Toril Holien

Check out the global speaker line up. several travel awards and slots
for short talks open. Don’t miss this summer @faseborg.bsky.social events.faseb.org/event/TGF-B/...

Decoding the Mechanism of Action of a Parasite TGFβAntagonist Inspires the Creation of Cell-type-specific TGFβ Modulators https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.16.706112v1

Cow Tools!

We have lived alongside cows for nearly 10,000 years.
We breed them and exploit them

It is now, only now, that we have discovered THEY CAN USE TOOLS

Here I describe our study

(paper) www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... in @currentbiology.bsky.social
with @auersperga.bsky.social

😂

Hyperactive BMP and Mechanosignaling Remodel Chromatin to Drive Aberrant Osteogenesis in FOP https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.05.697733v1

Discovery and Characterization of Zilurgisertib, a Potent and Selective Inhibitor of Activin Receptor-like Kinase‑2(ALK2) for the Treatment of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva. T Ullrichet al. ACSMed.Chem. Lett. 31Oct 2025 shorturl.at/UCzDT …mouse model …start clinical trial

A human epiblast model reveals dynamic TGFβ-mediated control of epithelial identity during mammalian epiblast development Nature Cell Biology - The authors optimize an in vitro human epiblast model, which they utilize to show that early TGFβ family inhibition prevents epithelial identity, whereas it is...

🚨 New paper out!
A human epiblast model reveals how dynamic TGF‑β signalling controls epithelial identity in early mammalian development
Here is the full paper: rdcu.be/eSWEs
🧵 A twittorial:
THREAD

Researchers report knockdown of Activin receptor-like kinase 5 (ALK5) & Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 2 (SMAD2) - 2 genes of the TGFb pathway, protected dopaminergic neurons from a-Synuclein-induced toxicity; ⬆️TGFb signaling exacerbated a-Synuclein toxicity
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

C'mon guys. Cells show blebbing and death was inhibited by caspase inhibitors and had mitochondrial permeabilization.
In my alternate universe, this is apoptosis 🙄

🧬 Kinase Inhibitors can do more than block their targets!
A study by @cemm.oeaw.ac.at-@aithyra.bsky.social and #IRBBarcelona reveals that many inhibitors also trigger the degradation of the kinases, uncovering an overlooked mechanism with therapeutic potential.

Out in @nature.com
➡️ bit.ly/43SD9xj

Many congratulations, Emma! I had fun discussing receptors and signalling with you. Good luck with future projects ☺️!

European Respiratory Journal: The activin signalling inhibitor sotatercept may transform PAH therapy by targeting pulmonary vascular remodelling, but unique safety risks demand careful monitoring https://bit.ly/3UBsPVj

BMP9 enhances osteogenic differentiation in rheumatoid arthritis. BMP9 is down-regulated in synovial tissue of RA patients. In arthritis mice model BMP9 enhances osteogenic differentiation of synovial cells. Han Zhang et al. J Transl Med 2025 Feb 28 tinyurl.com/y65xbekk

BMP9 regulates the endothelial secretome to drive pulmonary hypertension https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.29.673113v1

Our preprint is out! We induced apoptosis in myeloma cells with BMP9 and did a whole genome KO screen to find regulators of apoptosis (and BMP-SMAD signaling). ID3 induced by SMAD activity inhibited TCF3 and induced apoptosis.
This was the main work in Clara Andersson-Rusch's PhD. Have a look! 👇

Album cover Skunk Anansie Stoosh

Our new collection offers cell biologists practical, expert-driven guidance and best practices in the design, execution, and analysis of experiments, and the subsequent communication of their results to their peers. 👉 rupress.org/jcb/collecti...

#Reproducibility

Excited to share our new manuscript, now published in Blood! BCMA #CART show impressive responses for #myeloma, but pts with high-risk cytogenetics relapse more quickly and are in urgent need of new therapies. Thread👇 (1/10) ashpublications.org/blood/articl...

SMAD7: riding on fibrosis-limiting routes and beyond | EMBO Molecular Medicine EMBO Press is an editorially independent publishing platform for the development of EMBO scientific publications.

SMAD7: riding on fibrosis-limiting routes and beyond
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....

Temporal genomic dynamics shape clinical trajectory in multiple myeloma - Nature Genetics This analysis of whole-genome sequencing data from 421 multiple myeloma samples elucidates the timing of key genomic events and shows associations between the timing of 1q gain and clinical outcome.

Nice work! Temporal patterns of genomic evolution in multiple myeloma showing importance of timing of events for progression and prognosis. #myeloma #multiplemyeloma #hemesky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

GCK inhibition induces IKZF1 degradation through a CRBN-independent mechanism in MM. buff.ly/B79qqYd #hemesky

Flyer for a conference

📣 Save the date 📣
The next FASEB Science Research Conference on TGF-β Family in Development and Disease will take place:
July 26-30, 2026 in Porto, Portugal!
@faseborg.bsky.social
With Mythreye Karthikeyan @mythreye.bsky.social, Rosemary Akhurst and Andrew Hinck

web.cvent.com/event/af5f6d...

Elskar når folk som ikkje anar noko om landbruk skal romantisere denne livsstilen, og så lage tv av at dei ikkje er førebudd på det betyr å vere bonde. Då blir det rør. Heggdal er god til å rydde opp.

Vi må ta kampen mot brøl-apene som maksimerer utnyttelsen av urimelige konflikter, gjennom sort-hull effektene på vår oppmerksomhet. Men hvordan? Her er iallefall bilde av rett person @froyasjursaether.bsky.social

Ever wondered what happens when therapeutic antibodies bind to cancer cells? In our latest study, we used multiplexed 3D-RESI to directly visualize how anti-CD20 antibodies interact with their receptors, revealing their precise arrangement at single-protein resolution. (1/6)

Image credit: @gloglita.bsky.social‬ @lifescienceeditors.bsky.social‬ captured DynaTag in action: a pA-Tn5 probe (multicoloured) binds an antibody (white), which binds p53 DNA-binding domain (green) on DNA (blue) within 2 nucleosomes

🧪Move over CUT&Tag, there’s a new #TranscriptionFactor mapping method in town.
Our newly developed DynaTag is faster, cleaner, more sensitive than #ChIPseq, #CUT&RUN and #CUT&Tag.
🔗 Our @natcomms.nature.com paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧵Let’s break down what makes DynaTag so powerful (1/7)

This seems like a really important paper comparing chromosome tracing methods, demonstrating that classical denaturing DNA-FISH and chromosome tracing leads to substantial distortion of 3D genome structure, likely due to the high-temperatures involved (70-90C):
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Translational research is digging for gold. Basic research is learning where and what to dig. The more funding is diverted to translation, the more we deplete the research ecosystem, driving the supplies of "gold" - immediately translatable findings and innovations - to unsustainably low levels.

I still can’t believe that all NIH grants to my colleagues at Harvard and Harvard Medical School have been nullified. And that, as a nation, we’re somehow okay with this illegal, arbitrary, and petty act. Just think of the consequences: scientists, students, and patients will all suffer.

📌