Cryo-EM✓ External Access

Caltech Cryo-EM Facility (Beckman Institute Cryo-EM Center)

Caltech

📍 Pasadena, CA · Website ↗

The Caltech Cryo-EM Facility is a Beckman Institute resource center located in the Beckman Institute and Broad Center on the Caltech campus. It operates a 300 kV Titan Krios G3i with Gatan K3 and BioQuantum energy filter, a 200 kV Talos Arctica with Gatan K3, a 120 kV Tecnai T12, and a Helios Hydra Bio cryo plasma FIB-SEM, supported by two Vitrobot Mark IV and a Leica EM GP2 plunge freezer, a Wohlwend high pressure freezer, freeze substitution and cryo ultramicrotomy. Users complete a project proposal and a tiered training course before reserving instruments through Idea Elan.

Equipment Inventory(12 instruments)

Roster verified against the facility's own published instrument list, September 2026.

Hydra Bio

Thermo Fisher Scientific

FIB-SEM
Configuration: Helios Hydra Bio cryo plasma FIB-SEM. The Beckman Institute page lists it as available while the facility equipment page still says 'coming 2025', so confirm status with the facility.

Leica EM AFS

Leica Microsystems · Freeze Substitution

Sample Prep
Configuration: Automated freeze substitution

Pelco easiGlow

Ted Pella · Glow Discharge

Sample Prep
Configuration: Glow discharge

Emitech K100X

Quorum · Glow Discharge

Sample Prep
Configuration: Glow discharge

Cressington 208

Cressington · Coater

Sample Prep
Configuration: Carbon coater

Vitrobot Mark IV

×2

Thermo Fisher Scientific · Vitrification

Sample Prep
Configuration: Two units listed under plunge freezers

Leica EM GP2

Leica Microsystems · Vitrification

Sample Prep
Configuration: Automatic plunge freezer

Wohlwend HPF

Wohlwend

Sample Prep
Configuration: High pressure freezer

Leica EM UC6/FC6

Leica

Sample Prep
Configuration: Cryo and conventional ultramicrotome

Tecnai T12

Thermo Fisher Scientific

TEM
Configuration: 120 kV LaB6; Gatan Ultrascan 2k x 2k CCD; used for negative stain screening

Talos Arctica

Thermo Fisher Scientific · Single Particle / Screening

TEM
Voltage: 200 kV
Configuration: 200 kV FEG; Gatan K3 6k x 4k direct detector; runs SerialEM; nickname 'BI-Arctica'

Titan Krios G3i

Thermo Fisher Scientific · Single Particle / Tomography

TEM
Voltage: 300 kV
Configuration: 300 kV FEG; Gatan K3 6k x 4k direct detector, Gatan BioQuantum energy filter, phase plates; nickname 'Krios'