iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

1/3: 👏👏👏 Optogenetics has transformed neuroscience, earning The Nobel Prize in Medicine today! 👏👏👏 Hearthfelt congratulations to Georg Nagel, Peter Hegemann, and Karl Deisseroth! 👏👏👏 We celebrate this breakthrough that originated from our scientists’ pioneering research. 🎉🎉🎉

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

1/3: How do microbes power carbon capture? ⚡️ In our new study, Bonnie Murphy @bjmurphylab.bsky.social and Seigo Shima @mpimicrobiomarburg.bsky.social explored the different molecular solutions to capturing carbon dioxide using electron bifurcation. 📓 Read more about our work here: s.gwdg.de/9e3Blu

3D representation of a complex molecular structure with distinct colored segments and blue arrows indicating electron-transfer pathways

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Why do leukemia patients stop responding to venetoclax, a precision drug that blocks cancer cells' ability to escape cell death? 🩸 Our new study in Advanced Science reveals resistance isn't one-size-fits-all 🧵 📝 Learn more: www.biophys.mpg.de/2925331/rese...

Microscopic illustration of a cell with numerous surface extensions floating in a fluid environment. Image generated using AI.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

How do 2 meters of DNA fit inside a nucleus you can barely see? 🧬 Our new study mapped individual nucleosomes inside human cells.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

🌈 What does it mean to be queer in science today? Join our panel with four LGBTQIA+ scientists sharing their journeys, insights, and truths in academia! 📅 July 15, 2026 | 1:00–5:30 PM | MPI Biophysics, Lecture Hall 🍕+Beer & Pizza after by PhD Reps! #LGBTQIAinScience #QueerInSTEM #ScienceForAll

Flyer for Max Planck Diversity Career Talk “Pride in Research” on July 15, 2026, featuring LGBTQIA+ scientists and a pizza & beer hour event.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Scorching heat, eager minds: Postdoc @emmabelcher96.bsky.social shared her scientific journey with students from Friedrich-Dessauer High School—lab life, salaries, pros & cons, all while keeping them hooked, despite the sweltering weather. Inspiring the next generation, one talk at a time.💡🔬

Emma Belcher presents a slide titled “Day in the Life: What Does a Scientist Do?” The slide outlines the following steps: read papers, plan experiments, do experiments, analyze data, present results, publish papers, and apply for funding.

High school students sit at desks facing Emma Belcher, who is presenting a slideshow in a classroom with large windows, lowered blinds, and wooden chairs.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

1/3: We are excited to share a new study by Maarten Tuijtel from @becklab.bsky.social, published in eLife. 🔬 🎉 The work addresses a key question in cryo-electron tomography: how to best distribute the limited electron dose across a tilt series while balancing angular sampling and image quality. 💥

Cryo-EM images showing sample structures at tilt increments from 1 to 10 degrees, with resolution patterns and measured values in nanometers.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

1/3: We are proud to share that the recent work by postdocs Karen Palacio-Rodriguez and Sergio Cruz-León, from Gerhard Hummer’s department, was selected as one of the Editors’ Highlights in Nature Communications! 🎉 👏 Open-access paper: 👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

The results, published in @natcellbio.nature.com, show how the protein DRP1 scans the surface of mitochondria to finds the right place to cut 🔬 💻 #Microscopy #NatureCellBiology 📄 Read the full study: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

How do you do quantum physics ⚛ when sign language ☝️ lacks the words? Kudos to Ingo Barth, the first deaf German to earn a chemistry PhD, broke barriers as a physics student and research leader—then created Sign2MINT, a STEM sign language lexicon with 5,000+ signs, empowering Deaf scientists. 💪💪💪

Ingo Barth giving a presentation in front of a blackboard in German Sign Language with a bust and pedestal labeled “Max Planck“ beside him.

Ingo Barth presents his research topic “Ionization of degenerate valence orbitals” with scientific diagrams to an attentive audience in a lecture room setting.

Sign language interpreters Renata Melka and Claudia Straub seated in the audience, one holding and reading papers.

Ingo Barth presenting “Illustrations of STEM signs”.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Komm’ am 12. Juni auf die Night of Science✨! Erlebe, wie aus Stickstoff leckeres Eis🍦wird und welche Aufgaben verschiedene Proteine in unserem Körper übernehmen! Erfahre in Vorträgen und bei einer Elektronenmikroskopie-Tour 🔬 mehr über unsere Forschung! Infos: 👉 www.biophys.mpg.de/de/night-of-...

Eine Waffel mit Wolke vor blauem Hintergrund, Night of Science, 12. Juni, 2026.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

What does a postdoc do in their “free” time? Spoiler: They don’t have any. But when Marcel Heinz does sneak in a few minutes between tasks, he’s busy building a free, no-registration chemical sketcher—kudos for this valuable contribution to the community! 👉 Check out his project: www.bondcraft.net

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Special thanks to the organisers and to @sonjawelsch.bsky.social for leading this effort. We are looking forward to seeing this knowledge travel back to labs around the world.🌍

Group of diverse people working and collaborating at computers in a modern office setting with bookshelves and large windows.

Three young researchers in a lab setting, one working with equipment on the bench, the other gesturing and and talking to the third person.

Sonja Welsch sitting cross-legged on an orange cushioned bench with red pillows, wearing jeans, sneakers, and a black sweater indoors.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

That’s a wrap on our @embo.org #cryoFIB & #cryoET course! It was an incredible week of hands-on learning, collaboration, and shared expertise, made possible by dedicated organizers, incredible trainers, and an engaged group of participants.

A large diverse group of people waving and smiling at the camera in front of scientific posters displayed on a wall.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

We are having a very hands-on week at the @embo.org #cryoFIB & #cryoET course 🔬 Our participants are learning about sample vitrification, lamella milling, FLM, lift-out, data acquisition and more! We are learning by doing, troubleshooting, and sharing expertise across labs. 🧪

Three female researchers discuss data displayed on dual monitors in a microscopy workspace with keyboards, mouse, and electronic equipment on the desk.

Two female researchers working at a computer displaying a 3D scientific visualization on a large curved monitor in a modern office.

Two young researchers examining an object with tweezers in a lab setting near a sink and hygiene supplies.

Group of participants in a lab setting reviewing microscopy images on computer screens and looking at printed diagrams during a practical course.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Participants shared their work and ideas in our poster session at the @embo.org Practical Course on “In-situ structural biology by Cryo-FIB and Cryo-ET” at our institute! It was a great chance to connect, discuss, and get new perspectives on #cryoFIB and #cryoET. 🌍

Three young researchers—two women and one man—stand in front of a poster at a poster session, holding drinks and smiling as they chat. Other people stand in the background.

Female researcher pointing at a scientific poster on a borad while two others observe in an indoor setting.

Two female researchers at the poster session are standing in front of a poster board, holding drinks and chatting, whilst other people stand in the background.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

We’ve kicked off our @embo.org Practical Course on #cryoFIB & #cryoET! Participants from around the world are joining us this week for hands-on training, from lamella milling to tomogram reconstruction 🔬

Male bald speaker in blue shirt giving a presentation on early days of tomographic imaging in the 1980s, featuring Walter Hoppe and technical diagrams.

Audience seated in a room attentively listening to a presentation, some holding notebooks or tablets.

Female researcher presenting colorful microscopic images at Max Planck Institute for Biophysics during the EMBO Practical Course on “In-situ structural biology by Cryo-FIB and Cryo-ET”.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

🔗 Learn more about TANGO in Nature Communications: doi.org/10.1038/s414... 📗

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Ready to TANGO? 💃 In our new publication, Beata Turoňová & Markus Schreiber (@ms314.bsky.social, @becklab.bsky.social) present TANGO: the first cryoET framework to analyze the relation between particle positions and orientations 🪩 All in a single user-friendly package! #CryoET #OpenScience

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science! 🎉 💪 🔬 🦠 🧬 We take this day as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the women at our institute—representing all women and girls in science—whom we have honored over the past year in our article series:

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

Der Arbeitsalltag der technischen Assistentinnen Angela Burkart und Eva Kaindl an unserem Institut ist geprägt von Vielfalt, regelmäßig neuen Themen und dem kreativen Austausch mit den Forschenden. In ihrem Interview gewähren sie spannende Einblicke in ihren Arbeitsalltag! 👉 tinyurl.com/462cp48b

Angela und Eva tragen weiße Laborkittel und stehen Rücken an Rücken in einem modernen Labor. Beide lächeln und strecken jeweils mit beiden Händen ein wissenschaftliches Gerät in die Höhe, das wie eine Pistole aussieht. Die Szene wirkt wie ein Agentenfilm-Plakat. Im Hintergrund sind Laboreinrichtungen und Arbeitsflächen zu sehen.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

We are celebrating 99 publications in 2025! 🎉 We would like to thank the members of our institute for your passion and expertise, your mutual support, and your perseverance! 💪 We look forward to making new discoveries in 2026! We wish everyone a joyful season and a successful start to the New Year!

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

From #GrantWriting to #Grant: Learn from Els Kuipers’ Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship application journey in securing a prestigious fellowship and the vital role of effective grant writing for researchers: 👉 www.biophys.mpg.de/2895578/mari... @wilflinglab.bsky.social #MSCA

Els Kuiper smiles into the camera while holding a flask filled with chocolate coins and bills in one hand.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

Vault particles, a 40-year cell biology mystery, associate with membranes at the nuclear envelope and ER—revealing a new functional axis for these conserved complexes @kgeissler.bsky.social @yuningwang.bsky.social @jpkreysing.bsky.social @Becklab.bsky.social: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

Did you know we’re hosting the EMBO Practical Course on Cryo-FIB & Cryo-ET in April 2026? ❄️ We invite early career researchers and facility scientists to join us in Frankfurt and meet the leading experts in cryo-FIB/SEM and cryo-ET! 🔗 Apply by Dec 8: meetings.embo.org/event/26-in-...

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

- Team-building exercises helped us get to know each other better. - Overall, we achieved a good work-food balance! Stay curious about what the new year will bring!

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

- After visiting and analyzing the Senckenberg Museum’s Health and Medicine exhibition, we engaged in a fruitful exchange with Julia Krohmer, the Senckenberg Society's Deputy Science Coordinator. - We reflected on the past year and planned for the upcoming year.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

There’s a communications team behind every breakthrough, ensuring the world hears about it. Here are some photos from our team retreat! 📸🎉

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Proud to share that, according to Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers 2025 ranking, our Director Gerhard Hummer is among the world’s most frequently cited scientists. 👏 The ranking recognizes about 6,600 researchers worldwide who are among the top 1% most cited in their fields over the past decade.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Photo Credit: Dr. Christiane Birr (Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory). Shout-out to our partners: MPG, Brain, Legal History #ScientistsInAction #MaxPlanckSociety

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Scientists making waves! 🌊 At this year’s Frankfurt Museumsuferfest, our team swapped pipettes for paddles and crushed the Dragon Boat Race! 🐉🚣 #Museumsuferfest #DragonBoatRace

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Precision, teamwork, and a sharp eye! Not just for experiments, but for #pumpkins too! 🎃🔬 We held a pumpkin carving #competition at MPI of Biophysics, and the results were impressive! Swipe through to find out who took home the 🏆! #CarvingConnections #HalloweenSpirit

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 30/10/2025

SNDing proteins into the membrane! Our new publication from @melaniemcdowell.bsky.social ’s group identifies the SND3 protein as a new route for membrane protein insertion! 🍄 📘 Read more here: www.mpg.de/25599408/102... Image: Louise Duever.

Structure of the ribosome-bound SND3 translocon complex from the heat-tolerant fungus Chaetomium thermophilum. The SND3 translocon inserts proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane as they are produced by the ribosome.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

Have you registered to the next EMBO Practical Course on In-situ structural biology by Cryo-FIB and Cryo-ET? 🧊 Join us in Frankfurt for hands-on training on cryo-techniques and networking with experts! 🔗 Apply by Dec 8, 2025: meetings.embo.org/event/26-in-... 📍 Frankfurt | 📆 April 12–20, 2026

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

Heartfelt congratulations to @ralfsteinhilper.bsky.social @bjmurphylab.bsky.social on successfully defending his PhD thesis with summa cum laude! 👏💪🏆 For his doctoral research, Ralf used anaerobic sample preparation to study redox enzymes by single-particle cryo-EM.🔬 #phdlife #biophysics #excellence

Bonnie Murphy and Ralf Steinhilper stand together, smiling at the camera. Ralf is wearing a creatively handcrafted doctor’s hat.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

Our Green Yard Sale at the MPI of Biophysics was a great success! 💚 Organized by our Sustainability Group, it promoted Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle while donating the profits to Klimaschutzinitiative-Riedberg e.V. 🌿♻️ #Sustainability #GreenYardSale #MPIBiophysics

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

🎉 Congratulations to our postdoc @sergiocruzleon.bsky.social for receiving the 2026 Theory & Computation Postdoctoral Research Award from the Biophysical Society! 🎉 Sergio will present his work at the Theory & Computation subgroup Symposium during the 2026 Biophysical Society meeting.

Photo of Sergio Cruz and text: Sergio Cruz-León receives the 2026 Theory & Computation Postdoctoral Research Award

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Our colleagues laced up their running shoes for this year’s “Lauf für mehr Zeit” charity run 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️.  It was the perfect opportunity to combine fitness, team spirit, and supporting a meaningful cause—all in one day! 💙 A big thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to making a difference. ✨

A diverse group of young people in running gear smile for the camera.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

We’re hosting the @embo.org Practical Course on In-situ structural biology by CryoFIB and CryoET in April 2026! 🧬❄️ You can expect hands-on training, cutting-edge methods, and a chance to work alongside leading experts in structural biology. 🔗 Apply by Dec 8, 2025: meetings.embo.org/event/26-in-...

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Our researchers shared their work in public lectures, and our Electron Microscopy Facility opened its doors for exclusive guided tours 🔬

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Guests enjoyed our virtual reality exploration of the cell 🦠 discovered protein structures 🧪 cooled off with liquid nitrogen ice cream 🍦 and more!

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Science came to life at the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics during the 2025 Night of Science of @goetheuni.bsky.social! 🌙✨

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

👏 Congrats to Schara Safarian on his nomination for the Paul Ehrlich & Ludwig Darmstaedter Early Career Award—Germany’s top honor for young life science researchers! 🎉 Hear his talk on Sept 15: 👉 goethe-university-frankfurt.de/150458316/Ea... #Biophysics #EarlyCareerAward #ScientificExcellence

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

From India to Germany: Pratima Verma and Deepshikha Ghosh shared their journeys as international scientists with 30 students at Friedrich Dessauer Gymnasium and offered insights into biophysics, skills & career paths in research. 🧪 #scienceforall #scienceoutreach #biophysics #imprs2impress

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

In their new study, Beata Turoňová and Tomáš Majtner trained 13 neural networks to automatically detect and remove those corrupted frames, speeding up processing and saving time for tomographers 🥳

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

Work led by postdocs @ahmed-noor-agip.bsky.social & @pamornelas.bsky.social (Structural Biology Dept., Kühlbrandt Lab) in collab with the @melaniemcdowell.bsky.social's lab . A new chapter in 20+ years of TOM research at MPIBP! Full @pnas.org article here: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

Sixteen of our Institute’s colleagues, along with colleagues from the MPI for Legal History & Legal Theory, joined this year’s 5.6-kilometre #jpmcc2025, challenging themselves and encouraging others! It was great to meet colleagues in a different setting and join over 64,000 runners! #teamspirit

A diverse group of young people in running gear pose smiling next to the Euro sculpture.

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Big congratulations to Dr. Lea Dietrich @lea-dietrich.bsky.social for receiving the Otto Hahn Medal from the @maxplanck.de for her research on mitochondrial architecture! 🏅 A brilliant young scientist and a great role model 💪

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Max Planck Institute of Biophysics @mpibp.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

Congratulations to our director Ana García-Sáez for receiving an ERC Advanced Grant! 📣 Her work on mitochondrial membranes continues to push the frontiers of biophysics and cell biology 🧬 #ERCAdG @erc.europa.eu @office-garcia.bsky.social

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