33 million euro investment for national electron microscope facility EMPower

A major new national facility for electron microscopy, called EMPower, has been awarded to a consortium of Dutch universities and medical centers. With a 33 million euro investment, the program will provide world-class instruments and expertise, so scientists can actually see how molecules work inside cells and tissues. EMPower aims to pave the way for major discoveries impacting health, disease and sustainability research. The consortium collaborates as the Netherlands Electron Microscopy Infrastructure (NEMI).

EMPower represents one of the largest research infrastructure investments in the Dutch life sciences. It brings together leading expertise on microscopy from across the country, and all universities engaged in life sciences research. The programme is coordinated by Utrecht University, with project components led by Leiden University, University of Groningen, Maastricht University, UMC Utrecht and Amsterdam UMC.

The programme has a total budget of 33 million euros, which includes a subsidy of approximately 23 million euros from the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Other parts of the budget are provided by the NEMI partners. 

Cutting-edge microscopes across the country

The funding will enable the installation of advanced electron microscopes and sample preparation technologies at several sites. Researchers across the Netherlands will have access to some of the most powerful tools available today, including two high-end cryo-electron microscopes available through the Netherlands Centre for Electron Nanoscopy (NeCEN) at Leiden and Utrecht.

Molecules in their natural environment

The central aim of EMPower is to give scientists the ability to watch molecules at work. The facility will make it possible to watch what molecules look like at atomic scale. It also enables to watch how molecules interact and carry out their jobs, both inside and outside of living systems. 

Researchers can also go beyond these isolated views to study how molecules behave within real cells and tissues. This includes research on miniature organs grown in the lab as well as on samples derived from patients.

This connects the tiniest atomic details to the bigger picture of how our bodies function. It also shows what happens when diseases disrupt these processes. 

“With EMPower we will be able to see molecules acting in their natural environment,” says Friedrich Förster, professor of Structural Biology at Utrecht University and main applicant for the project. “This will be invaluable for a molecular understanding of diseases like cancer, infections or neurodegeneration, and for accelerating the development of new therapies.”

Each partner brings unique expertise

The new infrastructure is designed to bridge different levels of biological organisation. Utrecht University will focus on electron tomography, which makes it possible to study how molecules interact within the complex environment of a cell.

Leiden University will emphasize high-resolution imaging of isolated biomolecules, a crucial step in refining medicines and understanding how drugs act.

At Maastricht University and UMC Utrecht, researchers will work on large-scale imaging of tissues and organoids. This will allow researchers to study disease models, as well as developing new biomaterials for medical and technological applications.

Amsterdam UMC will lead efforts in data management, artificial intelligence, education, and community building. This ensures that the vast amounts of data generated can be effectively used by well-trained researchers across the country.

Discoveries for science and society

With EMPower, scientists will be able to follow life’s processes from its smallest molecules to whole tissues. For example, EMPower will speed up the search for new medicines by showing exactly how potentially new drugs work inside the body. It will literally provide a detailed picture of major health challenges such as infectious diseases and chronic conditions like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.

The facility will also play a role in sustainability research. Scientists will be able to study beneficial microbes directly in their complex natural contexts, together with the enzymes that facilitate important chemical reactions efficiently. Understanding how these organisms work could open up new ways to recycle waste, capture carbon and generate cleaner energy.

A truly national facility

EMPower is conceived as a facility for the entire Dutch scientific community. It will be open to researchers nationwide as well as to industry partners. Several companies have already joined as a co-funder, but EMPower is also closely connected with a national network of technology companies that will benefit from and contribute to EMPower. 

By bringing world-leading technology and expertise together to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time

“EMPower lays the foundation for a new generation of molecular research and researchers in the Netherlands,” says Förster. “The possibility to visualize molecules and their impact in context will make electron microscopy an important tool for almost every branch of life sciences, and beyond. By bringing world-leading technology and expertise together, EMPower will help scientists tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time, from curing diseases to creating a more sustainable future.” 

About EMPower

EMPower stands for Electron Microscopy from whole organism to atomic resolution. The programme is funded as part of the Dutch Research Council’s National Roadmap for Large-Scale Research Facilities. The first installations are expected to be operational in early 2026.