NIH has issued two funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) to advance the application of cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), a powerful imaging method for directly visualizing macromolecular associations and organization in native cells. The first FOA, RFA-RM-19-009, will establish four service centers that will specialize in cryo-ET specimen preparation. The other FOA, RFA-RM-19-010, in addition to cryo-ET specimen preparation, will establish a network hub that will support these service centers and collect cryo-ET images for their users.
These centers will provide the following services to the community:
- Access to advanced instrumentation for cryo-ET
- Cross-training in cryo-ET methods
- Submission of specimens to the network hub for collection of high-resolution cryo-ET images
Users of the network hub will analyze their results at their home institution. Both FOAs are part of the NIH Office of Strategic Coordination’s Common Fund program, Transformative High Resolution Cryo-Electron Microscopy, led by NIGMS and the National Eye Institute. The application deadline for both FOAs is November 12, 2019, with optional letters of intent due October 12. For more information about these announcements, please email me. Please also help us get the word out by letting your community know of these opportunities.