Vitrotem

Vitrotem, based in the Netherlands, was founded in 2019 to improve the fundamental understanding of life by unlocking the power of electron microscopy to the analysis of biological materials and processes in liquid water, the native environment of biology. Vitrotem develops easy to use tools and systems for the fabrication and use of Graphene Liquid Cells that enable dynamic analysis of biological material and processes at unprecedented resolution in standard electron microscopy systems.

Vitrotem automates GLC assembly with its Naiad-1 technology. It enables transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging of nanoparticles and whole biological cells in liquid. Between two silicon chips, the GLC has a single layer of graphene. This makes a strong but thin liquid chamber that holds biological samples. Graphene’s strength and electron transparency thus allow researchers to image the sample through the membrane without compromising its integrity. Its chemical stability also ensures minimal interaction with the biological sample, further preserving its natural state. The company’s graphene finds applications across nanotechnology, materials science, and biology.