The University of Notre Dame’s Integrated Imaging Facility (NDIIF) has helped Armenia reach a historic milestone by supporting the acquisition and implementation of the country’s first-ever high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM).
This achievement marks a significant step forward for scientific research in Armenia. The new Talos F200i high-resolution TEM, now installed at the Institute for Physical Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia (IPR NAS), with funding from the Higher Education and Science Committee of Armenia, enables groundbreaking advances in materials science, nanotechnology, and biological research within the country.
NDIIF’s 15 years of expertise in electron microscopy proved invaluable throughout the project. The facility provided critical support by establishing connections with major vendors in the electron microscopy market and assisting in the selection of an optimal TEM to address the specific scientific challenges faced by Armenian researchers. The NDIIF team then aided in price and warranty negotiations and coordinated the delivery and installation of the TEM in Armenia.
The effort was led by Alexander Mukasyan, a research professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the director of the Advanced Electron Microscopy Core at NDIIF. Mukasyan said, “We were honored to support the effort to bring Armenia its first high-resolution TEM. We’ve also been delighted to help in the next step—developing local expertise to fully leverage this technology.”
Dr. Astghik Kuzanyan, a researcher at IPR NAS’s Materials Science Laboratory, underwent comprehensive training at the NDIIF. This hands-on experience, made possible by NDIIF’s ownership of an identical model of the TEM, equips Kuzanyan with the skills to independently operate the microscope and train other scientists in Armenia.
Dr. Kuzanyan’s was the first in a planned series of visits and collaborations. Tatyana Orlova, the NDIIF’s electron microscopy specialist, will help guide the acquisition and installation of Armenia’s first Dual Beam NANOlab, an instrument that will complement the TEM. Additionally, Dr. Maksym Zhukovskyi, program director for the NDIIF’s TEM program, is scheduled to travel to Armenia to address operational questions and provide further technical assistance.
Kuzanyan expressed her appreciation for NDIIF’s support. “Thank you, Notre Dame and NDIIF, for this opportunity to train and collaborate,” she said. “Your expertise will help me operate our new TEM and contribute to advancing science in Armenia. I look forward to continuing this partnership.”
NDIIF’s engagement with Armenian scientists speaks to the University’s commitment to international engagement. Notre Dame’s expanding set of global research collaborations currently includes over 170 active externally funded research projects in over 60 countries around the world.
To learn more about the NDIIF’s capabilities and ongoing research projects, please visit the Integrated Imaging Facility’s website.
Originally published at research.nd.edu by Brett Beasley on January 23, 2025. Photos by Angelic Rose Hubert.
Hero image: Maksym Zhukovskyi, Alex Sheardy, Astghik Kuzanyan, and Alexander Mukasyan pose during Dr. Kuzanyan’s visit to Notre Dame, during which she underwent comprehensive training at the Integrated Imaging Facility.