Marta Oliva-Santiago

BRIC Day with the theme collide across each other — all about sparking new intra-institute collaborations.

Kickoff with a keynote from Rasmus Rabøl (Klifo) and a buzzing poster session full of science-in-the-making!

@bric-ucph.bsky.social

Today we swapped pipettes for putters.

Day 2 retreat highlight: realizing that hitting the fairway is way harder than hitting a replication fork 😅

Off to Nord Sjælland with the Miller lab @tcr-miller.bsky.social for our joint retreat! Exciting brainstorming, bonding, and a little hygge ahead.

First challenge: design your next @natureportfolio.nature.com article 🚀

What makes #cshldnarep special isn’t just the cutting-edge, top-notch science; it’s the chance to meet the authors of the papers we build on every day, exchange ideas, and feel part of this community.

Heading home exhausted, grateful, full of ideas and renewed motivation to push my project forward!

Such a great experience presenting my poster at #CSHL!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by for the chats, feedback, and energy. I’m bringing back lots of ideas!

This week we’re at CSHL #cshldnarep where the DNA replication & genome maintenance community has gathered for a week of science, discussions, and late-night brainstorming.

Next webinar: Jessica Downs will discuss on how the SWI/SNF complex maintain genome integrity at G-quadruplexes. Yasmina Djeghmoum will talk on how transcription impacts on D-loops and on HR. Sree Rama Chaitanya will discuss on how BRCA2 variants shape chromatin & transcription 👉 lnkd.in/e9gbJkAf

Sometimes DNA replication hits a 🛑 roadblock.
Cells don’t stop; they take clever detours (DNA damage tolerance) 🚗💨 to keep genomes intact.

That’s the focus of our new review in @cp-trendsbiochem.bsky.social:
“Just bypass it: mechanisms of DNA damage tolerance”

🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...

It is not always safe to repair DNA Damage. Sometimes, cells "just bypass it".

During DNA replication, repair of lesions on DNA can be dangerous. Cells instead "tolerate" DNA damage and focus on finishing replication.

Read our review and find out why and how: doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...

DNA polymerase α/primase extraction from chromatin by VCP/p97 restricts ATR activation during unperturbed DNA replication - Nature Communications The replication stress response ensures genomic stability throughout DNA duplication. Here, the authors show that VCP/p97 extracts the DNA polymerase α/Primase complex from chromatin, preventing exces...

Just published!

Lecona (@emlecona.bsky.social ) & Méndez #RepliFate labs show that VCP/p97 removes Pol α/primase from chromatin to avoid excess ATR activation during normal #DNAreplication

VCP/p97 = checkpoint gatekeeper!

Read the full study: doi.org/10.1038/s414...

We’re excited to welcome artist Helen Pynor to @cbm-csic-uam.bsky.social as part of the #RepliFate artist-in-residence program! 🎨🧬

From June 24–July 5, she’ll explore how #DNAreplication shapes cell fate & cancer, bridging science & art with our researchers.

#SciArt #ArtInScience

Frogs in the lab? Yep! 🐸

This week, RepliFate PhD students are diving into the Xenopus egg extract system at the @duxinlab.bsky.social (@bric-ucph.bsky.social, @ucph.bsky.social) -where test tubes meet frog magic to unravel the mysteries of DNA replication and genome integrity.

Our lab’s a little more crowded (and a lot more curious) this week! 🧠🐸

We’re thrilled to welcome @RepliFate students for a hands-on course in Xenopus egg extracts.

They're diving into the Xenopus world and learning how this powerful system helps us explore DNA replication and genome stability.

#CBC

Chromosome Biology Club is back today!

Join us for two exciting talks:
🧬 Christian Nielsen (CCS/ICMM) on the distinct roles of condensins I & II in mitotic chromosome mechanics

🧬 Judit Pilmark (BRIC) on mutational signatures linked to NER deficiency

Starting at 4.45 pm
Followed by pizzas and beer

🌍 #ClimateActionDay is here!

For the first time, the University of Copenhagen @ucph.bsky.social is joining forces to take real steps toward a greener future

At BRIC @bric-ucph.bsky.social, we’re putting words into action!

Small changes can make a big impact 🌱

#GreenLabs #SustainableScience

150-året for kvinders adgang til Københavns Universitet – Københavns Universitet Med fejringen af 150-året kaster Københavns Universitet lys over, hvordan det gik til, da kvinder fik adgang til universitetet, og hvad det kom til at betyde både for kvinder, universitetet og…

#WomenInScience
KU @ucph.bsky.social is marking 150 years since women were first allowed to study at the university!

Nielsine Nielsen was Denmark’s first female doctor, marking a major milestone in the path toward gender equality.

The full program of events and celebrations here: kvinder150.ku.dk

It’s time for new duo: Julius Thomas & his PI Lorenza Penengo from the University of Zurich.
They study the ISG15 system in DNA replication—but there’s more! One could be found scaling alpine peaks, while the other might just trade the lab for the thrill of mushroom hunting. Curious to know more? 🍄

🚨#CBC is happening today!

Don’t forget—our next Chromosome Biology Club is today at 16:45 at the Biocenter! Three great speakers and exciting science await, followed by beer and pizza. See you there!

This is happening today!

Find the Zoom link here: dnarep.sciencesconf.org

Structural basis for DNA double-strand break sensing by human MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 and its TRF2 complex The MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) complex is a central, multifunctional factor in the detection, signaling and nucleolytic processing of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). To clarify how human MRN binds generi...

Happy to share our latest pre-print!
We solved the cryoEM structures of human DNA repair factor MRN bound to DNA and to TRF2. Main work of Yilan, Filiz @filizkuybu.bsky.social and Hengjun. Great collab within the @sfb1361.bsky.social and @genecenter-lmu.bsky.social 🧬🔨
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

PAF15-PCNA assembly exhaustion governs lagging strand replication and replisome integrity Genome replication in eukaryotic cells is surveyed by the S-phase checkpoint, which orchestrates sequential replication origin activation to avoid exhaustion of hitherto poorly defined rate-limiting r...

Thrilled to share our lab's first preprint, led by an exceptional PhD student Gita Chhetri and with the support of wonderful collaborators, we find that replisome function is rate-limited by strand-specific PCNA dynamics. Hope you will enjoy reading.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Brief teaser:

📅 Our next Chromosome Biology Club is next week!

Join us on March 25th at the Biocenter for exciting talks from:
◉ Johanna Kliche (Nilsson group, @nilssonlab.bsky.social)
◉ Oline Pade Jensen (Lisby group)
◉ Luke Greenhough (Steve West group, @xrnchew.bsky.social)

Mark your calendars! #CBC

🧪 Researchers at IRB Barcelona develop the first single-cell map of transcriptomes in yeast. 

✍️ Mariona Nadal-Ribelles, @laia-de-nadal.bsky.social, Francesc Posas et al.

📰 @naturecomms.bsky.social 

➡️ https://shorturl.at/R8i9e

📌DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57600-4

#IRBScience

📢 Reminder! Just a few days to go!
🔬 This Tuesday, March 25th, we’ll be exploring Nanofluidic tools for studying DNA repair with Fredrik Westerlund, as well as R-loops & genome instability with Sidrit Uruci & Agnese Cristini.
🗓️ Save the date & join us!
#DNARepair

We’re kicking off our RepliFate introductions with @Phuc and her PI, @sylvie-noordermeer.bsky.social ! As part of the RepliFate network, they are contributing to exciting research in double-strand break (DSB) repair. Wanna know more about their work, hobbies, and fun facts? Check out their profiles!

Ever wondered where a scientist spends most of their time in the lab? Or what they would be doing if they weren’t researchers?

We are excited to launch a series introducing the RepliFate researchers driving innovation in DNA Replication and Cell Fate.

Today is the last day, don't miss it!

This week we had the pleasure of hosting Pei-Ying Lin in our lab as part of the @replifate.bsky.social Artists in Residency program.

Together with Pei, we explored how scientific discovery can fuel creativity and new perspectives #SciArt 🧠🧶🎨

Opinion | American Science is Under Attack The Trump administration hobbles research and endangers the public health.

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/o...

Welcome to the Bluesky account for Stand Up for Science 2025!

Keep an eye on this space for updates, event information, and ways to get involved. We can't wait to see everyone #standupforscience2025 on March 7th, both in DC and locations nationwide!

#scienceforall #sciencenotsilence