Center for Genomic Regulation, CRG Senior Scientist and ICREA Research Professor
C/ Dr. Aiguader, 88,08003 Barcelona
Alvaro's paper has been published in Nucleic Acids Research
Previous techniques could visualize active areas of transcription, but not give precise information about their shape and size. We imaged nascent RNA spatial accumulations, which we termed RNA nanodomains. We characterized the RNA nanodomains and revealed how they interact with active RNA Polymerase II, the main component of the transcription machinery, and in turn, with small chromatin clutches, one of the smallest units of organization of the DNA fibers.
Castells-Garcia et al. December 2021 Nucleic Acids Research
https://academic.oup.com/nar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nar/gkab1215/6462398?searchresult=1
Vicky's paper has been published in Molecular Cell
We showed that transcriptionally generated supercoiling regulates loop formation. The girl's blowing represents the force of transcriptionally generated supercoiling that promotes loop extrusion (bubbles forming) through cohesin (ring of stick). Bubbles depict different nuclear topologies. Excess of cohesin, supercoiling, and loops leads to chromatin blending (upper bubbles), while inhibition of transcription or topoisomerases brings decreased supercoiling and chromatin compaction (lower bubbles). Cover art from Laura Martin.
Look at paper at this link: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1dS8d3vVUPGJuH
Italian science day in the word 2021!
On the occasion of the Italian Science Day in the World, the Italian Cultural Institute and the Consulate General of Italy in Barcelona, in collaboration with the Ayuntamiento of Barcelona (Tinència d'Alcaldia de Cultura, Educació, Ciència i Comunitat) are delighted to present: The MUSIC OF SCIENCE Initiative.
H2020 FET-Open project awarded!
ECaBox "Eyes in a Care Box": Regenerating human retina from resuscitated cadaveric eyes.
We will create a device, the EcaBox, to resuscitate eyes from the dead. In collaboration with a number of Partners working in Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), King’s College London (KCL) in the UK, the Association for the Advancement of Tissue Engineering and Cell Based Technologies & Therapies (A4TEC) in Portugal, AFERETICA in Italy and the Bar-Ilan University (BIU) in Israel, we will develop artificial blood, artificial vitreous to kick-starting the activity of retinal neurons and restoring eye function. ECaBox will be a transparent, cubic box that mimics conditions in the living human eye, maintaining the eye’s temperature and pH levels while avoiding blood clots and removing metabolic waste and toxins.
Karthik’s paper has been published in Cell Reports
The Master Regulator protein BAZ2B can reprogram human hematopoietic lineage-committed progenitors into a multipotent state.
Arumugam et al. Cell Reports 2020
We used reverse-engineered networks to elucidate the molecular mechanism of cell-fusion mediated reprogramming of B lymphocytes to hematopoietic stem cell-like state. BAZ2B was identified as a Master Regulator that can reprogram human lineage-committed progenitors to multipotent hematopoietic cells, thus enhancing their stemness and long-term engraftment.
.
Martina’s paper has been published in Molecular Therapy
The Chemokine Receptors Ccr5 and Cxcr6 Enhance Migration of Mesenchymal Stem Cells into the Degenerating Retina
Inadequate migration and integration of transplanted cells into the retina limit the efficacy of cell therapy approaches. We found that chemokines released from the degenerating retina can drive migration of transplanted stem cells over-expressing Ccr5 and Cxcr6 receptors, thereby resulting in rescue of retinal degeneration.
Pesaresi et al. Molecular Therapy 2020
Institutional News!
