Info

EMPIAR is the public archive for raw 2D electron microscopy images underpinning 3D cryo-EM maps in EMDB. Also accommodates volume EM and X-ray tomography datasets. Launched 2012 (proof-of-principle) at EMBL-EBI. As of 2026, contains ~2,800 entries totaling ~8.2 PiB. All data CC0 license (fully open). Mirror site at PDBj.

People

NameRoleAffiliation
Andrii IudinLead author / maintainerEMBL-EBI
Ardan PatwardhanCo-lead (original development)EMBL-EBI
Gerard KleywegtFormer PI (original grant)EMBL-EBI (historical)
Alexey KikhneyContributorEMBL-EBI

Funding

  • MRC/BBSRC (MR/L007835/1, MR/P019544/1) — 2014-2021
  • Wellcome Trust (221371/Z/20/Z) — from 2021
  • EMBL member states
  • Storage infrastructure: UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund

Key Relationships

  • Companion to EMDB (3D maps) and PDB (atomic models)
  • Part of BioImage Archive ecosystem at EMBL-EBI
  • Depositing to EMPIAR requires prior EMDB deposition
  • Mirror at PDBj

Key Reference

Iudin et al., NAR 51, D1503-D1511 (2023)