NOVA University of Lisbon is one of the eleven portuguese universities and reserach centers that aims to create the first National Center of Cryo-electron microscopy, a technology that consists in the observation of biological samples at very low temperatures. The projects foresees the implementation of this center at Laboratório Ibérico Internacional de Nanotecnologia (INL), located in Braga campus of Universidade do Minho and implies an investement of eight to ten million euros. Besides the scientists from NOVA School of Science and Technology (FCT NOVA) and NOVA School of Chemical and Biological Technology (ITQB NOVA), the initiative also counts with the participation of Universidade do Porto, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, INL, Universidade do Minho, Universidade do Algarve, Universidade de Coimbra, Universidade de Lisboa, Universidade da Beira Interior, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge and Fundação Champalimaud.
Access to this technique by Portuguese researchers is presently very limited, since there are no high-end cryo-electron microscopes in the country. Hence, the creation of a national facility that will serve all institutes nationwide will have a major impact in biological sciences research, allowing the development of new projects with high scientific, technological and societal impact.
Find out more abou this project at the website of ITQB NOVA and read the article written by Expresso newspaper (content in portuguese).