Alexandra Colin

Very excited that my final postdoctoral work is now online in Cell @cellpress.bsky.social.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Using 16 (!) cryo-EM structures, we uncovered how the three proteins coronin, cofilin and AIP1 work together to rapidly disassemble actin filaments.

Live on Oct 7, the MBoC 2025 Early Career Award Webinar (Part 1) runs 12–1 pm ET.

> Keynote: Margaret Gardel (UChicago)
> lightning talks from UCSF, UVM, ETH Zurich, Cambridge & Harvard
> moderation by John Aitchison

Free to attend → www.ascb.org/ascb-meeting... #ASCB #CellBiology

”Please inhibit responsibly: Natural and synthetic actin toxins as useful tools in cell biology”

I had a lot of fun going down different actin inhibitor rabbit holes with @onishilab.bsky.social on this perspective!

www.molbiolcell.org/doi/10.1091/...

www.molbiolcell.org/cms/10.1091/...

We’re organizing a conference at @ijmonod.bsky.social in Paris, January 2026, in memory of M.P. Sheetz — pioneer in cell mechanics and mechanobiology, co-discoverer of kinesin, and founder of @mbisg.bsky.social. Join us to explore his legacy.

mikeinmemoriam.sciencesconf.org

Allocation of resources among multiple daughter cells. New study from Alison Wirshing, Daniel Lew and colleagues @mit.edu: rupress.org/jcb/article/...

#Cytoskeleton #Development

Flagellar gliding in choanoflagellates Freire-Delgado and Brunet discover a new mode of cell motility in choanoflagellates, the closest relatives of animals. Under mild confinement, choanoflagellate move over surfaces without cell deformat...

New short paper from our lab @currentbiology.bsky.social, in which we discover of a new mode of cell motility for choanoflagellates: flagellar gliding. www.cell.com/current-biol... - A 🧵

Which city is the best for Cytoskeleton research?
Dresden? Barcelona? Cambridge ? Noooo ... you all know its Paris, right? 😎
Registering to the annual meeting on Friday 14th of November is now open:
pcd2025.sciencesconf.org
Keynote speeches by @carter-lab.bsky.social and Verena Ruprecht !

A new #UExM probe for #Actin!

Fun times thinking/developing/testing with @centriolelab.bsky.social & @lreymond.bsky.social !

Congrats to all !

If interested in #UExM, or #HAK-Actin, feel free to reach out !

Soon available at @spirochrome.com

#Expansion #Microscopy #ProtistsOnSky

🌱✂️ How do plant cells decide where to divide?

Our work shows that actin can override the geometric rules—guiding cells to divide in alternative orientations.
#PlantScience #CellBiology #Arabidopsis

@camilagoldy.bsky.social @rdplab.bsky.social

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

Microtubules: the architect of muscles. Watch how microtubules transport mitochondria in proximity to energy consuming sarcomeres in muscles of flies and mice. @jeromeavellaneda.bsky.social @nunoluis.bsky.social @ibdm.bsky.social with @gomeslabo.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

We have used many microwells to confine biochemical reactions in our recent studies. We wanted to share the protocol for preparing and characterizing microwells; this protocol is now published here : www.frontiersin.org/journals/cel...

@manuelthery.bsky.social @lblanchoin.bsky.social

#science 🧬 | Non, ce ne sont ni les slips de Superman, ni ceux de Walter White dans Breaking Bad.

C’est une cellule ... et la même photographiée 36 fois.
Sensation, adaptation, mémoire… la cellule est plus futée qu’on ne le croit 🤯.

Pour en savoir plus 👉 youtu.be/dX4rDXLJAdI

We also give examples of imaging and functionalization to study actin-related processes.

We detail the equipment and protocol for microwell manufacture, as well as characterization and quality control.

We have used many microwells to confine biochemical reactions in our recent studies. We wanted to share the protocol for preparing and characterizing microwells; this protocol is now published here : www.frontiersin.org/journals/cel...

@manuelthery.bsky.social @lblanchoin.bsky.social

🔬 From JCB’s July issue (rupress.org/jcb/issue/22...): a PtK2 cell plated on a micropattern and injected with low doses of soluble actin (orange) and tubulin (blue) in order to generate speckles along the corresponding filaments. From @manuelthery.bsky.social group (rupress.org/jcb/article/...).

this focused issue includes a great method by @alexandra-colin.bsky.social to make closed microwell in order to encapsulate your favorite reconstitution mix in compartments of controled size and shape. 🔴🟥🔻❤️

Frontiers | Reconstitution Methods in Cell Biology Reconstitution of cellular phenomena is a powerful approach for investigating the biochemical and biophysical processes that sustain life. Cell-free reconsti...

Interested in reconstitution methods? Love cell biology? Check out the accepted manuscripts in our Research Topic on Reconstitution Methods in Cell Biology! We are still open for submissions so if you're writing something exciting this summer, send it here: www.frontiersin.org/research-top...

Want to brush up your French? Check the summary of our work with @stefvass.bsky.social, “Plongée au cœur de l'endocytose axonale”, just out in the June issue of Médecine/Science! Open access here: www.medecinesciences.org/fr/articles/...
And we got the cover 😎

Come and Join our Dpt in Beautiful #Geneva !

We are looking for a #Microscopy & #Image #Analysis expert to help all of us at the Dpt.

Registration and abstract submission for the 2025 SFP Physics & Life days are now open!
The meeting will be held on October 2-3 at the Institute Jacques Monod, Paris. Deadline: September 5.
phys-life-2025.sciencesconf.org?lang=en
@sfp-physique.bsky.social

@ijmonod.bsky.social

Evolutionary repurposing of a DNA segregation machinery into a cytoskeletal system controlling cyanobacterial cell shape Bacteria, despite their diversity, use conserved cytoskeletal systems for their intracellular organization. In unicellular bacteria, the ParMRC DNA partitioning apparatus is well known for forming act...

One of the most exciting discoveries from our lab so far is now online as a preprint!

Read a story on how the ParMR and Min systems started to collaborate to create the CorMR cytoskeleton, which now controls cell shape in multicellular cyanobacteria:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Just out: we used SReD to measure the periodicity of spectrin rings along axons, finely capturing the effect of actin depolymerization. This and many more applications ➡️ www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Another great collab with @henriqueslab.bsky.social, congrats @afonsomendes92.bsky.social et al 🙏

AML patient blasts exhibit polarization defects upon interaction with bone marrow stromal cells.

www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....

Work by Manuel Thery @manuelthery.bsky.social @institut-leucemie.bsky.social and co-workers.

Exciting news: our Board of Trustees has appointed @monicabettencourt.bsky.social as the CRG's new Director. Prof Bettencourt-Dias is expected to take up the post in 2026, replacing Dr. Luis Serrano, who will continue to maintain a research group at the institute.
www.crg.eu/en/news/moni...

Les membres du Conseil scientifique de l'ENS-PSL partagent la vive inquiétude des personnels d'@universcience.bsky.social sur le devenir du @palaisdecouverte.bsky.social et s'associent à la pétition en cours.

En savoir plus 👉 https://bit.pulse.ly/b1pitkbaaa

A picture of 3 rows of people on steps at the MRC LMB. From left to right - top row: Akaash, Vic, Lara - Middle row: Kerrie, Manu, Paddy - bottom row: Meg and Julie

🚨 JOB ALERT 🚨
We're hiring a Research Assistant – no PhD needed!
Join us to explore the molecular mechanisms of receptor sorting in endosomes.
Experience in protein expression/purification, cloning & cell culture desired 🧫🔬
Apply now 👉 www.nature.com/naturecareer...

#STEMCareers #ResearchJobs

🔬 Vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur les médaillés 2025 de CNRS Biologie ?

📅 Rendez-vous chaque jour pour découvrir deux portraits de nos lauréats : leur parcours, leurs travaux, leur passion pour la recherche ! ⤵️

Merci Adrien !

Merci Marie Emilie :)