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cell biology

Year
8 October 2024 Illustration showing a mitochondrion covered with many ribosomes on the left, and a zoom in to the molecular structure of a ribosome facing a membrane with its smaller subunit on the right.

What we can learn from hungry yeast cells

Science & Technology Scientists at EMBL Heidelberg and University of Virginia revealed a new cellular response to starvation: ribosomes attach to the mitochondrial outer membrane in a very unusual way, via their small subunit. The finding made in yeast might provide insights into how cancer cells survive the harsh…

2024

science-technology

21 August 2024 Three images of the cell at different stages of mitosis. In the left: round navy shape and irregular thick magenta line within it. In the middle: the same round shape with two irregular magenta shapes. On the right: Two round navy shapes connected with each other. Each of them holds shiny magenta-yellow clusters.

The forces behind chromosome repulsion and attraction during cell division

Science & Technology EMBL Heidelberg researchers discovered how a protein switches between repelling and gluing chromosomes during cell division. This helps the mother cell to divide the genome equally into two daughter cells and cluster chromosomes inside the daughter nuclei, ensuring a successful cell division.

2024

science-technology

6 June 2024 A schematic of transport of dipeptides (white sticks) by the GLMP–MFSD1 complex. The transporter undergoes the common alternating access mechanism transitioning from outward-open conformation after dipeptide binding in the lysosomal lumen, to the occluded state where both sides of the binding site are closed, to the inward-open conformation enabling dipeptide release to the cytoplasm.

Structure and function of new lysosome transporter revealed

Science & Technology The group of Christian Löw at EMBL Hamburg and CSSB, and collaborators from the Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel and CNRS & Université Paris Cité worked together to reveal the structure and function of a previously unknown lysosome transporter, MFSD1.

2024

science-technology

22 May 2024 A sphere with two separated halves; the left half is blue and depicts chromosomes separating along spindles inside multiple nuclei, while the right half is orange, depicting a single set of chromosomes and a spindle with no nuclear envelope visible.

Exploring diversity in cell division

Science & Technology New research by EMBL scientists shows how different modes of cell division used by animals and fungi might have evolved to support diverse life cycles.

2024

science-technology

13 September 2023 Magenta and green sombrero-shaped object with grey lines beyond it sits against a black background

Understanding how cells avoid obstacles

Science & Technology EMBL researchers have identified a novel mechanism that allows cells to sense obstacles in their path and avoid them while navigating complex environments.

2023

sciencescience-technology

31 August 2022 A Physarum polycephalum with different colours, where each colour shows the expansion of the cell at various time points.

Spotlight: A giant in action

Science & Technology Physarum polycephalum, a single, giant cell containing tens of thousands of nuclei is large enough to be photographed with a phone.

2022

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

21 January 2022 The cross-section of a cell expressing a green fluorescently tagged protein and illuminated by a blue laser is visible in the foreground, surrounded by a vortex of cells

Cell sorting enters a new dimension

Science & Technology EMBL researchers, in collaboration with BD Biosciences, have demonstrated a new technology that allows rapid image-based sorting of cells. The new technology represents a major upgrade to flow cytometry and has applications in diverse life science fields.

2022

sciencescience-technology

9 December 2021 Colourful interwoven coils are displayed against a grid of small black and white photographic images.

A gallery of human RNA polymerases

Science & Technology New structural biology research provides fundamental information critical to understanding enzyme mutations connected to rare diseases and cancers.

2021

sciencescience-technology

29 November 2021 Male scientist in front of blurred woodland background

Welcome: Niccolò Banterle

Lab MattersPeople & Perspectives Using gene editing and three types of microscopy, one of EMBL’s newest group leaders is deciphering the functions of one of the smallest molecules involved in cell division, motility, and signalling, known as a centriole.

2021

lab-matterspeople-perspectives

22 October 2021 Oblong shape with two holes and coloured dots inside, representing phytoplankton cells and nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Analysis and sorting with flow cytometry

Lab MattersScience & Technology A technology around since the ‘60s, flow cytometry has increasing applications. New leadership at EMBL’s flow cytometry facilities is looking to ease use, expand training, and encourage more collaboration.

2021

lab-mattersscience-technology

12 October 2021 Man in white and blue t-shirt in outdoor setting

When ‘good’ cells go ‘bad’

Science & Technology If researchers can identify specifically when good cells go bad, they can potentially understand disease better.

2021

sciencescience-technology

5 October 2021 Illustration of a globe with colourful shapes and symbols superimposed.

A cellular atlas of an entire worm

Science & Technology EMBL scientists and colleagues have developed an interactive atlas of the entire marine worm Platynereis dumerilii in its larval stage. The PlatyBrowser resource combines high-resolution gene expression data with volume electron microscopy images.

2021

sciencescience-technology

22 June 2021 Woman stands at brown railing in front of trees

Welcome: Anna Erzberger

Lab MattersPeople & Perspectives Anna Erzberger, one of EMBL’s newest group leaders, will provide unique perspective as a theoretical biological physicist.

2021

lab-matterspeople-perspectives

1 June 2021 Two purple and white spheres against dark background.

Nuclear twins

Science & Technology Captured by EMBL postdoc Arina Rybina, these ‘nuclear twins’ are two daughter nuclei straight after division of a HeLa cell.

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

27 April 2021 Three irregular shapes, made up of green, blue, red and pink speckles, are set against a black background.

SARS-CoV-2 curtails immune response in the gut

Science & Technology EMBL scientists, together with collaborators from Heidelberg University, have provided further evidence of the gut’s role in COVID-19.

2021

sciencescience-technology

27 April 2021 Microscope image of liver cells, highlighted in various colours.

Painting liver cells

Science & Technology A page from a biologist’s colouring book? EMBL’s new interior wall design? Not quite – a bunch of liver cells, grown in the lab so that scientists can learn about fatty liver disease, or steatosis.

2021

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

5 February 2021 Artistic representation of the structure of the three proteins forming Integrator’s catalytic core.

At the core of the Integrator complex

Science & Technology A new paper from the Galej group at EMBL Grenoble describes the structure of key parts of the Integrator complex, involved in gene expression.

2021

sciencescience-technology

2 December 2020 The image is a green coloured cell, with a wild and textured surface which is composed of many different shapes and shadows.

Scratching the surface on cell differentiation

Science & Technology Scientists in the Diz-Muñoz group at EMBL Heidelberg are working to build understanding of the role that mechanical properties play in affecting cell behaviour – a young and rapidly developing field of study. They have developed and successfully used a highly specialised technique to manipulate…

2020

sciencescience-technology

27 October 2020 Microscopic image of a cell, nucleus visible in bright green, cell membrane stained with a purple dye against black background.

Party at the nucleus?

Science & Technology The nucleus of this cell fluoresces in bright green thanks to GFP-labelled nucleoporin proteins. EMBL scientists use engineered nucleoporins as 3D reference standards to improve super-resolution microscopy.

2020

picture-of-the-weekscience-technology

18 September 2020 Composite image of mouse cells and human cells showing different levels of luminescence, indicated as different colours.

Human and mouse cells run at different speeds

Science & Technology The internal clock that governs the development of embryos ticks slower for humans than for mice. Differences in the speed of biochemical reactions underlie the differences between species in the tempo of development.

2020

sciencescience-technology

21 July 2020 Top row: The evolution of tumour cells (green) within a normal organoid (grey) shown in three panels. Lower row: Surface rendition of tumour cells and labels new cells that arise from a single cell in the same colour.

A tool to improve cancer research

Science & Technology EMBL scientists have created a new, realistic 3D testbed that could help achieve the goal of stopping cancers before they start by studying cancer cells as they first form.

2020

sciencescience-technology

11 March 2019 A visualisation of a membraneless organelle in the green-yellow style of the data presented in the Nature Communications paper

ATP affects proteome-wide solubility

Science & Technology Scientists develop technology to measure how ATP concentration affects protein solubility in cells

2019

sciencescience-technology

9 October 2018 Wendy Bickmore. PHOTO: Massimo Del Prete

EMBL in the UK: Wendy Bickmore

People & Perspectives Meet Wendy Bickmore, Director of the MRC Human Genetics Unit, who spoke at the EMBL in the UK event

2018

alumnipeople-perspectives

26 July 2018

The proteins behind hungry cells

Science & Technology EMBL researchers visualise the proteins needed to capture molecules and bring them into a cell

2018

sciencescience-technology

9 July 2018 Miki Ebisuya at EMBL Barcelona

Welcome: Miki Ebisuya

People & Perspectives New group leader at EMBL Barcelona creates artificial biological systems to study animal development

2018

people-perspectivesscience

19 June 2018 Kristina Havas-Cavalletti

EMBL in Italy: Kristina Havas-Cavalletti

People & Perspectives More than 80 attendees gathered at the EMBL in Italy event at the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology (IFOM) in Milan

2018

alumnipeople-perspectives

20 March 2018 A heatmap graph displaying high (red) or low (blue) levels of gene expressions in different cells.

From blood vessels to blood stem cells

Science & Technology EMBL scientists discover how blood vessel cells become blood stem cells during embryonic development

2018

sciencescience-technology

14 March 2018

DNA replication stress in cancer

Science & Technology Thanos Halazonetis discusses the EMBO/EMBL Symposium: DNA Replication: From Basic Biology to Disease

2018

eventsscience-technology

16 February 2018 New EMBL group leader Sara Cuylen-Häring will explore biophysical properties of chromosomes and other cellular assemblies.

Welcome: Sara Cuylen-Häring

People & Perspectives New EMBL group leader explores biophysical properties of chromosomes and other cellular assemblies

2018

people-perspectivesscience

8 January 2018 A photo of new EMBL Heidelberg group leader Aissam Ikmi.

Welcome: Aissam Ikmi

People & Perspectives New group leader studies sea anemones to investigate why some animals regenerate better than others

2018

people-perspectivesscience

23 November 2017 Floating approximately 400 km above the Earth, the International Space Station provides a platform for scientific research in space.

Science in space

People & Perspectives EMBL alumna Sigrid Reinsch trained as a cell biologist – now she helps run experiments in space

2017

alumnipeople-perspectives

13 November 2017

Research highlights

Science & Technology A summary of recent research highlights from EMBL

2017

sciencescience-technology

11 August 2017

Welcome: Justin Crocker

People & Perspectives Meet Justin Crocker, EMBL’s new group leader in gene regulation during evolution and development

2017

people-perspectivesscience

14 June 2017 Image Data Resource

Open imaging data for biology

Science & Technology The Image Data Resource - prototype of the first open repository linking imaging and molecular data

2017

sciencescience-technology

9 June 2017

Mapping gene expression, cell by cell

Science & Technology EMBL researchers complete a molecular atlas showing gene expression in all cells in an entire animal

2017

sciencescience-technology

6 June 2017

Senses: Silencing noise

Science & Technology Two EMBL researchers are exploring new ways to filter out noise and get to the data they need

2017

sciencescience-technology

3 May 2017

Futures: Phosphatases

Science & Technology ERC grantee Maja Köhn shares her vision for the next ten years

2017

sciencescience-technology

27 April 2017

Illuminating insulin release

Science & Technology EMBL researchers develop an optical method for measuring the release of insulin from single cells

2017

sciencescience-technology

13 March 2017

Futures: Brain evolution

Science & Technology ERC grantee Detlev Arendt shares his vision for the next ten years

2017

sciencescience-technology

13 March 2017

Futures: Genome regulation

Science & Technology ERC grantee Eileen Furlong shares her vision for the next ten years

2017

sciencescience-technology

23 February 2017

Building labs with flies

People & Perspectives Flies can do a lot for science, inside and outside the lab. EMBL alumna Isabel Palacios explains how

2017

alumnipeople-perspectives

13 December 2016

Study offers approach to treating pain

Science & Technology Research on the effect of nerve cell stiffness on sensitivity to touch could lead to new painkillers

2016

sciencescience-technology

7 December 2016

Cycle of life

Science & Technology Paul Nurse’s failed experiment inspired a career that would uncover key mechanisms of cell division

2016

sciencescience-technology

1 December 2016

Design for life

Lab MattersPeople & Perspectives EMBL’s Petra Riedinger retires after 40 years producing posters, graphics, artwork and more

2016

lab-matterspeople-perspectives

24 November 2016

Chromatin cartographer

People & Perspectives EMBL alumnus Jop Kind reflects on the questions that led him to this year’s John Kendrew Award

2016

alumnipeople-perspectives

17 November 2016

New insights into RNA Polymerase I

Science & Technology Cryo EM reconstruction of RNA Polymerase I reveals details of how molecule binds and transcribes DNA

2016

sciencescience-technology

27 October 2016

Welcome to EMBL: Robert Prevedel

People & Perspectives Robert Prevedel develops deep-tissue microscopy for scientists to peer deep inside living organisms

2016

people-perspectivesscience

29 June 2016 Alba Diz-Muñoz. PHOTO: Hugo Neves/EMBL Photolab

Welcome: Alba Diz-Muñoz

People & Perspectives New group leader combines physics and biology to answer the 'hows' of cell movement

2016

people-perspectivesscience

14 June 2016

How cells bag their rubbish

Science & Technology How cells eliminate protein deposits that can lead to neurodegenerative disorders

2016

sciencescience-technology

21 April 2016 EMBL scientists are discovering and understanding the waves and rhythms inside us. ILLUSTRATION: Aad Goudappel, Rotterdam

The rhythms in life

Science & Technology How EMBL scientists are discovering and understanding the waves and rhythms inside us

2016

sciencescience-technology

21 March 2016 First complete, real-time recording of starfish egg cell eliminating centrioles shows it handles mature ‘mother’ centrioles (green) and immature ‘daughter’ centrioles (purple) differently.

Mothers and daughters

Science & Technology 1st real-time video of starfish egg cell eliminating crucial structures, to ensure embryo viability

2016

sciencescience-technology

16 February 2016 The stem cell equivalent of an anti-wrinkle cream advert. Credit: EMBL/Hanna Sladitschek

Forever young

Science & Technology How stem cells resist change

2016

sciencescience-technology

17 December 2015 Digital zebrafish embryo provided the first complete developmental blueprint of a vertebrate in 2008. IMAGE: EMBL/Keller et al.

SPIM doctors

Science & Technology From initial development to a start-up company: Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM) at EMBL.

2015

sciencescience-technology

19 November 2015 When illuminated with a laser, individual cells (bright yellow) within the fruit fly embryo cannot contract. This novel optogenetic approach helped to get insights into how tissues bend.

Lighting up development

Science & Technology Using lasers to shed light on how tissues get into shape

2015

sciencescience-technology

30 October 2015

One hard pull

Science & Technology Fibres that pull membrane to form a vesicle exert a force that’s 2500 times a yeast cell’s own weight

2015

sciencescience-technology

29 September 2015

Karsenti wins CNRS gold

EMBL AnnouncementsLab Matters Gold medal celebrates Eric Karsenti’s exceptional career and outstanding contributions to biology.

2015

embl-announcementslab-matters

24 August 2015

Cellular synergy

People & Perspectives Alumnus Thomas Vaccari reflects on the first joint symposium with EMBL Monterotondo, in Milan.

2015

eventspeople-perspectives

20 August 2015

First, find your membrane

Science & Technology Collaboration between scientists reveals collaboration between lipids.

2015

sciencescience-technology

18 June 2015 Clathrin proteins involved in endocytosis form a lattice that can dramatically change its shape to form the vesicle

Decades-old cell biology puzzle solved

Science & Technology Behaviour of clathrin proteins, crucial for endocytosis, is clarified using new imaging techniques.

2015

sciencescience-technology

15 June 2015 The scientists measured the force required to change the shape of the cells by gently deforming each cell with a pipette. IMAGE: J.L. Maitre/EMBL

Dancing with the cells

Science & Technology Cells 'dance' as they draw together during early embryo development.

2015

sciencescience-technology

21 May 2015

Sense of space

Science & Technology EMBL scientists demonstrate that spatial constraints are a key factor in determining nucleus size.

2015

sciencescience-technology

5 May 2015

Destination collaboration

Science & Technology Stanford University biophysicist KC Huang on his collaboration with the Typas group in Heidelberg.

2015

sciencescience-technology

16 March 2015

No humans required

Science & Technology New fully automated technique enables scientists to chart complex protein networks in living cells.

2015

sciencescience-technology

4 March 2015 Where and when are different molecules contributing to the bending of the membrane? IMAGE: EMBL/A. Picco

Best of three worlds

Science & Technology Combining three different kinds of microscopy to determine how molecules move during endocytosis.

2015

sciencescience-technology

25 February 2015 The team used computer simulations to investigate the mitotic spindle's strength. IMAGE: EMBL/F. NÉDÉLEC

Under pressure

Science & Technology How strong does a spindle need to be? Videos put cell’s chromosome-separating machinery to the test

2015

sciencescience-technology

4 February 2015 The new method helps identify which mutations to a gene actually cause a disease. IMAGE FROM THORMAEHLEN ET AL.

Beyond sequencing

Science & Technology New microscopy-based method goes beyond gene sequencing, pinpointing the cause of disease.

2015

sciencescience-technology

26 January 2015

Awards & Honours

Lab Matters EMBL scientists regularly receive prestigious awards – meet the latest honourees.

2015

lab-matters

18 December 2014

How to fix a cellular powerhouse

Science & Technology Compound that can restore the function of poorly working mitochondria, with therapeutic potential.

2014

sciencescience-technology

11 November 2014

Polish connections

Lab Matters Alumna Anna Bartosik shares insights and hopes for EMBL's newest prospect member state, Poland.

2014

alumnilab-matters

23 October 2014

Chamber of secrets

Science & Technology Like sports teams, cells can huddle to communicate in secret and organise group behaviour

2014

sciencescience-technology

20 October 2014

Breaking boundaries

Science & Technology How Nobel-winning work by alumnus Stefan Hell shapes and inspires current EMBL scientists' research.

2014

sciencescience-technology

17 October 2014 Close-up of flow cytometer

Go with the flow

Science & Technology Flow cytometry: finding needles in haystacks

2014

sciencescience-technology

12 September 2014 Major advance in stem-cell technology

Major advance in stem cell technology

Science & Technology Researchers produce pristine stem cells, which can be precisely changed into clinically relevant cell types.

2014

sciencescience-technology

21 August 2014

Drawing on nature

PhD Symposium poster reveals how a cell’s inner workings serve as both inspiration and toolkit.

2014

events

20 August 2014

Binding bracelet

Science & Technology Vasa protein preserves pieces of 'enemy' DNA to help protect the genes of future generations.

2014

sciencescience-technology

17 July 2014

Embracing cellular complexity

Science & Technology Cell biologists "underestimate the complexity" of protein interactions, says Toby Gibson.

2014

sciencescience-technology

18 May 2014

First, catch your DNA

Science & Technology DNA-coralling protein complex in an unexpected bind

2014

sciencescience-technology

9 May 2014

How immune cells use steroids

Science & Technology Genome Campus researchers discover that some immune cells turn themselves off by producing a steroid.

2014

sciencescience-technology

1 April 2010 Each of these large images of dividing cells is composed of several microscopy images of human cells in which different individual genes were silenced. The smaller images are placed according to genes’ effects: images for genes that affect chromosomes make up the chromosomes (red/pink), while the mitotic spindle (green) is composed of images for genes that affect it. IMAGE: Thomas Walter & Mayumi Isokane / EMBL

Movies for the human genome

Science & Technology Name a human gene, and you’ll find a movie online showing you what happens to cells when it is switched off. This is the resource that researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, and their collaborators in the Mitocheck consortium are making freely…

2010

sciencescience-technology

4 March 2007

A clearer view on biology

Science & Technology The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) has developed a new computational tool that makes images obtained with cutting-edge microscopes even sharper. The technological advance and its applications are published in this week’s online issue of the journal Nature Methods. Since the…

2007

sciencescience-technology

27 September 2006

How nature tinkers with the cellular clock

Science & Technology The life of a cell is all about growing and dividing at the right time. That is why the cell cycle is one of the most tightly regulated cellular processes. A control system with several layers adjusts when key components of the cell cycle machinery are produced, activated and degraded to make sure…

2006

sciencescience-technology

3 February 2005

Biology in four dimensions

Science & Technology Most things that happen in the cell are the work of ‘molecular machines’ – complexes of proteins that carry out important cellular functions. Until now, scientists didn’t have a clear idea of when proteins form these machines – are these complexes pre-fabricated or put…

2005

sciencescience-technology

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