Jurian Schuijers receives NWO funding to study the role of protein droplets in transcription using “optical-tweezers”

While all cells in the body contain the same DNA with the same genes, only a subset is activated in individual cells. This set determines the cellular identity and faulty selection often drives disease. Recently we learned that droplet formation by key proteins is crucial for gene activation. Using an “optical-tweezer” that can manipulate single molecules using infrared light to study these protein droplets we can finally obtain the level of detail needed to understand them. Insights enabled by this new technology will greatly improve understanding of gene control and may lead to new methods to inhibit faulty gene activation. Want to learn more about Jurian’s work, check their lab website.