The Northern Eye: award for microscope facility is a first for the UK

Northumbria University along with Newcastle University and Durham University have been awarded a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) grant to acquire a powerful new type of microscope called a cryo-electron microscope (cryo-EM).

The ‘Northern Eye’, as the new facility will be known, will feature the latest model specification of the cryo-EM and is the first in the UK, providing invaluable imaging capabilities to scientists across the region and beyond.

The microscope uses extremely cold temperatures to take incredibly detailed pictures of tiny biological molecules and structures. Being able to see biological molecules and structures in such detail will help researchers in many different areas including developing new sustainable products from waste materials and designing new biological materials by combining chemistry and biology.

It will also enable studying how bacteria interact with humans, which is important for antibiotic resistance and understanding human diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer better.

The Northern Eye was funded through the Biotechnology and Biosciences Research Council (BBSRC) Alert 2023 mid-range equipment scheme. The proposal, graded as 'outstanding' by the BBSRC, was a joint application led by Newcastle University, where the microscope will be located, in collaboration with Northumbria and Durham Universities.

The award and tri-institutional support recognises the regional strengths in biosciences and structural biology, reflects the growing tri-institutional partnership and capital investment and for the first time equips the North East with cryo-EM capability.

Key areas of research at Northumbria

The Northern Eye will support discoveries and innovations in the following areas of research at Northumbria.

Biotechnology and Engineering Biology

·        discovering and engineering novel enzymes for applications in consumer products, pharmaceuticals, and biomaterials - examples of targets include multidomain enzymes and complexes that convert waste gasses (e.g. CO2, CH4), lignocellulosic and plastic waste into high-value molecules

·        developing biomaterials for diverse applications, including the built environment and biotherapeutics

Bacterial Cell Biology

·        studying how the structure and display of proteins on phage surfaces allow them to thrive in epithelial environments

Structural Glycobiology

·        studying glycan-degrading enzymes in human, animal, and soil microbiota

A cryo-EM-focused Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow will be appointed to facilitate interactions between co-Leads at Northumbria and the to maximise benefit from the equipment.

Commenting on The Northern Eye, Professor Gary Black, project lead for Northumbria University, said: “The cross-institution partnership between Newcastle, Durham and ourselves at Northumbria, is a clear commitment to build complementary strengths in biosciences to attract researchers and resources to the North East; and to place the North East at the forefront of structural biology.”

Find out more:

·        Northumbria University lead: Professor Gary Black

·        Newcastle University lead and co-lead: Professor Wyatt Yue and Dr Jon Marles-Wright

·        Newcastle University Structural Biology Facility: Dr Arnaud Basle

·        Durham University lead: Professor Ehmke Pohl

·        Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) website