The National Center for CryoEM Access and Training - Establishing a Cross-Facility-Honored Training Curriculum

Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoEM) has developed over the years as a technology that biomedical researchers may routinely use to determine atomic models of complete and fully functional macromolecular complexes. Using images of frozen hydrated biological specimens, high-resolution studies of biological targets, ranging from below 100kDa to whole cells and tissues are possible. The NIH Common Fund established the Transformative High Resolution Cryo-Electron Microscopy program to provide access to this technology and support the development of cryoEM training curricula to build a skilled cryoEM workforce. The National Center for CryoEM Access and Training (NCCAT) [1] is one of these NIH sponsored service centers. NCCAT is based in New York and offers the nation access to state-of-the-art cryoEM technology for data collection [2], grid preparation and screening [3,4], and cross-training on the full workflow from sample preparation to on-the-fly computational feedback [5]. CryoEM instrumentation is being installed in many research institutions and there is a need for users of these instruments to learn the best practices available in the field. Over the past several years NCCAT has helped scientists with access to state-of-the-art cryoEM technology, from novel sample preparation methodologies to collection of high-resolution data and computational analysis. Providing users from across the nation access to the latest equipment for the collection and analysis of high-resolution data, has highlighted that training is a key component across all our access categories. Our cross-training efforts enable the establishment of a community of independent cryoEM users. Through the NIH Common Fund program, our services are offered at no cost to non-profit institutions, thus eliminating the high-cost barrier usually associated with cryoEM and structural biology in general. An important component of NCCAT's mission is to increase hands-on training and the availability of instructional material on cryoEM methodology. NCCAT has been working with partner service centers to develop open-access instructional material called “cryoEM merit badges” to expand standards and training efforts. CryoEM merit badges are proficiency badges awarded to users of any of the centers in three main skill areas: 1) sample preparation, 2) microscope operations, and 3) data processing (Figure 1). A merit badge certifies a researcher as independent on a particular instrument or in a skill area. Merit badges are honored at the other US national service centers to minimize duplication of training efforts and ensure a minimal level of core competency is attained by practitioners. Taken together we aim to lower the barriers of access and cross-train biomedical researchers to broadly utilize cryoEM techniques. National and regional service centers have emerged to support the growth of cryoEM technology by increasing the accessibility of cryoEM throughout the biomedical research community. In support of this, the NIH sponsored service centers have created a joint website to aid in disseminating cryoEM resources from the network [7]. Through cooperation and synergy, these centers form a network of cryoEM resources that accelerate the adoption of best practices for access and training and establish sustainable workflows to build future research capacity [8]. Merit badges are awarded to users in three main skill areas: 1) sample preparation, 2) microscope operations, and 3) data processing.