The Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging (CUI) is the central electron microscopy facility at King’s College London. We provide a state-of-the-art facility to internal and external collaborators from academic, commercial, and industrial sectors across medicine, biological sciences, chemistry, physics, materials sciences, and engineering.
Our vision is to deliver expert electron microscopy services through a collaborative research environment, offering support in experimental design, advanced imaging techniques, data interpretation, and training.
We provide cutting-edge technology and comprehensive workflows to support electron microscopy imaging in life and materials sciences.
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
TEM is a powerful imaging and analytical technique, that enables the visualisation of internal structure of materials at atomic resolutions. It allows researchers to analyse composition, morphology, and structure at nanoscale levels.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
SEM uses a focused electron beam to scan across the surface of the specimen eliciting the emission of secondary electrons that generate an image showing topographical detail.
Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)
Energy Dispersive x-ray Spectroscopy is used to determine and quantify the elemental composition of a sample.
Serial Block Face Scanning Electron Microscopy (SBF-SEM)
SBF-SEM an automated 3D imaging technique that combines in situ ultramicrotomy with scanning electron microscopy.
Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM)
CLEM is an imaging technique that combines fluorescence light microscopy (FM) and electron microscopy (EM) to analyse the same biological sample.
TEM Tomography
Electron tomography is a technique that involves tilting a specimen within an electron microscope to capture images from multiple angles, allowing for the reconstruction of a three-dimensional image.
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM)
STEM is an advanced imaging technique that provides high-resolution images and spectroscopic data by scanning a focused electron beam across a very thin sample and collecting various signals in parallel.
Facility staff
Facility Manager - Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging
Electron Microscopy Applications Specialist
Electron Microscopy Technician
Affiliated academics
Associate Director Innovation & Business Development – Imaging Core Facilities and Smart Trials Hub
Business Systems and Engagement Coordinator
The centre offers access to the latest technology for electron microscopy imaging, including sample preparation equipment such as Leica EM ICE High Pressure Freezer, AFS-2 Freeze Substitution, CPD 300 Critical Point Drying, GP2 plunge freezer, UC7 ultramicrotomes and Leica ACE 600 and Leica ACE 200.
Related equipment
JEOL JEM-1400Flash Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)
The JEOL JEM-1400Flash is used to study a variety of materials from nanoparticles, viruses, bacteria, and sections of cells and tissues.
JEOL JEM-F200 Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)
The JEOL JEM-F200 is our 200Kv Transmission Electron Microscope for advanced room temperature applications such as electron tomography.
JEOL JSM 7800F Prime Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
The JEOL JSM 7800F Prime SEM is our current top end SEM, equipped with a Schottky Field Emission Gun.
JEOL JCM 7000 NeoScope Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
The JEOL JCM 7000 NeoScope is our benchtop scanning electron microscope (SEM). A small size, user friendly instrument, full of capabilities.
JEOL JSM 7800F Serial Block Face-Scanning Electron Microscope (SBF-SEM)
The JSM 7800F Serial Block Face SEM is equipped with a ConnectomX Katana microtome for volume EM.
2025 Publications
Al Harthy Shamsa et al. 'Phase-Change Alloys Enable Localized Reversible Stiffening and Actuation in Steerable Eversion Tip-Growing Robots' Adv. Intell. Syst.. 2025; 000, e202500756. https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202500756
Makanjuola, JO et al. 'Exploring the Multifunctional Potential of Bioactive Glass-Ionomer Cements' Journal of Dental Research. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1177/00220345251392515
S. Gamea et al. 'Biomimetic Mineralization of Keratin Scaffolds for Enamel Regeneration' Adv. Healthcare Mater. 14, no. 30 (2025): e02465. https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202502465
Konishi, K.et al. (2025) 'A workflow for semi-automated volume correlative light microscopy and transmission electron tomography' Journal of Microscopy, 300, 94–107. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmi.13436
Katarzyna M. Wulfmeier et al. (2025) 'In Vitro and In Vivo Radiotoxicity and Biodistribution of Thallium-201 Delivered to Cancer Cells by Prussian Blue Nanoparticles' ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2025 17 (9), 13577-13591. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c21700
Araya C, Boekemeyer R, Farlie F, et al. An analysis of contractile and protrusive cell behaviors at the superficial surface of the zebrafish neural plate. Developmental Dynamics. 2025; 254(10): 1115-1132. doi:10.1002/dvdy.70001
2024 Publications
Horton, S. et al. (2024) ‘Excitatory and inhibitory synapses show a tight subcellular correlation that weakens over development’, Cell Reports, 43(7). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114361.
Nicholls, D. et al. (2024) ‘The Potential of Subsampling and Inpainting for Fast Low-Dose Cryo FIB-SEM Imaging’, Microscopy and Microanalysis, 30(1), pp. 96–102. https://doi.org/10.1093/micmic/ozae005.
Velazco, A. et al. (2024) ‘Reduction of SEM charging artefacts in native cryogenic biological samples’. bioRxiv, p. 2024.08.23.609373. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.23.609373.
Wilson, S. et al. (2024) ‘Hydrophobic Mismatch in the Thylakoid Membrane Regulates Photosynthetic Light Harvesting’, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 146(21), pp. 14905–14914. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c05220.
2023 Publications
Boyanova, S.T. et al. (2023) ‘Interaction of amisulpride with GLUT1 at the blood-brain barrier. Relevance to Alzheimer’s disease’, PLOS ONE, 18(10), p. e0286278. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286278.
Burkitt-Gray, M. et al. (2023) ‘Structural investigations into colour-tuneable fluorescent InZnP-based quantum dots from zinc carboxylate and aminophosphine precursors’, Nanoscale, 15(4), pp. 1763–1774. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2NR02803D.
Kenny, F.N. et al. (2023) ‘Autocrine IL-6 drives cell and extracellular matrix anisotropy in scar fibroblasts’, Matrix Biology, 123, pp. 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matbio.2023.08.004.
Morfill, C. et al. (2023) ‘Addition to “Nanostars Carrying Multifunctional Neurotrophic Dendrimers Protect Neurons in Preclinical In Vitro Models of Neurodegenerative Disorders”’, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 15(10), pp. 13824–13824. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c02300.
Naso, G. et al. (2023) ‘Cytosine Deaminase Base Editing to Restore COL7A1 in Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Human: Murine Skin Model’, JID Innovations, 3(3), p. 100191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjidi.2023.100191.
Rigby, M. et al. (2023) ‘Multi-synaptic boutons are a feature of CA1 hippocampal connections in the stratum oriens’, Cell Reports, 42(5), p. 112397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112397.
Zhang, W. et al. (2023) ‘Characterising the chemical and physical properties of phase-change nanodroplets’, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 97, p. 106445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106445.
2022 Publications
Mórotz, G.M. et al. (2022) ‘The PTPIP51 coiled-coil domain is important in VAPB binding, formation of ER-mitochondria contacts and IP3 receptor delivery of Ca2+ to mitochondria’, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2022.920947.
We are dedicated to promoting collaborative research and providing wider access to our state-of-the-art core facilities. The Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging is open to King’s researchers and external academic and industry users.
Anyone interested on accessing the facility should contact the centre at cui@kcl.ac.uk for an initial project discussion. Our team will provide advice on experimental design, training, and the most appropriate technical approach for your project
Booking equipment
Trained users can book equipment via our via the booking system.
Publication and acknowledgement
Where a significant contribution has been made, researchers are expected to acknowledge the contribution of CUI staff by way of authorship, in accordance with the Core Facilities Fair Publication Policy.
We provide cutting-edge technology and comprehensive workflows to support electron microscopy imaging in life and materials sciences.
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
TEM is a powerful imaging and analytical technique, that enables the visualisation of internal structure of materials at atomic resolutions. It allows researchers to analyse composition, morphology, and structure at nanoscale levels.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
SEM uses a focused electron beam to scan across the surface of the specimen eliciting the emission of secondary electrons that generate an image showing topographical detail.
Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)
Energy Dispersive x-ray Spectroscopy is used to determine and quantify the elemental composition of a sample.
Serial Block Face Scanning Electron Microscopy (SBF-SEM)
SBF-SEM an automated 3D imaging technique that combines in situ ultramicrotomy with scanning electron microscopy.
Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM)
CLEM is an imaging technique that combines fluorescence light microscopy (FM) and electron microscopy (EM) to analyse the same biological sample.
TEM Tomography
Electron tomography is a technique that involves tilting a specimen within an electron microscope to capture images from multiple angles, allowing for the reconstruction of a three-dimensional image.
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM)
STEM is an advanced imaging technique that provides high-resolution images and spectroscopic data by scanning a focused electron beam across a very thin sample and collecting various signals in parallel.
Facility staff
Facility Manager - Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging
Electron Microscopy Applications Specialist
Electron Microscopy Technician
Affiliated academics
Associate Director Innovation & Business Development – Imaging Core Facilities and Smart Trials Hub
Business Systems and Engagement Coordinator
The centre offers access to the latest technology for electron microscopy imaging, including sample preparation equipment such as Leica EM ICE High Pressure Freezer, AFS-2 Freeze Substitution, CPD 300 Critical Point Drying, GP2 plunge freezer, UC7 ultramicrotomes and Leica ACE 600 and Leica ACE 200.
Related equipment
JEOL JEM-1400Flash Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)
The JEOL JEM-1400Flash is used to study a variety of materials from nanoparticles, viruses, bacteria, and sections of cells and tissues.
JEOL JEM-F200 Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)
The JEOL JEM-F200 is our 200Kv Transmission Electron Microscope for advanced room temperature applications such as electron tomography.
JEOL JSM 7800F Prime Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
The JEOL JSM 7800F Prime SEM is our current top end SEM, equipped with a Schottky Field Emission Gun.
JEOL JCM 7000 NeoScope Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
The JEOL JCM 7000 NeoScope is our benchtop scanning electron microscope (SEM). A small size, user friendly instrument, full of capabilities.
JEOL JSM 7800F Serial Block Face-Scanning Electron Microscope (SBF-SEM)
The JSM 7800F Serial Block Face SEM is equipped with a ConnectomX Katana microtome for volume EM.
2025 Publications
Al Harthy Shamsa et al. 'Phase-Change Alloys Enable Localized Reversible Stiffening and Actuation in Steerable Eversion Tip-Growing Robots' Adv. Intell. Syst.. 2025; 000, e202500756. https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202500756
Makanjuola, JO et al. 'Exploring the Multifunctional Potential of Bioactive Glass-Ionomer Cements' Journal of Dental Research. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1177/00220345251392515
S. Gamea et al. 'Biomimetic Mineralization of Keratin Scaffolds for Enamel Regeneration' Adv. Healthcare Mater. 14, no. 30 (2025): e02465. https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202502465
Konishi, K.et al. (2025) 'A workflow for semi-automated volume correlative light microscopy and transmission electron tomography' Journal of Microscopy, 300, 94–107. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmi.13436
Katarzyna M. Wulfmeier et al. (2025) 'In Vitro and In Vivo Radiotoxicity and Biodistribution of Thallium-201 Delivered to Cancer Cells by Prussian Blue Nanoparticles' ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2025 17 (9), 13577-13591. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c21700
Araya C, Boekemeyer R, Farlie F, et al. An analysis of contractile and protrusive cell behaviors at the superficial surface of the zebrafish neural plate. Developmental Dynamics. 2025; 254(10): 1115-1132. doi:10.1002/dvdy.70001
2024 Publications
Horton, S. et al. (2024) ‘Excitatory and inhibitory synapses show a tight subcellular correlation that weakens over development’, Cell Reports, 43(7). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114361.
Nicholls, D. et al. (2024) ‘The Potential of Subsampling and Inpainting for Fast Low-Dose Cryo FIB-SEM Imaging’, Microscopy and Microanalysis, 30(1), pp. 96–102. https://doi.org/10.1093/micmic/ozae005.
Velazco, A. et al. (2024) ‘Reduction of SEM charging artefacts in native cryogenic biological samples’. bioRxiv, p. 2024.08.23.609373. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.23.609373.
Wilson, S. et al. (2024) ‘Hydrophobic Mismatch in the Thylakoid Membrane Regulates Photosynthetic Light Harvesting’, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 146(21), pp. 14905–14914. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c05220.
2023 Publications
Boyanova, S.T. et al. (2023) ‘Interaction of amisulpride with GLUT1 at the blood-brain barrier. Relevance to Alzheimer’s disease’, PLOS ONE, 18(10), p. e0286278. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286278.
Burkitt-Gray, M. et al. (2023) ‘Structural investigations into colour-tuneable fluorescent InZnP-based quantum dots from zinc carboxylate and aminophosphine precursors’, Nanoscale, 15(4), pp. 1763–1774. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2NR02803D.
Kenny, F.N. et al. (2023) ‘Autocrine IL-6 drives cell and extracellular matrix anisotropy in scar fibroblasts’, Matrix Biology, 123, pp. 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matbio.2023.08.004.
Morfill, C. et al. (2023) ‘Addition to “Nanostars Carrying Multifunctional Neurotrophic Dendrimers Protect Neurons in Preclinical In Vitro Models of Neurodegenerative Disorders”’, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 15(10), pp. 13824–13824. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c02300.
Naso, G. et al. (2023) ‘Cytosine Deaminase Base Editing to Restore COL7A1 in Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Human: Murine Skin Model’, JID Innovations, 3(3), p. 100191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjidi.2023.100191.
Rigby, M. et al. (2023) ‘Multi-synaptic boutons are a feature of CA1 hippocampal connections in the stratum oriens’, Cell Reports, 42(5), p. 112397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112397.
Zhang, W. et al. (2023) ‘Characterising the chemical and physical properties of phase-change nanodroplets’, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 97, p. 106445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106445.
2022 Publications
Mórotz, G.M. et al. (2022) ‘The PTPIP51 coiled-coil domain is important in VAPB binding, formation of ER-mitochondria contacts and IP3 receptor delivery of Ca2+ to mitochondria’, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2022.920947.
We are dedicated to promoting collaborative research and providing wider access to our state-of-the-art core facilities. The Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging is open to King’s researchers and external academic and industry users.
Anyone interested on accessing the facility should contact the centre at cui@kcl.ac.uk for an initial project discussion. Our team will provide advice on experimental design, training, and the most appropriate technical approach for your project
Booking equipment
Trained users can book equipment via our via the booking system.
Publication and acknowledgement
Where a significant contribution has been made, researchers are expected to acknowledge the contribution of CUI staff by way of authorship, in accordance with the Core Facilities Fair Publication Policy.
Partners
We work closely with our industry partners - leading instrument manufacturers - to support advanced electron microscopy techniques.
