NanoImaging Services and Proteos Merge as TrueCourse Biosciences to Meet Demand for Wet-Lab Validation of AI-Designed Drugs

• NanoImaging Services (NIS), a San Diego-based cryo-EM CRO founded in 2007, and Proteos, a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based protein production research partner founded in 2003, have merged to launch TrueCourse Biosciences — a fully integrated, U.S.-based structural biology CRO combining protein production, biolayer interferometry, surface plasmon resonance, cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, and nanoparticle characterization under a single partner, with Dr. Lindsey Gottler appointed as Chief Executive Officer.

• The merger directly responds to surging demand from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies using AI-based drug discovery tools that require experimental wet-lab validation — with TrueCourse positioned to provide the integrated structural and biophysical characterization infrastructure needed to convert AI predictions into decision-grade confidence before candidates advance.

TrueCourse Biosciences, a newly formed integrated structural biology CRO, launched on September 22, 2026, from San Diego, California, through the combination of NanoImaging Services — a leading cryo-EM CRO with roots dating to 2007 — and Proteos, a specialist protein production research partner established in 2003. The merged entity operates from facilities in San Diego, Woburn, Massachusetts, and Kalamazoo, Michigan, bringing together expertise across protein production, biophysical characterization, and structural biology under a single CRO organization serving large pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, and emerging drug discovery organizations worldwide.

The strategic rationale for the combination is grounded directly in the changing landscape of drug discovery. As AI and computational approaches accelerate target identification and compound design, experimental validation has emerged as the critical decision gate that determines which AI-generated candidates are worth advancing. TrueCourse’s integrated CRO platform is designed to provide that validation layer — combining protein production of challenging targets including membrane proteins with biolayer interferometry and surface plasmon resonance for binding characterization, cryo-EM for complex biological target and drug-target interaction structure determination, X-ray crystallography for targets better suited to diffraction analysis than electron microscopy, and cryo-TEM for nanoparticle characterization including lipid nanoparticles and viral vectors. The breadth of capabilities enables TrueCourse to select the most appropriate analytical approach for each target and scientific question, rather than constraining programs to a single technique.

For CRO clients running AI-enabled drug discovery programs, the integrated model eliminates a persistent operational gap. AI-generated structural predictions and binding hypotheses require wet-lab confirmation across multiple orthogonal techniques before sponsors can invest in lead optimization — but the structural biology CRO landscape has historically been fragmented across specialized providers for cryo-EM, protein production, and biophysics. TrueCourse’s combination of NIS and Proteos consolidates these services, enabling sponsors to access protein production, structural determination, and biophysical characterization within a single CRO relationship, with continuity of scientific context and data across techniques. The company is already partnering with biotech leaders to support AI drug discovery validation workflows and is expanding its scope of services to meet growing demand in this space.

Dr. Lindsey Gottler, appointed as Chief Executive Officer of TrueCourse Biosciences, brings deep protein science and CRO leadership experience, having advanced through multiple scientific and operational roles at Proteos — including Director of the Protein Purification Group and Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Giovanna Scapin serves as Chief Scientific Officer, bringing structural biology expertise to the scientific leadership of the combined organization.

“Bringing NanoImaging Services and Proteos together under TrueCourse allows us to offer a more connected approach to structural biology, while building on the deep scientific expertise that has defined both organizations. By expanding our capabilities and connecting them more closely, we can help researchers cut through complexity, reduce uncertainty and identify the clearest path forward for their programs.”

Dr. Lindsey Gottler, Chief Executive Officer, TrueCourse Biosciences