Final version of our last paper is out!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Plasmids promote antimicrobial resistance through insertion sequence-mediated gene inactivation - Nature Microbiology
Inactivation of chromosomal genes through plasmid-encoded IS elements is an extended mechanism of antimicrobial resistance evolution in bacteria.
www.nature.com
March 13, 2026 at 11:52 AM
Final version of our last paper is out!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
all of us showing up to the bgb inactivation memorial service
August 10, 2026 at 1:38 PM
all of us showing up to the bgb inactivation memorial service
Why is the X chromosome rich in L1 mobile elements? @science.org X-chromosome inactivation draws L1 mutagenesis to the human X chromosome | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
X-chromosome inactivation draws L1 mutagenesis to the human X chromosome
X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) enables gene dosage compensation in XX eutherians. Long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) retrotransposons are unusually abundant on the human X chromosome and are ...
www.science.org
July 30, 2026 at 6:58 PM
Why is the X chromosome rich in L1 mobile elements? @science.org X-chromosome inactivation draws L1 mutagenesis to the human X chromosome | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Me showing up to the bgb inactivation memorial service
August 10, 2026 at 1:38 PM
Me showing up to the bgb inactivation memorial service
Very happy to share our paper rdcu.be/eUImj out today in @natcellbio.nature.com 🎉🎉🎉
We uncover an unexpected role for endogenous Xist RNA in regulating X-linked genes that escape X-inactivation.
We uncover an unexpected role for endogenous Xist RNA in regulating X-linked genes that escape X-inactivation.
Escape from X inactivation is directly modulated by Xist noncoding RNA
Nature Cell Biology - The authors show that increased Xist RNA levels can induce de novo silencing of genes that normally escape X inactivation. SPEN depletion prevents the silencing of escape...
rdcu.be
December 15, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Very happy to share our paper rdcu.be/eUImj out today in @natcellbio.nature.com 🎉🎉🎉
We uncover an unexpected role for endogenous Xist RNA in regulating X-linked genes that escape X-inactivation.
We uncover an unexpected role for endogenous Xist RNA in regulating X-linked genes that escape X-inactivation.
New preprint 📢 Thrilled to share our long-awaited work on the role of RSX in marsupial X-inactivation. This was a huge team effort over the years, led by @aureliencourtois.bsky.social @sermenchero.bsky.social Sugako Ogushi and Waz Varsally, that allowed us to set up genome editing in opossum embryos
Genome editing of marsupial RSX reveals conserved and divergent principles in mammalian X-inactivation
X-chromosome inactivation balances X-gene dosage between the sexes in eutherians and marsupials. The lncRNA Xist mediates X-inactivation in eutherians but is absent from marsupials. An evolutionarily ...
www.biorxiv.org
July 8, 2026 at 9:50 AM
New preprint 📢 Thrilled to share our long-awaited work on the role of RSX in marsupial X-inactivation. This was a huge team effort over the years, led by @aureliencourtois.bsky.social @sermenchero.bsky.social Sugako Ogushi and Waz Varsally, that allowed us to set up genome editing in opossum embryos
ken jennings showing up to the bgb inactivation memorial service
August 10, 2026 at 5:50 PM
ken jennings showing up to the bgb inactivation memorial service
📣 SAVE THE DATE
Next X-inactivation meeting in Sapporo, Japan, 19-23 October 2026. Visit x-inactivation-meeting.org to join our mailing list. 🧬 speakers @dandergassen.bsky.social @marnieblewitt.bsky.social @heard65.bsky.social @crougeulle.bsky.social @sexchrlab.bsky.social @zhouqi1982.bsky.social
Next X-inactivation meeting in Sapporo, Japan, 19-23 October 2026. Visit x-inactivation-meeting.org to join our mailing list. 🧬 speakers @dandergassen.bsky.social @marnieblewitt.bsky.social @heard65.bsky.social @crougeulle.bsky.social @sexchrlab.bsky.social @zhouqi1982.bsky.social
November 17, 2025 at 11:39 AM
📣 SAVE THE DATE
Next X-inactivation meeting in Sapporo, Japan, 19-23 October 2026. Visit x-inactivation-meeting.org to join our mailing list. 🧬 speakers @dandergassen.bsky.social @marnieblewitt.bsky.social @heard65.bsky.social @crougeulle.bsky.social @sexchrlab.bsky.social @zhouqi1982.bsky.social
Next X-inactivation meeting in Sapporo, Japan, 19-23 October 2026. Visit x-inactivation-meeting.org to join our mailing list. 🧬 speakers @dandergassen.bsky.social @marnieblewitt.bsky.social @heard65.bsky.social @crougeulle.bsky.social @sexchrlab.bsky.social @zhouqi1982.bsky.social
Inactivation of primate cortex reveals inductive biases in visual learning
www.cell.com/current-biol...
#neuroscience
www.cell.com/current-biol...
#neuroscience
Inactivation of primate cortex reveals inductive biases in visual learning
Laamerad et al. use reversible inactivation of primate area V4 to examine how the
brain learns new perceptual tasks. The results reveal an inductive bias for sensory
readouts that are easy to learn, e...
www.cell.com
September 9, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Inactivation of primate cortex reveals inductive biases in visual learning
www.cell.com/current-biol...
#neuroscience
www.cell.com/current-biol...
#neuroscience
Our new paper is out! Congrats to all involved.
Dosage compensation and meiotic sex chromosome inactivation are maintained under relaxed selection | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Dosage compensation and meiotic sex chromosome inactivation are maintained under relaxed selection | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Dosage compensation and meiotic sex chromosome inactivation are maintained under relaxed selection | PNAS
Dosage compensation and meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI) are key mechanisms
regulating gene expression from the X chromosome in male-hete...
www.pnas.org
July 16, 2026 at 8:25 AM
Our new paper is out! Congrats to all involved.
Dosage compensation and meiotic sex chromosome inactivation are maintained under relaxed selection | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Dosage compensation and meiotic sex chromosome inactivation are maintained under relaxed selection | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
all of us showing up to the bgb inactivation memorial service
August 10, 2026 at 1:32 PM
all of us showing up to the bgb inactivation memorial service
Nature research paper: Structural basis of fast N-type inactivation in Kv channels
go.nature.com/3J3coP4
go.nature.com/3J3coP4
Structural basis of fast N-type inactivation in Kv channels - Nature
This paper explores how voltage-gated potassium channels can plug the pore to prevent the conductance of ions during inactivation.
go.nature.com
August 11, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Nature research paper: Structural basis of fast N-type inactivation in Kv channels
go.nature.com/3J3coP4
go.nature.com/3J3coP4
New preprint from the Heard Lab and the Marti-Renom lab! 🧬 We show that X-inactivation escapee domains form distinct chromatin compartments independently of CTCF and cohesin.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
X-inactivation escapee domains are CTCF-cohesin independent chromatin compartments
X-chromosome inactivation involves chromosome-wide gene silencing accompanied by extensive chromatin changes, as well the loss of topologically associating domains. Yet discrete regions of the inactiv...
www.biorxiv.org
September 3, 2026 at 8:04 AM
New preprint from the Heard Lab and the Marti-Renom lab! 🧬 We show that X-inactivation escapee domains form distinct chromatin compartments independently of CTCF and cohesin.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭! 🎉
“𝐗𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐗-𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬” 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐑𝐱𝐢𝐯!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
“𝐗𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐗-𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬” 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐑𝐱𝐢𝐯!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
XIST Drives X-Chromosome Inactivation and Safeguards Female Extraembryonic Cells in Humans
Dosage compensation of sex chromosomes through X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is required for mice extra-embryonic tissue growth and embryo development. The species specificity in mechanisms and timi...
www.biorxiv.org
November 25, 2025 at 4:37 PM
𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭! 🎉
“𝐗𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐗-𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬” 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐑𝐱𝐢𝐯!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
“𝐗𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐗-𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬” 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐑𝐱𝐢𝐯!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
⚠️ Paper alert: Using a novel CRISPR screening approach, we mapped the entire regulatory network controlling Xist—key for X-chromosome inactivation.
👉 We discover how sex and development signals are decoded at a single gene locus.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👇 Bluetorial
👉 We discover how sex and development signals are decoded at a single gene locus.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👇 Bluetorial
Reporter CRISPR screens decipher cis-regulatory and trans-regulatory principles at the Xist locus - Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
Here Schwämmle et al. develop CRISPR reporter screens to map transcription-factor-regulatory element interactions at the Xist locus, revealing a two-step mechanism integrating developmental and X-dosage signals to initiate X-chromosome inactivation.
www.nature.com
October 6, 2025 at 1:02 PM
⚠️ Paper alert: Using a novel CRISPR screening approach, we mapped the entire regulatory network controlling Xist—key for X-chromosome inactivation.
👉 We discover how sex and development signals are decoded at a single gene locus.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👇 Bluetorial
👉 We discover how sex and development signals are decoded at a single gene locus.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👇 Bluetorial
Our study published today @science.org shows that X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) attracts L1 mutations to the human X chromosome:
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
With outstanding Perspective from @aurelien-doucet.bsky.social & @retrogenomics.bsky.social:
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
With outstanding Perspective from @aurelien-doucet.bsky.social & @retrogenomics.bsky.social:
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
July 30, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Our study published today @science.org shows that X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) attracts L1 mutations to the human X chromosome:
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
With outstanding Perspective from @aurelien-doucet.bsky.social & @retrogenomics.bsky.social:
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
With outstanding Perspective from @aurelien-doucet.bsky.social & @retrogenomics.bsky.social:
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Congratulations to Dr. Alex(andra) Longest, who defended her dissertation"Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of Inactivation of Respiratory Viruses in the Environment" a couple of weeks ago! I am so proud of her.
December 21, 2024 at 12:57 AM
Congratulations to Dr. Alex(andra) Longest, who defended her dissertation"Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of Inactivation of Respiratory Viruses in the Environment" a couple of weeks ago! I am so proud of her.
The role of the maternal X chromosome in brain aging
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
@nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
@nature.com
X chromosome passed from mother to daughter influences brain ageing
X-chromosome inactivation affects age-related decline in spatial memory.
www.nature.com
January 22, 2025 at 4:17 PM
The role of the maternal X chromosome in brain aging
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
@nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
@nature.com
What molecular mechanisms underlie the needle-in-a-haystack search for homology required to fix a DNA break? In this preprint, we reveal multiple controls of homology search in cells: onset, coordination, reach and inactivation. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
September 18, 2026 at 6:01 AM
What molecular mechanisms underlie the needle-in-a-haystack search for homology required to fix a DNA break? In this preprint, we reveal multiple controls of homology search in cells: onset, coordination, reach and inactivation. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
To be clear, we do not report what Mattha claims. 95% is not 100%. While most of the virus will be inactivated in an hour, not all. At no point do we say otherwise. To imply that we measured 100% inactivation in an hour is wrong (aka: a lie).
Also, FYI: an hour is a long time.
Also, FYI: an hour is a long time.
December 20, 2025 at 10:49 PM
To be clear, we do not report what Mattha claims. 95% is not 100%. While most of the virus will be inactivated in an hour, not all. At no point do we say otherwise. To imply that we measured 100% inactivation in an hour is wrong (aka: a lie).
Also, FYI: an hour is a long time.
Also, FYI: an hour is a long time.
Freshwater Microbiomes Shape Viral Inactivation in Continuous Cultures https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.26.754611v1
September 27, 2026 at 1:15 AM
Freshwater Microbiomes Shape Viral Inactivation in Continuous Cultures https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.26.754611v1
Two new papers 📖 from our lab 1️⃣ What is epigenetics (and why X inactivation is?) rdcu.be/fhzSz and 2️⃣ A Baculovirus-based tool to express any gene of interest with high efficiency in Anopheles cells rdcu.be/fhzTy
The epigenetic nature of X chromosome inactivation
Nature Reviews Genetics - In this Journal Club, Claudia Keller Valsecchi recalls two seminal studies by Csankovszki et al. and by Wutz and Jaenisch that defined X-chromosome inactivation as an...
rdcu.be
May 8, 2026 at 7:32 AM
Two new papers 📖 from our lab 1️⃣ What is epigenetics (and why X inactivation is?) rdcu.be/fhzSz and 2️⃣ A Baculovirus-based tool to express any gene of interest with high efficiency in Anopheles cells rdcu.be/fhzTy
against it tend to be less potent. Another example of the problems with chemical inactivation are apparent in pertussis vaccines. Acellular pertussis vaccines (Tdap, DTaP) all contain an inactivated pertussis toxin, made through formalin inactivation. Pertussis toxin (PT) is a critical mediator...
May 1, 2025 at 7:41 PM
against it tend to be less potent. Another example of the problems with chemical inactivation are apparent in pertussis vaccines. Acellular pertussis vaccines (Tdap, DTaP) all contain an inactivated pertussis toxin, made through formalin inactivation. Pertussis toxin (PT) is a critical mediator...
Our recent paper in npj Antimicrobials and Resistance is a great example of scientific serendipity: after staring at thousands of bacterial growth curves over many studies, we started wondering whether the curve shapes themselves carry mechanistic information 1/9 🦠🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Predicting drug inactivation by changes in bacterial growth dynamics - npj Antimicrobials and Resistance
npj Antimicrobials and Resistance - Predicting drug inactivation by changes in bacterial growth dynamics
www.nature.com
December 22, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Our recent paper in npj Antimicrobials and Resistance is a great example of scientific serendipity: after staring at thousands of bacterial growth curves over many studies, we started wondering whether the curve shapes themselves carry mechanistic information 1/9 🦠🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
www.nature.com/articles/s44...