Embedded Files
12 September 2025
EMBO Sectoral Meeting: Chromatin & Transcription – Warsaw, 11–12 September 2025
On 11–12 September 2025, we hosted the EMBO Sectoral Meeting: Chromatin & Transcription, bringing together members of the EMBO Young Investigators Programme.
Over two days, participants shared the latest research on chromatin regulation and transcription — fundamental processes at the core of molecular biology and epigenetics. The program featured talks, poster session, and lively discussions that fostered knowledge exchange and new scientific collaborations.
This meeting in Warsaw provided an excellent opportunity for young research leaders from across Europe and beyond to connect, exchange ideas, and deepen their understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing genome function.
Read more about EMBO YIP programme.
10 September 2025
Chrom_rare Symposium with a special EMERALD guest - Bernd Pulverer, chief editor at EMBO Press
On 10 September, we hosted the Chrom_Rare Symposium, an open one-day scientific event that brought together members of the Chrom_Rare MSCA Doctoral Network, all invited guests from surrounding institutes and universities, Nencki Scientific community and EMBO Sectoral Meeting participants. The meeting featured top-quality scientific presentations and discussions on chromatin research and rare diseases.
We were honored to host and listen to our Special EMERALD guest - Dr. Bernd Pulverer (on the photograph to the left), Head of Scientific Publication at EMBO Press.
09 September 2025
Chrom_Rare Mid-Term Meeting – Warsaw, 8–9 September
On 8–9 September, Warsaw hosted the Chrom_Rare Mid-Term Meeting, gathering members of the Chrom_Rare MSCA Doctoral Network.
The two-day event featured a series of training sessions and internal meetings, providing an opportunity for doctoral candidates and supervisors to exchange experiences, strengthen collaboration, and review the progress of the network.
Go here to learn more about the Chrom_rare project we are a part of.
08 September 2025
Check out an article in news & views section of NCB Vol. 27 No. 9 "RNA-binding proteins pull in chromatin loops " by Ann Dean based on our recent publication "RNA-binding proteins mediate the maturation of chromatin topology during differentiation"
Abstract:
During development as cells exit a pluripotent state, chromatin looping interactions are strengthened, but the mechanism for this is unknown. A study now shows that CTCF–RBP interactions increase upon differentiation of embryonic stem cells to neural stem cells, and that the non-coding RNA Pantr1 collaborates with CTCF and RBPs to contract the genome.
Read more here.
08 September 2025
Our new paper on how chromatin structure matures is out!
Our new paper on how chromatin structure matures is out!
Non-coding RNA and RNA-binding proteins are central to the maturation of CTCF-anchored loops and TAD borders.
Check it out here.
30 June 2025
Lab Retreat 2025, Mikołajki, Biopixel Imaging Centre
From 25-29 of June we hosted an extraordinary event held in BIOPIXEL, the National Centre for Advanced Analysis of Biological and Biomedical Imaging, situated in Nencki Institute Research Station, Mikolajki, Poland.
It was an international scientific symposium with distinguished guests: Dr. Rafael Casellas (MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas, USA), who delivered two lectures on cutting-edge research and science communication, Dr. Layla El Khattabi (Paris Brain Institute, Paris, France), who held advisory meetings and grant discussions, and Dr. Timo Zimmermann (EMBL Imaging Centre, Heidelberg), who presented joint projects and advanced imaging technologies. With Dr. Bassem Hassan and his team from the Paris Brain Institute, our group had extensive time to exchange ideas, compare experiences, and discuss scientific questions and methodologies in depth, which sparked new perspectives.
This unique meeting not only deepened scientific knowledge but also strengthened friendships and set the stage for exciting future collaborations.
06 March 2025
Check out a Preview "Stripe out for brain evolution: Astrocytes go human" by Lara López-González and Víctor Borrell about our recent paper "Molecular signature of primate astrocytes reveals pathways and regulatory changes contributing to human brain evolution"!
Check out a Preview "Stripe out for brain evolution: Astrocytes go human" by Lara López-González and Víctor Borrell about our recent paper "Molecular signature of primate astrocytes reveals pathways and regulatory changes contributing to human brain evolution"!
Abstract:
Evolution of the human brain involved neuron and glial cell changes. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Ciuba et al.1 identify an epigenetic mechanism central in the evolution of human astrocytes, where small enhancer modifications increased transcription factor binding, orchestrating transcriptomic changes that influence astrocyte structure and function.
Read the full text here
21 February 2025
Pulsar podcast with Dr. Aleksandra Pękowska - learn more about astrocytes!
Pulsar podcast with Dr. Aleksandra Pękowska - learn more about astrocytes!
- only in Polish -
We would like to invite you to the Pulsar podcast (a project of the Polityka publishing house aiming at popularising science).
During the nearly 50-minute conversation, Dr. Pękowska outlines the fascinating history of astrocytes and their function.
Kind Thank you to Mr. Karol Jałochowski for the invitation and an interesting conversation.
Read and listen here and on Spotify, Apple, Youtube
05 February 2025
Transitions in development
Transitions in development
– an interview with Aleksandra Pękowska
– an interview with Aleksandra Pękowska
Dr Aleksandra Pękowska, Head of the Dioscuri Centre for Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics gave an Interview to Development Magazine. The interwiev is a part of series "Transitions in development" - series in wich young PIs share their experience of establishing their own research groups.
Development states: By discussing the challenges and difficulties new PIs have met and overcome, as well as highlighting the best moments, we hope to offer encouragement to other ECRs and to stimulate discussion around the career path of a developmental biologist.
04 February 2025
Our new paper is out!
Our new paper is out!
We find genes contributing to human astrocyte evolution and a general mode of activation of enhancers in astrocyte evolution.
Check it out here.
12 September 2024
Lab Retreat in Nowa Słupia – Inspiring Talks and Networking
From September 9–11, 2024, Pekowska lab organized a three-day scientific retreat in Nowa Słupia, Poland, bringing together our team and distinguished guests from leading research centers in Poland and abroad. We were honored to welcome: Prof. Bartosz Wilczyński (Institute of Informatics, University of Warsaw; President of the Polish Bioinformatics Society), Dr. Paweł Dłotko and Dr. Rafał Topolnicki (Dioscuri Centre in Topological Data Analysis, Institute of Mathematics PAS), Jan Felix Senge (University of Bremen, ALTA) and Dr. Katarzyna Oktaba (Cinvestav, Irapuato, Mexico)
The program included scientific sessions, chaired by our PhD students, featuring research presentations and lively Q&A discussions.
Beyond the lectures, participants enjoyed plenty of opportunities for networking. Everybody enjoyed a hike in the scenic Świętokrzyski National Park, followed in the evening by a bonfire evening.
The retreat concluded on September 11, leaving everyone inspired and motivated for future joint projects.
24 May 2024
Katarzyna Ciuba, PhD, was granted an NCN Sonata 19 grant.
In contrast to non-human primates, the human brain is equipped with unique abilities, such as speech or abstract thinking. Proper development and function of the brain require coordinated communication between its cells. Extracellular vesicles (EVs)–small, lipid-made structures, that carry biological cargo, that is produced in the “sender cells” and transported inside EVs to the “recipient cells”, where they control particular processes.
In this project, we are going to explore how astrocytic extracellular vesicles and their content changed in primate evolution.
07 June 2024
Małgorzata Milewska-Puchała, MSc, was granted an NCN Preludium 22 grant.
The mammalian genome is divided into domains of strong self-contact called topologically associating domains (TADs). The boundaries of TADs are defined by the binding sites of a protein named Ctcf and frequently interact with each other forming a three-dimensional architectural chromatin loops. Deletion of the Ctcf protein, abolish formation of TADs and loops, resulting in disruption of gene expression. The mechanisms underlying the architectural functions of Ctcf are not fully understand and are currently under intense investigation. The goal of this project is to determine, how RNAs contribute to the consolidation of archritectural chromatin structure during mammalian development.
For description (PL) click here
04 December 2023
Eryk Duński, MSc, was granted an NCN Preludium 22 grant.
In this project, we plan to employ CRISPR-based enhancer perturbation techniques, which will allow us to verify function of the selected evolutionarily gained putative regulatory elements. This knowledge will shed a new light in the mechanisms that orchestrate gene expression in the evolution of astrocytes.
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