Robert Hänsel-Hertsch

The aging factor EPS8 induces disease-related protein aggregation through RAC signaling hyperactivation - Nature Aging Aging is a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases associated with protein aggregation. Here the authors identify age-related hyperactivation of EPS8/RAC signaling in C. elegans as a driver of path...

🚨 New from our lab: Here we explored how aging contributes to harmful protein aggregation in diseases like Huntington’s & ALS.
The culprit? An overlooked aging factor — EPS8 and RAC signaling. #Aging #Longevity #Proteostasis #ALSResearch
🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s43...

FEBS Press Mutations in the C9orf72 gene represent the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease. Using patient-derived neurons and C. elegans models, w...

New work from the lab! C9orf72 ALS‐causing mutations lead to mislocalization and aggregation of nucleoporin Nup107 into stress granules - Bilican - FEBS Letters - Wiley Online Library febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Incredible work, wow! Massive congratulations to you and your team!!!

I am beyond excited and incredibly proud to share that our work is now out in @nature.com This discovery was made possible thanks to the first author Kostas kelepouras, my fantastic lab , and the unique research environment here in Cologne in collaboration with the Hospital bambino Gesu in Rome.

Thank you @genomeweb.bsky.social and Andrew P. Han for running a story on DynaTag. www.genomeweb.com/sequencing/b...
You can access the article with an academic/non-profit registration.

Congratulations Debora, fantastic news!

DynaTag for efficient mapping of transcription factors in low-input samples and at single-cell resolution - Nature Communications Transcription factors shape cell identity, but mapping their genomic targets remains challenging. Here the authors present DynaTag, a modified CUT&Tag method for profiling TF occupancy in bulk and...

DynaTag for efficient mapping of transcription factors in low-input samples and at single-cell resolution @natcomms.nature.com @epistrucstab.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Next one is coming up, will contact you soon!

Thanks Karolin, all the credit to Gloria Fuentes @gloglita.bsky.social.

A great skeetorial on a new and much improved method for mapping transcription factor landscapes, with a beautiful image by our own Gloria Fuentes @gloglita.bsky.social from Life Science Editors @lifescienceeditors.bsky.social

🚀Big news from CRC 1678!
Robert Hänsel-Hertsch @epistrucstab.bsky.social and team unveil DynaTag—a single-cell method to map protein-DNA binding with stunning precision. Outshines ChIP-seq & CUT&RUN.
🧬Cancer research & gene regulation just got a major upgrade. #Genomics #DynaTag #PrecisionMedicine

🔬 DynaTag by CRC 1678 project leader Robert Hänsel-Hertsch @epistrucstab.bsky.social maps protein-DNA binding at single-cell level—boosting precision in cancer & gene research. #CRC1678 #DynaTag #UniCologne

Thank you Son for your invaluable help with the skeet! Your scientific illustrations look outstanding!

🧪New method for anyone interested in protein-DNA interactions and TF mapping, from the lab of @epistrucstab.bsky.social at @unicologne.bsky.social!👇

Highly recommended read for everyone interested in interactions of proteins and DNA: Impressive new method on single cell level introduced by @epistrucstab.bsky.social from @unicologne.bsky.social!

DynaTag for efficient mapping of transcription factors in low-input samples and at single-cell resolution - Nature Communications Transcription factors shape cell identity, but mapping their genomic targets remains challenging. Here the authors present DynaTag, a modified CUT&Tag method for profiling TF occupancy in bulk and...

Die neue Methode übertrifft bestehende Methoden wie #ChIP-seq und #CUT&RUN in Bezug auf Sensitivität und Auflösung der Ergebnisse. 📈
Die Studie wurde in ‪@natcomms.nature.com‬ veröffentlicht👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Neue Methode zur Kartierung von Proteinbindung an DNA entwickelt Ein Forschungsteam der Universität zu Köln hat eine Methode mit dem Namen DynaTag entwickelt, die die Bindung von Proteinen an die DNA sogar in einer einzelnen Zelle nachweist. Interaktionen von Prote...

🔬Neue Methode zur Kartierung von Proteinbindung an DNA entwickelt💡
@epistrucstab.bsky.social #UniKöln hat DynaTag entwickelt, eine Methode, die die Bindung von Proteinen an die DNA sogar in einer einzelnen Zelle nachweist 🧬👇https://uni.koeln/SCLU6

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

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

Thanks to former PhD student Pascal Hunold and lab members Giulia Pizzolato & Olivia van Ray for their amazing work. Grateful to @dtg-cologne.bsky.social, labs of Peifer, George & Thomas, funders #CMMC @dfg.de #sfb1399 @crc1678.bsky.social #FOR5504 #Fritz_Thyssen_Foundation (7/7)

The University of Cologne press release can be found here:👇
www.uni-koeln.de/universitaet...
www.uni-koeln.de/en/universit... (6/7)

Adapted from Fig. 4 --> https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61797-9

🗝️ #DynaTag can reveal nuanced TF occupancy behaviour and shed light on transcriptional regulation in health and disease. In small cell lung cancer #SCLC PDX models, it uncovered surprising gain-of-function p53, FOXA1 & MYC activity post-chemotherapy – not for ASCL1, NEUROD1, POU2F3 or YAP1 (5/7)

Fig.1f from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61797-9

Fig.3f and g from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61797-9

How is DynaTag better than other technologies?
⚡Preserves weak/transient TF binding without signal loss
⚡Better signal-to-noise & resolution
⚡Works for all TFs (high and low DNA-binding affinity) & histone marks
⚡Low-input needed, bulk or single-cell, scalable to multi-cellular systems (4/7)

Fig.1a from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61797-9

🤔 How to capture nuanced TF-DNA interactions?
💡 Enter #DynaTag: ‘Dynamic targets and Tagmentation’ captures transient TF-DNA interactions that standard CUT&Tag misses.
The trick? Sample prep under physiological salt stabilizes specific interactions without promoting untargeted tagmentation 🧂 (3/7)

❗TF occupancy mapping is still challenging. CUT&Tag was a breakthrough, but it has limits…
👉 Doesn’t work well for TFs that only transiently bind DNA
👉 These fleeting interactions are often lost during sample prep
That means we’re missing key regulatory events and it’s time for a new method (2/7)

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)

Mein Labor ist auf folgender Website sichtbar. www.haensel-hertsch-lab.cmmc-uni-koeln.de

I'm a Genome Biologist. Here is the link to my lab page: www.haensel-hertsch-lab.cmmc-uni-koeln.de

Incredible!

This project is funded by our DFG @crc1678.bsky.social

Very proud of Dalya Hiluf being among the poster prize winners at the recent EMBO | EMBL Symposium 'The ageing genome'. Great stuff and congratulations!