NEMI
Netherlands Electron Microscopy Infrastructure
The Netherlands Electron Microscopy Infrastructure (NEMI) is the Dutch national infrastructure for electron microscopy (EM) with the aim to coordinate EM infrastructure, innovation and access at the national level. NEMI provides a central access point that brings together key EM instrumentation and expertise, facilitates access for a broad user group to expert EM platforms and training in state-of-the-art EM technologies. It is distributed, with complementary nodes focusing on methodologies covering Life Sciences, Materials Sciences and Instrumentational EM. The Netherlands benefits from NEMI by sharing cross-disciplinary expertise, state-of-the-art equipment, and by coordinating funding opportunities, keeping the Netherlands at the forefront of EM innovations and empower EM applications.
Infrastructure and User Services
Currently, NEMI consists of seven Flagship Nodes embedded in a national network of Regional Nodes. The Flagship Nodes host and innovate cutting-edge instrumentation, while the nodes enable local sample optimization and user training. NEMI supports investment into the (Flagship) nodes and their usage by the Dutch life and materials science community. The current Flagship nodes are (i) highest resolution EM for materials through advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM), (ii) high-end cryo-electron microscopy (EM) for determining the precise structure of biomolecules (NeCEN), (iii) multi-beam scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for imaging of large length-scales of biological materials, (iv) correlated light and electron microscopy (CLEM) for the study of cells and tissue, (v) multimodal EM for the integration of EM imaging with localisation-specific mass-spectrometry data, (vi) transmission electron microscopy to study photo-driven processes and (vii) EM for samples in solution.
By sharing expertise, equipment, and funding opportunities, NEMI strengthens the Dutch EM community, ensuring access to state-of-the-art EM technologies. This initiative unites the life and material sciences, addressing common challenges while advancing research across disciplines.
Examples/description of the type of research
Electron Microscopy (EM) is a powerful technique that uses electron beams to visualize matter at the smallest scale, revealing morphology, structure, chemical composition, and electronic properties. EM enables multi-scale imaging, from entire organisms to sub-angstrom molecular detail, making it indispensable in both Life Science and Materials Science.
In the area of the life sciences, EM enables the in-depth understanding of the basic concept of life. EM is indispensable to address biological structures both at cellular and molecular scales. EM applications are found in fundamental biological research, including infectiology, neurobiology, immunology, and pathology.
In the area of the materials science, EM is the premier method for imaging the atomic structure of materials with (sub) nanometer resolution. Using analytical tools, also the chemical composition and electronic properties can be mapped in 2D or in 3D at the nanometer scale. These detailed characterizations are of major importance to materials research into both soft matter and hard matter, including the geosciences, metallurgy, catalysis and semiconductors, to polymeric materials, materials for tissue regeneration, foods, materials based on colloids, as well as materials designed for thermal management and quantum technologies.
Since 2016, the EM community of the Netherlands has joined forces to redesign the way their facilities are shared. The result was the Netherlands Electron Microscopy Infrastructure (NEMI), which aims to (1) make EM technology accessible to the broadest possible range of users and (2) accelerate innovations in EM as an enabler for scientific breakthroughs and novel applications, across these very different fields of research.
How to access the infrastructure ?
A request for access starts submission of a user proposal, consisting of scientific description, requested access time and required support and training. Requests for access can be submitted via the NEMI website or directly to the management of the requested node to ensure rapid throughput of frequent users. Applications for access are assessed primarily based on technical feasibility and ability of the user to pay the user access fees (with different rates for different users).