NanoSPAM: National Nodes for Sample Preparation And Microscopy

NanoSPAM is a national initiative to secure academic, industrial and public sector access to X-ray, electron microscopy and tomography techniques at the national research infrastructures MAX IV Laboratory and SciLifeLab. By establishing a network of regional hubs, at which the appropriate infrastructure and competence for sample preparation and preliminary characterization of samples is present, we aim to secure that the large investments in the two facilities in practice become truly national and are accessible to all sectors of research. Furthermore, joining up the two research infrastructures and their associated communities will not only save time and money, but also without a doubt create new research opportunities and increased industrial use as the potential of the techniques gets more widely known.

NanoSPAM aims to reach out to both public and industrial research communities within life sciences and soft materials to facilitate their scientific success at MAX IV and SciLifeLab. We will achieve this by forming a collaborative network of labs providing sample preparation, electron (EM) microscopy facilities, and beamline access at MAX IV to establish:

• An Easy Access Route (EAR) for new users, offering freesample preparation support for first measurements and including guidance in application for beam time
• A website and outreach program with specialized workshops, where potential users are matched to techniques and the EAR is introduced
• A catalogue for sample preparation methods for different sample types and experiments: both X-ray, EM and other imaging
• A practical pathway from start to finish: including sample preparation, storage, sample transport, characterization and help with data analysis
• Training in sample preparation techniques on demand
• A strong national network of labs: with regional strengths and synergies, meeting regularly and inviting new labs to participate.