Cryo-EM✓ External Access

University of Chicago Advanced Electron Microscopy Core Facility

University of Chicago

📍 CHICAGO, IL · Website ↗

Biological Sciences Division core with space in the Gordon Center for Integrative Science and the Franklin McLean Institute. It runs a Titan Krios G3i with Gatan K3 camera and BioQuantum energy filter, a Glacios with Gatan K3, an Aquilos 2 cryo-FIB/SEM, a Volumescope 2 serial block-face SEM, a Tecnai G2 F30 300 kV and a Tecnai Spirit 120 kV, plus two Vitrobots and a Baltec HPM 010 high pressure freezer. Hourly fees range from internal rates (Krios $124, Glacios $87) to commercial rates (Krios $350, Glacios $300).

Equipment Inventory(10 instruments)

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

Aquilos 2

Thermo Fisher Scientific · Cryo-FIB Milling

FIB-SEM
Configuration: cryo-DualBeam for lamella preparation; fee sheet lists 'Aquilos' internal $51.50/hr

Vitrobot Mark IV

×2

Thermo Fisher Scientific · Vitrification

Sample Prep
Configuration: status page lists 'FEI Vitrobot 1' and 'FEI Vitrobot 2 (Thermo)'; model generation not stated

BAL-TEC HPM 010

Bal-Tec · High Pressure Freezing

Sample Prep
Configuration: high pressure freezer

Leica EM AFS

×2

Leica Microsystems · Freeze Substitution

Sample Prep
Configuration: automatic freeze substitution; status page lists AFS 1 and AFS 2

Leica EM UC6

Leica Microsystems · Ultramicrotome

Sample Prep
Configuration: ultramicrotome

VolumeScope 2

Thermo Fisher Scientific · Serial Block-Face

SEM
Configuration: serial block-face SEM; fee sheet bills it as 'Apreo - Wafer' and 'Apreo - Blockface'

Tecnai T12

Thermo Fisher Scientific

TEM
Configuration: 120 kV LaB6; prerequisite for TF30 training

Glacios

Thermo Fisher Scientific · Single Particle / Screening

TEM
Voltage: 200 kV
Configuration: 200 kV; cryo-autoloader; Gatan K3 (status page Nov 2024 lists K3 installed); STEM detector; internal $87/hr

Tecnai F30

Thermo Fisher Scientific

TEM
Configuration: 300 kV FEG STEM, Super Twin; autonomous $84/hr, assisted $132/hr internal

Titan Krios G3i

Thermo Fisher Scientific · Single Particle / Tomography

TEM
Voltage: 300 kV
Configuration: 300 kV; Gatan K3 camera and BioQuantum energy filter; internal $124/hr, external up to $350/hr

Published Rates

As published by the facility, retrieved Aug 10, 2026 · source. Rates change; confirm with the facility before budgeting.

ServiceRateApplies toNotes
Aquilos (hour)$75.00externalacademic non-profit
Glacios (day)$1,600.00externalacademic non-profit
Glacios (hour)$106.00externalacademic non-profit
Krios data collection (day)$3,000.00externalacademic non-profit
Krios data collection (hour)$182.00externalacademic non-profit
Glacios (hour)$300.00industrycommercial
Krios data collection (day)$6,000.00industrycommercial
Krios data collection (hour)$350.00industrycommercial
Aquilos (hour)$51.50internal
Glacios (day)$1,400.00internal
Glacios (hour)$87.00internal
Krios data collection (day)$1,705.00internal
Krios data collection (hour)$124.00internal