{
  "abstract": "Optimized sample preparation is essential for imaging biological macromolecules in their native state using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) or in situ cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET). Here we present EasyGrid, a modular, automated platform designed to streamline and standardize cryo-EM/ET sample preparation. EasyGrid integrates in-line plasma treatment of the sample support, microfluidic dispensing, blot-less sample spreading, jet-based vitrification and grid quality control via light interferometry. We demonstrate its effectiveness by preparing grids for multiple purified macromolecular complexes and resolving their structures with cryo-EM. Additionally, EasyGrid achieves improved vitrification of large mammalian cells compared to conventional plunge-freezing. By enabling systematic and high-throughput optimization, EasyGrid provides a robust and time-saving solution for both structural and cellular cryo-EM applications.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Molecular Systems Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany",
    "European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstraße , 697 Heidelberg, Germany",
    "European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Grenoble, Grenoble, France",
    "European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Grenoble, 71 rue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France",
    "Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), DESY, Hamburg, Germany",
    "European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Unit c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany",
    "Collaboration for joint PhD degree between EMBL and Heidelberg University, Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg, Germany",
    "European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany",
    "Department of Structural and Computational Biology, Center for Molecular Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria",
    "Max Perutz Laboratories, Vienna Biocenter Campus, Vienna, Austria",
    "European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany",
    "EMBL Imaging Centre, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany",
    "European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Imaging Centre, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany",
    "Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany",
    "The Comammox Research Platform, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria",
    "European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Grenoble, Grenoble, France. gpapp@embl.fr"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 30,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Olivier Gemin",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3210-7876"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Victor Armijo",
      "orcid": "0009-0006-3243-8391"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Léa Lecomte",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1149-7230"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4,
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Michael Hons",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8317-7631"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Thibault Deckers",
      "orcid": "0009-0006-9505-7967"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Caroline Bissardon",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2161-3776"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Christopher Rossi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        5,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Kévin Lauzier"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Robert Janocha"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Franck Felisaz",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4786-627X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Jérémy Sinoir",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3891-9405"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Romain Linares",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9226-3382"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6,
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Anastasiia Babenko",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9759-1369"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        7,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Kirill Kovalev",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2229-181X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Irina Prokhorova",
      "orcid": "0009-0003-7759-8557"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Iskander Sh. Khusainov",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5199-5157"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8,
        9,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Claudia Schreiner"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Olga Kolesnikova",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8765-5207"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Veijo T. Salo",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6991-2142"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        10,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Sarah Schneider"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Matthew W. Bowler",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-0465-3351"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        11,
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Georg Wolff",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1202-3344"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        12,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Wojciech P. Galej",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8859-5229"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        13,
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Julia Mahamid",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6968-041X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Christoph W. Müller",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2176-8337"
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    {
      "affs": [
        8,
        2,
        9,
        14
      ],
      "name": "Kristina Djinovic Carugo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sebastian Eustermann",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4439-7770"
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    {
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        11,
        0
      ],
      "name": "Simone Mattei",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2005-8977"
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    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Florent Cipriani",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9400-3656"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        15
      ],
      "name": "Gergely Papp",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5702-843X"
    }
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  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2q0zy6rqr9sfr.bib",
  "cited_by": 15,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41592-026-03127-5",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "2q0zy6rqr9sfr",
  "issns": [
    "1548-7091",
    "1548-7105"
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  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-026-03127-5",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
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      "1315|Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications"
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  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC13345917",
  "pmid": "42337080",
  "published": "2026-06-23",
  "publisher": "Nature Portfolio",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2q0zy6rqr9sfr.ris",
  "sources": [
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      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-026-03127-5"
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1315|Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications",
      "subfield": "structural-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "EasyGrid: a versatile platform for automated cryo-EM sample preparation and quality control",
  "title_text": "EasyGrid: a versatile platform for automated cryo-EM sample preparation and quality control",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T13:21:05Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2q0zy6rqr9sfr",
  "venue": "Nature Methods",
  "versions": []
}