The University of Iowa Central Electron Microscopy Research Facility(CEMRF) was established in 1981 to support all faculty, staff and students needing this technology. Initially the CEMRF was operated with one TEM, one SEM, three staff members and supported about 30 projects a year. During the past twelve years, the facility has replaced all instrumentation pre-dating 1981, and now includes 2 TEM's, 2 SEM's, 2 EDS systems, cryo-transfer specimen holders for both TEM and SEM, 2 parafin microtomes, 4 ultamicrotomes including cryoultramicrotomy, a Laser Scanning Confocal microscope, a research grade light microscope, an Ion Mill, film and print processing equipment, a rapid cryo-freezer, freeze substitution apparatus, a freeze-fracture/etching system, vacuum evaporators, sputter coaters, a plasma asher, and is currently evaluating scanning probe microscopes for acquisition. The facility presently consists of 10 staff members and supports over 150 projects annually from 44 departments in 5 Colleges and 10 industrial laboratories. One of the unique strengths of the CEMRF is that both Biomedical and Physical scientists use the facility.
