ISTM News 2013 - Keele University

New fume cupboards in Keele’s EM Unit

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Posted on 05 February 2013
Keele's EM Unit offers a range of microscopes and techniques - see www.keele.ac.uk/emunit/

The Electron Microscopy Unit at Keele was set up in 1983/4 and offers a range of microscope techniques including two Transmission Electron Microscopes and a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope. Researchers come from throughout the UK to use and train on its equipment, plus a group of about 20 researchers and their groups within Keele who rely on the EM Unit regularly.

To support the Unit’s work a suite of preparatory facilities are needed to make samples for analysis. While research grants will pay for the usage of the TEM and SEM equipment, funds for the replacement or upgrading of the support facilities can be harder to find. Deafness Research UK recently paid for some improvements, but for replacement of two 30-year old fume cupboards the EM Unit turned to the Research Institute for Science & Technology in Medicine, which has committed £10,000 from the HEFCE capital equipment fund.

Dr Dave Furness, Reader in Neuroscience who heads the Unit, said “The fume cupboards are integral to the function of the EM Unit but difficult to replace on our normal budget”.

For more details about the EM Unit, including a gallery of award-winning images and opportunities for school visits, please see its website at http://www.keele.ac.uk/emunit/.

Photo: Karen Walker and Dave Furness with the new fume cupboards.
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