offers a variety of services, starting with the preparation of the sample for electron microscopy, to semi-thin and thin sectioning, to the final imaging. The laboratory can be found on the 5th floor of the Lois Pope LIFE Center (Room 5-23/24) while the two JEOL JEM-1400 transmission electron microscopes are located on the 4th floor (Room 4-34).
TEM CORE SERVICES
- Embedding (up to 4 samples) = $250.00 ($50.00 charge per each additional sample).
- Cutting semi-thin (1µm) sections stained with toluidine blue = $75.00/sample.
- Cutting semi-thin (1µm) sections stained with toluidine and cutting thin sections (100nm) for grids with contrast staining = $130.00/sample.
- Scoping session (“beam time”) on the JEOL JEM-1400 with TEM Core staff assistance $180.00/hour (billed in 15min increments).
- Independent user: $130.00/hour (the training fee is the same as beam time with TEM Core staff assistance).
- Technical time for loading grids with extracellular vesicles and nanoparticles: $80.00/hour.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who can use the facility?
- University of Miami faculty, students, and staff
- External academic collaborators
- Industry users (subject to availability and approval)
Where is the facility located?
The TEM Core is located on the medical campus of the University of Miami at the Lois Pope LIFE Center building.
How do I contact the facility?
Vania Almeida, Manager
Email valmeida@miami.edu
How do I schedule instrument time?
Via email valmeida@miami.edu
Is training available for the Electron Microscopes?
Training is offered for a fee to “super users” who will be doing imaging on a weekly basis. Fee to be determined upon scheduling.
What is the cancellation policy?
There is a 15-minute grace period for all appointments. Cancellations must be sent via email to valmeida@miami.edu at least 24 hours in advance. Failure to provide notice within this timeframe will result in a $180 cancellation fee, equivalent to one hour of scoping.
Does the TEM Core provide sample preparation support?
The TEM Core provides a full range of electron microscopy services, from resin embedding, to semi-thin and thin-sectioning on grids, contrast/negative staining, and imaging.
How should samples be prepared?
Please schedule a free consultation with the Core Manager to discuss the details of your project, including fixation, prior to preparing the samples for submission.
What types of samples can be analyzed?
Block tissue, cell cultures grown on glass coverslips, cell pellets, extracellular vesicles, and nanoparticles.
What sample tissue size is required?
For tissue, the thickness must be 1-mm in at least one dimension to allow for proper fixation. Ideally, samples are cut into 1 mm3 cubes.
For cell pellets, the pellets must be visible to the naked eye.
What equipment is available?
The TEM Core has two Leica UC7 ultramicrotomes and two JEOL JEM-1400 microscopes, both equipped with AMT digital cameras.
What resolution can the microscopes achieve?
The JEOL JEM-1400 is capable of a point-to-point resolution down to 0.38 nm and lattice imaging down to 0.2 nm.
Do you offer cryo-EM?
For cryo-EM, please contact the Frost Institute for Chemistry and Molecular Science (FICMS) located on the University of Miami Coral Gables campus.
What file formats are provided?
The images generated are in TIFF format. Images may be saved to a flash drive or up to the University of Miami BOX drive.
How long is data stored?
Data is stored for 1 year, however users are responsible for backing up data immediately.
Is there a fee to use the facility?
How can I pay for the charges?
For University of Miami users, billing is processed directly through Workday. The Core Manager will send you an estimate for the services, and once the work is completed, you will receive an email with a breakdown of the charges. You can then reply with the account number you would like to use for payment.
For external users, charges may be paid by purchase order (PO), check, or credit card.
How should I acknowledge the facility in publications?
Users are required to acknowledge the TEM Core in publications that include images generated in the facility.
Please include the following acknowledgment: “We acknowledge Vania Almeida and the University of Miami Transmission Electron Microscopy Core (RRID: SCR_023492) for EM sample preparation and assistance with the generation of EM images.”
What are the TEM Core operating hours?
Monday through Friday, during regular business hours (9:00 am to 5:00 pm).
Are food and drinks allowed?
No food or drinks are permitted in microscope rooms.
Can companies or outside institutions use the TEM Core?
Yes, external users are welcome subject to availability.