Oxford Particle Imaging Centre specialises in cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM)
The Oxford Particle Imaging Centre (OPIC) is part of the Division of Structural Biology within the Nuffield Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford. OPIC facilities are located in the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics on the Old Road Campus.
OPIC houses state-of-the art equipment for cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). This includes a Titan Krios and a Glacios instrument, both fitted with direct electron detectors, with access to auxiliary equipment for sample preparation.
OPIC facilities enable imaging of macromolecular complexes (including membrane proteins, enzymes, and viruses), organelles, and cells in their native state. Through computational reconstruction of cryo-EM images it is possible to derive three-dimensional density maps of biological structures. Often these maps have sufficient resolution to allow building of atomic models leading to mechanistic understanding of cellular functions.
The local groups using OPIC facilities represent a wide range of research ranging from cell surface receptors and ion-channels to viral polymerases and entire viral particles. Central to OPIC are biosafety containment laboratories which facilitate the study of infectious viruses relevant to human and animal health.
OPIC welcomes research proposals from a broad science base - please enquire if you are interested in containment imaging.
Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive
OX3 7BN, Oxford
United Kingdom
OPIC is currently available for remote access only due to COVID-19 restrictions. For information on the availability of specific technologies, view the Technology Availability List or contact support@instruct-eric.eu. Please check here regularly for updates.
How to find us
Oxford Particle Imaging Centre (OPIC) is part of the Division of Structural Biology within the Nuffield Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford. OPIC facilities are located in the Wellcome Centre Human Genetics on Old Road Campus.
For more information on travel to the institute click here.
OPIC houses state-of-the-art biosafety containment laboratories at ACDP category 3 and DEFRA 4 levels of containment. This facilitates the study of a number of viruses that are important to human and animal health. We have a range of state-of-the-art equipment for transmission electron microscopy of biological specimens, from small macromolecular complexes to cells. Our facilities are available to researchers from across the University of Oxford, and external users form academia and industry.
OPIC houses state-of-the-art equipment for cryo-EM. This includes a Titan Krios (Thermo Fisher Scientific) 300-kV transmission electron microscope equipped with Falcon III and K2 Summit/GIF (Gatan) direction electron detectors, in addition to a Glacios (Thermo Fisher Scientific) 200-kV, also equipped with a Falcon III, as well the facilities for the preperation of cryo-EM sample grids.
