Building More Complete Cryo-EM and Life-Science Microscopy Workflows
Life-science microscopy connects molecular and cellular structure with biological function across cryo-EM, cryo-ET, MicroED, liquid-phase, and correlative workflows.
Useful data depends on the full path from vitrification and cryogenic handling to positioning, imaging, and metadata. Hummingbird Scientific develops the preparation technologies, hardware, controls, and integration layers that connect those steps.
Sample preparation is part of the instrument
Cryo-EM sample preparation remains one of the most variable and consequential parts of structural biology. A scientifically valuable sample can fail at the grid because of inconsistent ice thickness, sample loss, preferred orientation, contamination, timing, or operator-dependent handling. Improving the microscope alone cannot correct problems introduced before the sample reaches the column.
Hummingbird is developing the Cryogenic Sample Preparation Platform to connect sample preparation, vitrification, cryogenic handling, transfer, holder loading, microscope screening, and future automation within one engineering framework. The objective is a more controlled and traceable path from liquid sample to interpretable microscope data, rather than another isolated preparation device.
Infrastructure for more complete life-science microscopy
More complete life-science microscopy requires coordinated sample preparation, cryogenic positioning, controlled specimen environments, and experiment records that connect each step with the resulting data. Hummingbird brings these capabilities together through microscope-integrated hardware, internal workflow development, and open software integration.
Cryogenic sample preparation and time-resolved cryo-EM
Hummingbird’s Cryogenic Sample Preparation Platform is being developed to support greater control, precision, repeatability, and scalability in cryogenic sample preparation. More controlled vitrification can support structural biology, protein dynamics, cryo-electron tomography, and time-resolved cryo-EM experiments in which transient states must be preserved at defined intervals.
Time-resolved cryo-EM places additional demands on synchronization, mixing, deposition, vitrification, transfer, and metadata. By developing these functions as parts of a connected platform, Hummingbird can help preserve both the frozen structure and the preparation context required to interpret it.
Cryogenic positioning and automated acquisition
Hummingbird’s Precision TEM Stage is being developed to support deterministic, closed-loop positioning for cryo-EM and cryo-ET. Reliable navigation across grids, squares, holes, lamellae, and regions of interest can support automated screening, return-to-location workflows, tilt-series acquisition, tomography, high-throughput data collection, and future automation.
Connecting stage coordinates with sample identifiers, preparation history, microscope conditions, and image metadata can make cryogenic acquisition more traceable and reproducible. It also allows specimen position to become part of the experiment record rather than temporary operator knowledge.
Biological systems in native and controlled environments
Not every biological question is best addressed through frozen samples alone. Hummingbird’s liquid-cell TEM and SEM liquid-flow systems can support research on biological assemblies, soft materials, biomineralization, therapeutic systems, interfaces, and dynamic processes in solution.
Optical liquid electrochemistry and correlative workflows can connect electron microscopy with light-based observation and controlled environmental changes. Cryogenic transfer and CLEM-related hardware can help preserve samples as they move between preparation, optical imaging, FIB, SEM, and TEM. This breadth allows researchers to select the specimen environment and microscopy pathway that fit the biology.
Open data and laboratory integration
Life-science facilities often combine microscope-OEM software, acquisition packages, image-processing pipelines, sample databases, institutional storage, LIMS, and open-source tools. The preparation and experimental context surrounding an image must remain usable across those environments.
Hummingbird Connect™ supports defined and project-specific connections between Hummingbird systems and microscope or laboratory software environments. Colibri Platform™ provides an open approach to structured experiment records and data use across OEM software, Python workflows, open-source tools, institutional systems, and future AI environments.
The laboratory retains its preferred acquisition, analysis, storage, and data-reuse tools while Hummingbird connects the preparation, hardware, and experimental context around them.
Why Hummingbird for life sciences and biotechnology
Internal cryo-EM development and validation
Hummingbird maintains internal TEM and cryo-EM development infrastructure for Cryogenic Sample Preparation Platform prototypes, cryogenic transfer, holder workflows, frozen-sample screening, contamination evaluation, drift testing, sample-handling studies, and microscope feedback. This connects engineering decisions directly to the practical conditions that determine whether a cryogenic workflow succeeds.
Hummingbird’s history of NIH-supported instrument development further connects the company to cryogenic sample preparation, time-resolved cryo-EM, specimen positioning, frozen-sample handling, FIB preparation, phase-contrast technologies, and correlative microscopy.
By combining sample-preparation development, cryogenic hardware, deterministic positioning, liquid microscopy, microfabrication, controls, open integration, internal microscope validation, and custom engineering, Hummingbird can address both individual experimental steps and the larger workflow around them.
For structural biology centers, biotechnology companies, universities, national laboratories, microscope manufacturers, and life-science instrument partners, Hummingbird supports research tools, custom platforms, OEM development, private-label systems, licensing, and grant-funded technology translation.
Hummingbird products for life sciences and biotechnology
Advance your cryo-EM infrastructure
Develop a more controlled path from sample to structure. Talk with Hummingbird about cryo-EM sample preparation, deterministic positioning, cryogenic transfer, liquid microscopy, OEM development, or a custom life-science workflow.