Institute of Nanoscopy

{{Short description|Dutch research institute}}

The Institute of Nanoscopy is a research institute of Maastricht University established in 2014 that investigates cell structures at a macromolecular level.{{Cite web |url=http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Institutes/InstituteOfNanoscopy.htm# |title=Official website |access-date=2014-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307174651/http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Institutes/InstituteOfNanoscopy.htm# |archive-date=2014-03-07 |url-status=dead }} The institute was founded by Peter J. Peters, distinguished professor of nanobiology at Maastricht University, who is also the institute's current director.{{cite web|title=Distinguished university professors|url=https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/distinguished-university-professors|publisher=maastrichtuniversity.nl|accessdate=7 November 2021}}

To understand the working mechanisms of protein complexes within cells, three-dimensional imaging of normal and disease-causing protein complexes is essential. The Institute also develops methods to capture the cell in close to native state and image whole cells and tissue slices down to 1 nanometer resolution. This way maps of individual macromolecular complexes can be created by visualizing nanomachines in a close-to-physiological, cellular context.{{cite web|title=Maastricht University|url=http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Institutes/InstituteOfNanoscopy.htm|publisher=maastrichtuniversity.nl|accessdate=28 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307174651/http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Institutes/InstituteOfNanoscopy.htm#|archive-date=2014-03-07}}{{cite web|title=Institute of nanoscopy - Mtricht.com|url=http://mtricht.com/tag/institute-of-nanoscopy/|publisher=mtricht.com|accessdate=28 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328124848/http://mtricht.com/tag/institute-of-nanoscopy/#|archive-date=2014-03-28|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=IMC 2014|url=http://www.imc2014.com/index.php?page=program/ls6|publisher=imc2014.com|accessdate=28 March 2014}}

The institute's key objective is to gain greater insight into the 3D form of cell proteins, thus paving the way for the development of more effective treatments for diseases such as cancer and tuberculosis. A better understanding of how protein complexes manage healthy, but also diseased, cells will allow drugs and vaccines to target problems more effectively. These developments will lead to scientific breakthroughs in the field of tuberculosis and cancer.{{cite web|title=Objectives of the institute|url=http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Institutes/InstituteOfNanoscopy/AboutTheInstitute/ObjectivesOfTheInstitute.htm|publisher=maastrichtuniversity.nl|accessdate=28 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309094120/http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Institutes/InstituteOfNanoscopy/AboutTheInstitute/ObjectivesOfTheInstitute.htm#|archive-date=2014-03-09}}