Center for Electron Microscopy and Analysis - CEMAS

08/31/2026

🔬 CEMAS's Thermo Scientific Themis Z S/TEM provides atomic-resolution imaging and analysis, helping researchers better understand the structure and composition of materials at the nanoscale. With advanced imaging, EDS and EELS capabilities, it is a powerful tool for materials characterization.

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The S-CORR probe corrected Themis-Z™ is equipped with a

08/05/2026

🔬 At CEMAS, advanced cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) capabilities are helping researchers unlock new insights into the structure and function of biological and material systems. From visualizing proteins and cellular components to analyzing complex materials, cryo-EM provides researchers with unprecedented detail. By combining cutting-edge technology with expert support, CEMAS is accelerating discovery and enabling breakthroughs across a wide range of scientific disciplines.

CEMAS is at the forefront in the convergence of physical and life sciences. Our multidisciplinary approach drives synergy and amplifies characterization capabilities to challenge "what is possible" in electron microscopy. Our comprehensive cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) program advances this eff...

07/14/2026

☕ Need a midweek pick-me-up?

Join us tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the lounge for the weekly CEMAS Coffee Hour! Stop by for coffee, conversation and a chance to connect with others around the building.

See you there! 👋

07/08/2026

Researchers from the Center for the Accelerated Maturation of Materials (CAMM), which is based at CEMAS, have been investigating a class of metallic materials known as refractory high entropy alloys (RHEA) for high temperature and extreme environment applications. The constituent phases in these alloys govern their mechanical performance.

Newly published work links the structure of the constituent phases of the alloy to a prediction of the local deformation characteristics. The structure was determined by application of Convergent Beam Electron Diffraction (CBED) techniques in the transmission electron microscope at CEMAS.

The study is authored by Paraic O'Kelly, Brian Welk and Hamish Fraser of The Ohio State University and Jacob Jensen of Thermo Fisher Scientific.

CEMAS continues to offer advanced materials characterization facilities which enables mechanistic understanding of structure-property relationships in metallic materials.

Read more:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304399126001075

07/06/2026

CEMAS-enabled research is helping advance new solutions to combat antimicrobial-resistant foodborne pathogens.

A recent study found that NutriClayZn, a zinc-enhanced clay material, was highly effective at suppressing multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica and preventing the growth of Clostridium perfringens—pathogens that can impact livestock health and food safety. It outperformed traditional zinc oxide treatments and showed even greater efficacy when combined with low doses of antioxidants.

SEM characterization at CEMAS supported the research, highlighting how advanced materials research and state-of-the-art microscopy can contribute to more sustainable approaches for livestock production while helping address antimicrobial resistance and protect the food supply.

Zinc amended to the interlayer of montmorillonite clay is key to NutriClayZn efficacy against enterotoxigenic, multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica I 4,[5],12:i:-. Either collapsing the clay's int...

06/17/2026

At CEMAS, researchers use advanced electron microscopy to improve high-temperature materials such as Inconel 718, which faces limits at elevated temperatures due to phase instability.

In this study, researchers from Ohio State added tiny oxide particles (yttria) to the material during the additive manufacturing process and then used CEMAS’ multi-scale, multi-modal electron microscopy capabilities to closely examine the results.

The added particles integrated into the material without disrupting its overall structure and naturally settled along key internal features. While high-temperature strength showed only a slight improvement, the main finding is that the material's ductility at elevated temperatures increased significantly.

This directly addresses the intermediate-temperature embrittlement commonly observed in additively manufactured Inconel 718, suggesting a promising pathway to improve performance in demanding applications.

This research showcases how CEMAS’ advanced microscopy infrastructure empowers scientists to link processing, structure and properties at the nanoscale, driving innovation in additive manufacturing and the design of next-generation materials.

The high-temperature capability of Inconel718 is limited by the coarsening and dissolution of its primary strengthening phase, the γ′′ precipitates. To enhance its performance, this study introduces oxide-dispersion strengthening (ODS) particles by coating alloy powder with nanoscale yttria via...

05/27/2026

A recent study from The Ohio State University is the first to describe how a specific protein orchestrates the step-by-step assembly of the molecular complex that performs the regulatory job.

By leveraging the advanced cryo-EM microscopy tools and expertise available through CEMAS, researchers visualized the assembly of a key molecular complex involved in gene regulation, revealing details that had long remained hidden within the cell. This work brings new clarity to one of biology’s enduring “black boxes,” revealing how cells precisely control gene activation at the molecular level.

Discoveries like this reflect CEMAS's role in the research ecosystem by providing access to state-of-the-art instrumentation and supporting collaborations that turn complex data into meaningful insights.

While scientists have known for over two decades that all cells use a strategy called RNA interference to regulate gene expression, a new study is the first to describe how a specific protein manages the step-by-step process of assembling the molecular complex that performs the regulatory job. Amon...

05/04/2026

Ohio State researchers have taken some of the most detailed snapshots to date of a DNA repair protein crucial to cancers caused by BRCA mutations. Leveraging state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscopy at CEMAS, they uncovered the mechanism by which this protein recognizes and repairs damaged DNA.

By clarifying how this repair pathway works, the research provides a foundation for designing drugs that selectively block DNA repair in BRCA‑mutated cancer cells, potentially leading to more targeted and effective cancer therapies.

These findings were made possible by cutting-edge cryo-EM capabilities at CEMAS, which enable scientists to visualize molecular machines at near‑atomic resolution.

Scientists have captured the most detailed structural images to date of a specific type of protein’s DNA repair process, a finding that could reveal ways to inhibit the effects of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations that heighten the risk for breast, ovarian and other cancers. Previous research has shown t...

05/01/2026

CEMAS recently welcomed Krishna Chinthalapudi, Associate Professor of Physiology and Cell Biology, as Associate Director of Biological Sciences!

This new strategic role supports the growing demand for advanced biological imaging and cryo‑EM, strengthening collaboration across engineering, medicine and life sciences. Dr. Chinthalapudi will help guide research priorities, strategic planning, major instrumentation and grant initiatives.

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Professor Krishna Chinthalapudi steps into strategic advisory role

04/14/2026

New insight from CEMAS 🔬

Using HRSTEM HAADF imaging, researchers can see the nucleation of a complex carbide within a microtwin in the fcc matrix of an additively manufactured Ni‑based superalloy. Postdoc Andreas Bezold was able to capture this image on CEMAS' Themis Z S/TEM.