The Institut Pasteur officially unveiled its new Thermo Scientific Krios Cryo-TEM electron microscope. 

The availability of one of the most powerful commercially available microscopes in the world in the center of Paris will allow structural biologists at the Institut Pasteur to extend their research in areas such as immunology, bacteriology, virology, parasitology, and neuroscience. By acquiring the Thermo Scientific Krios Cryo-TEM system, the Institut Pasteur is offering its scientists an extraordinarily powerful tool to observe cells and get a closer look at life.

The new instrument will allow the Institut Pasteur to conduct research related to clarifying the basic processes of life, such as protein assemblies and cell signaling. Many pathogens disrupt these processes in order to invade host organisms and spread disease. Other Institut Pasteur teams will also benefit from this new equipment; potential uses include examining host pathogen interactions and analyzing mechanisms associated with the emergence of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.

“The arrival of this remarkable microscope is a major scientific event for the Institut Pasteur’s teams,” said Olivier Schwartz, scientific director at the Institut Pasteur. “We are all eager to discover the capabilities of the Thermo Scientific Krios Cryo-TEM and to deepen our knowledge, and more broadly that of the scientific and medical research community, through the data and images generated.”

“Cryo-TEM has changed the way scientists learn about neurodegenerative diseases, pathogens and cancers because of its ability to provide them with an unprecedented look at the structures of proteins and provide new insights in disease mechanisms,” said Mike Shafer, president, materials and structural analysis, Thermo Fisher. “We applaud the Institut Pasteur for being at the forefront of innovation, and their installation of our Krios Cryo-TEM is further proof of their commitment to advancing important research in these and other disciplines.”

Cryo-TEM is a technique where a sample is cooled to cryogenic temperatures (below -180 °C), providing scientists the opportunity to create 3D images of proteins and viruses that couldn’t otherwise be obtained.