Gea T. van de Kerkhof

Electron Microscopist

Gea joined Octopus in 2024 as an electron microscopist, working on technical development for FIB-SEM lift-outs in cryogenic Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy. She did her PhD in Bio Photonics at the University of Cambridge, working on structural colour in bacteria and plants for which she was awarded the Cambridge Centre for Physical Biology PhD prize. After that she led the development of in-situ imaging capabilities for multi-modal use across the I14 hard X-ray nanoprobe and TEM at Diamond Light Source, in collaboration with Johnson Matthey. She is also currently a part of both the Royal Microscopy Society Early Careers and Electron Microscopy Committee.

Gea’s current research interests lie in Cryogenic Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy for the life sciences. Specifically, she develops FIB lift-out techniques from custom sample substrates to create lamella for cryogenic Electron Tomography.

– Van de Kerkhof, Gea T., et al. “Hard X‐ray spectromicroscopy of Ni‐rich cathodes under in situ liquid heating conditions.” Journal of Microscopy (2025).
– Van de Kerkhof, Gea T., et al. “Polysaccharide metabolism regulates structural colour in bacterial colonies.” Journal of the Royal Society Interface 19.190 (2022)
– Van de Kerkhof, Gea T., et al. “Disordered wax platelets on Tradescantia pallida leaves create golden shine.” Faraday Discussions 223 (2020)