12/2020 - Structure of human RNA polymerase III
In eukaryotes, RNA Polymerase (Pol) III is specialized for the transcription of tRNAs and other short, untranslated RNAs. Pol III is a determinant of cellular growth and lifespan across eukaryotes. Upregulation of Pol III transcription is observed in cancer and causative Pol III mutations have been described in neurodevelopmental disorders and hypersensitivity to viral infection. […]
12/2020 - 3D FIB-SEM reconstruction of microtubule–organelle interaction in whole primary mouse β cells
This collaborative work is a good example for how members of our team can collaborate with biologists and technologists to improve the quantitative analysis work required to gain insights into essential processes related to human health and pathology, in this particular case into the subcellular organization of insulin producing β cells. Microtubules play a major […]
12/2020 - COVID-19 lessons from the dish: Dissecting CNS manifestations through brain organoids
COVID-19 is increasingly understood as a systemic disease with pathogenic manifestations beyond the respiratory tract. Recent work by Ramani et al (2020) dissects the cellular and molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2’s neurotrophic properties, using viral exposure of human brain organoids. Their findings highlight neurons as primary target of cerebral SARS-CoV-2 infection and uncover its Tau-related neurotoxicity.
11/2020 - Genomic profiling of T-cell activation suggests increased sensitivity of memory T cells to CD28 costimulation
T-cell activation is a critical driver of immune responses. The CD28 costimulation is an essential regulator of CD4 T-cell responses, however, its relative importance in naive and memory T cells is not fully understood. Using different model systems, we observe that human memory T cells are more sensitive to CD28 costimulation than naive T cells. […]