Electron Microscopy Core Facility

Woo-Kuen Lo, Ph.D., Professor
and Core Facility Director
Lawrence Brako, Electron Microscopy Technician

The RCMI EM Core Facility employs a well-trained and competent technician, Mr. Lawrence Brako, who handles all interdepartmental (as well as Off-Campus) requests for Electron Microscopy endeavors. In addition to twelve years of experience, he is an E.M.S.A. (Microscopy Society of America) certified Technologist who has been with Morehouse School of Medicine since 1992. Due to the highly precise and sensitive nature of Electron Microscopy work and the lengthy, time-consuming preparatory efforts required prior to actual time on the Microscope, Mr. Brako is fully extended throughout the year to accommodate the routine occurrence of project overlap which naturally exists within this field. His position is partly funded by the RCMI continuation grant.

The facility has two highly capable Electron Microscopes, a JEOL 820 Scanning EM and a JEOL 1200EX Transmission EM. The ancillary equipment available for the processing of biological samples includes a Tousimis Critical Point Dryer, Hummer VII Sputtercoater, LKB Ultramicrotome V, Sorvall MT2B Microtome, Diatome Diamond Knife, Olympus Light Microscope, Labconco Hood, Corning pH Meter, and an Ohaus Portable Balance. Also available is a Darkroom with a Durst Enlarger Unit equipped for producing quality EM micrographs.

A) Complete preparation of samples (i.e. fixation, dehydration, critical point drying,
    sputter coating, embedding, polymerization, knife-making, trimming, H/E slide-
    preparation, sectioning, formvar-coated grid  preparation and subsequent
    grid-staining...)

B) Examination and documentation of prepared specimens utilizing Transmission and/or     Scanning Electron Microscope.

C) Complete Darkroom Photography to provide 8"x10" prints.