NOVA FCT launch the CryoEM Hub: A pioneering facility for cryo-electron microscopy

Fotografia: João Lima/NOVA FCT

The NOVA School of Science and Technology | NOVA FCT has launch, at the Applied Biomolecular Sciences Unit (UCIBIO), the CryoEM Hub. This state-of-the-art laboratory, integrated into the National CryoEM Network (CryoEM-PT) — part of the National Roadmap of Research Infrastructures of Strategic Interest (RNIE) — is equipped to conduct research at the atomic scale, enabling scientists to determine and visualize the three-dimensional structures of proteins and macromolecular complexes. This capability is essential to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying biological processes related to the onset of various human diseases, opening new perspectives for drug discovery and development.

Electron microscopy is a cutting-edge field of science that has profoundly transformed modern biology and was recognized with the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Widely used worldwide in leading research in structural biology, this technology positions Portugal on par with international centers of excellence, strengthening the scientific visibility of NOVA FCT and UCIBIO in this emerging area, as well as their capacity to respond to global challenges in healthcare.

The new research and advanced training center will focus its activities on four main areas:

• Determining high-resolution 3D structures of proteins and biological complexes
• Studying protein–ligand interactions and dynamic complexes that are difficult to crystallize using traditional methods
• Integrating cryo-EM data with X-ray crystallography and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), reinforcing NOVA FCT’s multidisciplinary approach
• Establishing an advanced training hub for national and international researchers

“The CryoEM Hub complements the existing structural biology methodologies at NOVA FCT, positioning itself as a facility with the potential to fully integrate these techniques in Portugal. With a team of researchers with proven expertise in this scientific domain, we expect to soon present significant advances in areas of major societal impact, particularly in medicine and the development of new therapies,” said Maria João Romão, project coordinator at UCIBIO – NOVA FCT.

The project is funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe program. The infrastructure begins its activity with a strong focus on international collaboration, having already established partnerships with institutions in Brazil and Germany. The Hub is also developing new strategic partnerships and preparing applications for national and European funding, ensuring the sustainability and continuous growth of this new scientific center.

Photo gallery here. (João Lima/NOVA FCT)

Press

Nova FCT inaugura novo laboratório pioneiro em Portugal. Infraestrutura permite investigar à escala atómica, Executive Digest