For 40 years the 8-nt ‘Kozak Sequence’ was thought to mark sites of translation initiation. In a new study, we revise this model by identifying an ~80-nt sequence—the extended Translation Initiation Sequence (eTIS)— that guides ribosomes to correct start sites. 🧵 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

We should all think twice before providing personal feedback on scientific presentations. For example, criticizing an accent is pointless. If you had difficulty understanding a presentation, suggest that the speaker slow down; don't point out their origin.

I'm super happy to finally see the paper published ! Check out the full story here: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Bridging the gap between biochemistry and developmental biology, we are excited to announce Laura Lorenzo Orts as a recipient of an Early Career Research Award in 2027! Laura's new lab focusses on understanding the mechanisms that activate mRNAs during early development.

We are so proud of all our Biochemical Society 2027 Award winners. Visit our website to find out more about all of the deserving recipients #BiochemAwards 🧪 https://ow.ly/mZ6O50YIGo8

Germ cells have their own versions of core transcription factors and fertility depends on them. We're hiring a PhD student to figure out how! 📢 Fly genetics + proteomics + genomics. Fully funded. Aarhus University 🇩🇰 Deadline May 1 👇 Please share with anyone who might be interested!

Excited host @hohmannulrich.bsky.social from @imbmainz.bsky.social, along with @manuelkaulich.bsky.social Date: 07.04.2026 Time: 15:00 Venue: Haus 22 Seminar Room 1. (S22-1) Title: ‘Mechanistic insights into nuclear mRNA export and degradation’ @goetheuni.bsky.social @cpi-exstra.bsky.social

New method paper from Alberto Caregnato and former PhD student @hohmannulrich.bsky.social. A tailored crystallisation screen for plant receptor kinase ectodomains, with examples from our lab and from @cellsensing.bsky.social. Check it out: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

There has never been a better time to study functional and mechanistic biology at the organismal (!) level than now in the age of AlphaFold and CRISPR.

The demystification of piRNA clusters if you wonder how cells generate piRNAs specifically against transposons & you are looking for a weekend read check out @86dominik.bsky.social's opus magna (or Dominik's great thread) a shared project with the one and only Rippei Hayashi, lab alumnus & friend

Do you want to understand how RNA #splicing decisions are made? We‘ve got a PhD position open for you (see 👇👇)!! Please share #RNAsky and RT! tinyurl.com/4ztu9cb9

Ulrich’s research will help advance our understanding of RNA biology & gene regulation, as well as how these mechanisms might be altered during viral infections & other diseases. @hohmannulrich.bsky.social comes from the @impvienna.bsky.social / @imbavienna.bsky.social www.imb.de/about-imb/ne...

Really excited to join IMB for this new scientific endeavour!

@lorenzoorts.bsky.social previously worked as a postdoctoral fellow at @impvienna.bsky.social in Austria. She will establish a new lab at IMB to investigate how mRNA translation is activated in the early embryo. Welcome to IMB Laura! 💐 Read more here: www.imb.de/about-imb/ne...

Very cool work! Reminiscent of how target engaged PIWI is selected from a vast pool of PIWI-piRNA complexes. Only target engaged PIWI is recognized by a GTSF1 protein and Maelstrom in the PIWI* complex. www.cell.com/molecular-ce... @juliusbrennecke.bsky.social @julsportell.bsky.social

When RNA Degradation 🤝 meets 🤝 Protein Degradation! tinyurl.com/E3TDMD In a collaboration of @bartellab.bsky.social and Schulman lab, we show that, in target-directed microRNA degradation (TDMD), 2-RNA-factors recruit an E3 ligase and induce the degradation of not only a protein but also RNA (1/5).

Very happy to share my postdoc work (on preprint), where we try to understand a long-standing transcription-silencing paradox, and uncovered a hidden RNA decay arm of nuclear piRNA pathway, see detailed threads quoted from @juliusbrennecke.bsky.social

Looking for a great first read for 2026? Look no further: Fantastic work spearheaded by my courageous colleague @changweiyu.bsky.social, with surprising findings not only for small RNA but also for exosome and gene expression aficionados

As 2025 comes to an end, it’s time for me to say good bye to my postdoc home during the past 6 years – the Pauli lab @pauligroup.bsky.social @impvienna.bsky.social

How does messenger RNA (mRNA) get out of the nucleus to become a protein? Eukaryotic mRNA is packaged, exported, and then translated in the cytoplasm. But how do these steps work? And what are open questions? Check out our new review for our take: www.annualreviews.org/content/jour... (1/3)

Messenger RNA is made in the nucleus before it is exported to the cytoplasm for translation. But how are only correctly made mRNAs chosen and remodeled in the nucleus for export? Our new paper investigates the nuclear events leading to human mRNA export. www.nature.com/articles/s41.... (1/4)

Finally out in @nature.com! We uncovered a mechanistic framework for a general and conserved mRNA nuclear export pathway. www.nature.com/articles/s41.... 1/

Thrilled to share that I’ll be joining @imbmainz.bsky.social in February 2026 to start my own group! We will explore new mechanisms in eukaryotic gene expression, leveraging ‘evolutionary play’ to uncover how regulation, repurposing, and hijacking shape RNA biology. PhD positions available!

How are RNAs sorted for export vs. degradation in the nucleus? In collaboration with @heick.bsky.social’s lab we (@clemensplaschka.bsky.social and @juliusbrennecke.bsky.social labs) discovered a direct mechanistic link between the export and decay machineries: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... (1/x)