Shuimu Future (Beijing) Technology co., Ltd. (“Shuimu Future”), Beijing Institutes of Life Science (“BIOLS”) and Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure under Tsinghua University held a signing ceremony for their cooperation on GCDD at BIOLS in the ZGC Life Science Park.

The cryo-EM technique, which won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2017, is the most advanced technology in structural biological research in the field of life sciences. With the efforts of research team of Tsinghua University, the application of cryo-electron microscopy has achieved a broad prospect in the field of life science and drug innovation research and development.

The GCDD project was jointly initiated by Beijing Municipal Commission of Science and Technology, Tsinghua University and Thermo Fisher (an American company), with the aims to promote the cryo-EM technology, meet the rapid-growing demand, and provide services for research institutions, pharmaceutical enterprises, innovation and entrepreneurial teams. In November 2017, a strategic cooperation agreement was signed for the project. At the beginning of 2018, Shuimu Future undertook the concrete work of project. 

With the help of the ZGC Life Science Park, Shuimu Future has chosen to establish the experiment center of frozen electron microscopy at BIOLS. The center is invested and operated by Shuimu Future, with BIOLS providing the venue and other support. The estimated investment is about 100 million yuan, with 2 sets of 300kv frozen electron microscopes, 2 sets of 200kv and 1 set of 120kv, and other supporting facilities. Currently, its first-phrase work of renovation and equipment procurement has started, and the center is expected to be put into trial operation in the fourth quarter of 2019. 

After completion, the experiment center of frozen electron microscopy will be the world’s largest and China’s first commercial cryo-EM platform that provides services to the society.  It’ll provide high-level cryo-electron microscopy facilities and structural analysis services for many scientific research institutions like Tsinghua University and BIOLS. At same time, based in Changping Life Science Park, it’ll provide scientific research institutions, pharmaceutical enterprises and innovation and entrepreneurial teams with comprehensive sci-tech services, including cryo-EM facilities, structural analysis, scientific research guidance and training, start-up support and incubation and etc.