Min Su, research associate professor of biochemistry, began work in September as the new director of the University of Missouri Electron Microscopy (EMC) advanced technology core facility, which offers researchers atomic-scale resolution imaging for both life and materials science research.
Su comes to Mizzou with more than 15 years of experience using and developing cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) methods in the interdisciplinary fields of structural biology, biophysics and biomaterials science. Most recently, he served as cryo-EM resource director and assistant research scientist at the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute.
After earning his doctorate in electrical engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology in China, Su worked briefly as an engineer at Shenzhen HYT Science and Technology Co. before moving to the U.S. to do postdoctoral research in biomedical engineering at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and later in the biological sciences at Purdue University.
Su, the father of two teenagers who he says can be “more challenging than electron microscopy,” sees exciting research opportunities ahead for investigators interested in everything from a single particle analysis to large-volume 3D modeling of organic and inorganic samples. Learn more about him in this Q&A.
Why were you interested in working at Mizzou?
The EMC is one of only a few research cores nationwide that houses broad spectrum, cutting-edge electron microscopes with applications in everything from materials science to biological sciences. I envision great opportunities in technology advancement by bridging these two fields at EMC, thus making Mizzou a future world leader in the electron microscopy sciences.
What are your goals for the EMC so far?
Getting the core’s Thermo Fisher Scientific high-end instruments fully up and running is a lengthy process; however, science cannot wait. I will be working diligently to speed up the process. My immediate goal is to have our newest instruments fully operational by the end of 2022.
Currently, EMC users can access our conventional scanning electron microscopes. In 2023, my hope is to provide one-stop imaging and data analysis services, including access to our high-end instruments, to both campus and external users, thus promoting the global impact of Mizzou in the electron microscopy field.
Tell us more about your research interests.
I have developed a strong track record in research during the past 14 years. I'd like to continue advancing my research career through collaborations in Missouri. I have a unique interdisciplinary background. I am grateful it provides me with opportunities to connect with all the related fields in science.
As a co-principal investigator on a National Institutes of Health grant, I am studying the structure and interactions between Cytochrome P450s enzymes and redox partners to better understand the underlying mechanism of drug metabolism. I also am developing software to optimize an image acquisition scheme that will facilitate cryo-EM structure determination.
What brought you to the United States?
I had an extremely strong desire to challenge myself as a graduate student. The U.S. was the world leader in science and technology. After graduation in China, I had an opportunity to continue my postdoc training, thus started my adventure in the U.S.
What sparked your interest in cryo-EM?
My PhD training mainly focused on instrumentation, signal processing and automation in engineering. I became interested in electron microscope and image processing technology development during my postdoctoral research at Purdue University. As a postdoc, one of my projects was to study the structure of flavivirus. A key component needed to obtain a high-resolution 3D structure of a biological sample is the ability to acquire high throughput automatic images. At Purdue, I developed a software module, CM.py, that enabled Thermo Fisher CM series electron microscopes to collect automatic data.
What is the best way for investigators to reach you?
The EMC is located in the basement level of the NextGen Precision Health building. Researchers can contact me at 573-884-5383 or mspf5@missouri.edu.