Electron Microscopy Facility

The Dunn School Electron Microscopy (EM) Facility comprises state-of-the-art microscopes and offers the full gamut of EM techniques to facilitate a diverse range of biological and biomedical research. From scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), through to cutting-edge techniques such as correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM), volume EM and elemental mapping using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, we have the instrumentation and expertise to help you get the imaging results you need.

The Facility is open to all members of the University, as well as to external researchers and industry. Our instrumentation includes:

  • JEOL 1400 Flash 120kV TEM with Gatan Rio camera for negative stain and thin section TEM
  • JEOL 2100 Plus 200kV TEM with Gatan OneView camera for high resolution imaging and EM tomography
  • Zeiss Sigma 300 SEM with an Oxford Instruments Ultim Xtreme X-ray detector for topographical and elemental imaging
  • JEOL 4700F Focussed Ion Beam SEM (FIB-SEM) with Omniprobe micromanipulator for volume EM and FIB liftouts
  • Zeiss Merlin Compact Field Emission Gun (FEG)-SEM with Gatan 3View for serial block face sectioning SEM (in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University)
  • Dedicated EM specimen preparation laboratory with the latest Leica instrumentation
  • Computer stations for image analysis and 3D data reconstruction

We provide expert advice on which EM techniques are right for your project, as well as support in image interpretation and troubleshooting. We offer training on all of our instruments, as well as full service and collaboration options.

Usage charges are available upon request and vary depending on the instrument and project. Service work involves an additional fee. Quotes for grant applications can also be prepared.

The Facility is led by Dr Errin Johnson and supported by Dr Charlotte Melia. Both are expert electron microscopists and specialists in biological EM specimen preparation. Together, Errin and Charlotte collaborate on and facilitate a diverse range of research projects from across Oxford, spanning the areas of biophysics, structural biology, microbiology, cell biology, biomedicine, plant biology and more! Both enjoy the challenges associated with biological EM and are keen to help users at every step of the way in producing high quality electron micrographs.

Please contact Errin for more information and to discuss how we can help you further your research. Enquires from industry are also welcome!

Group members

  • Errin Johnson (EM Facility Manager)
  • Charlotte Melia (EM Support Scientist)

Selected Publications