iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Excited to share our News & Views published in Nature @nature.com rdcu.be/CYRkCWQMQPJa In this piece, Sherif Khodeer and I discuss two important studies using DNA base editing in human embryos to study gene function in development and to introduce disease protecting alleles.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

🔬 We found that: • The SWI/SNF complex is necessary for 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 in human 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗰𝘆𝘀𝘁𝘀. ✅ • The SWI/SNF complex safeguards 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 formation in 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗶𝗱𝘀. 🛡️ • The 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 requires the SWI/SNF complex for 𝗰𝗶𝘀-𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 🧬

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

We depleted SWI/SNF-ATPases 𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗔𝟮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗔𝟰 during 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, and 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗰𝘆𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. We then performed 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲-𝗻𝘂𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗶 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗖 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 of SWI/SNF-perturbed human blastoids.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

We are excited to share our new preprint: SMARCA2/4-Dependent Chromatin Remodelling Establishes Gene Regulatory Programs in Early Human Embryos and Blastoids. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.01.691499v1

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

𝐗𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐗-𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Using the loss of function approach, we show that without XIST, extraembryonic cells fail to establish X-chromosome inactivation, providing the first formal proof that XIST is required for X-chromosome inactivation in humans.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

The differentiation of naive pluripotent stem cells to two key postimplantation human extraembryonic cell types, extraembryonic mesoderm and trophoblast stem cells, triggers X-chromosome inactivation, robustly recapitulating human X-chromosome inactivation in human extraembryonic cells in vitro.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: 𝐍𝐚𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐨 𝐗-𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

It is with profound sadness that I have learned of the passing of my beloved PhD supervisor, John Gurdon. We have lost a true giant, an incredible mentor, kind and generous, whose contributions to science will inspire generations. He changed my life, and the lives of so many others.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Excited to share our latest News & Views published in Nature! @nature.com rdcu.be/eI2NJ Sherif Khodeer and I discuss how stem cell-based embryo models provide evidence that viral DNA sequences that entered the human genome in the past were repurposed to aid early stages of embryonic development.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Excited to share our new paper in Nature Communications @natcomms.nature.com (www.nature.com/articles/s41...) We show how cells can sense when individual genes are lost and compensate by upregulating the remaining gene copy. With Ryan Allsop, Jeffrey Boeren, Beatrice Tan, Joost Gribnau and others.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Exciting postdoc position to study X-chromosome inactivation using stem cell-based embryos models, advanced imaging and single-cell omics at the Pasque lab, University of Leuven – KU Leuven, Belgium. International team, amazing collaborators. Full details: www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

We are hiring a Lab Technician! Join our lab at the University of Leuven - KU Leuven, working on stem cell biology and epigenetics. Perform key molecular/cell biology techniques and manage lab operations. Full/part-time contract. Apply by Sept 30! More info: www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

Exciting Research Professorship Position in Stem Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Leuven. Amazing research ecosystem, great colleagues, high quality of life, tenure track. For those interested in joining us, please see below: www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

We are delighted to share our new preprint “X-chromosome upregulation operates on a gene-by-gene basis at RNA and protein levels”. biorxiv.org/content/earl...

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

We are excited to host Dr. Maxim Greenberg and Dr. Courtney Hanna this week to kickoff the Leuven Epigenetics Club!

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Excited to share that I have been recognized as a 2025 ISSCR Public Service Award Honoree! Read more about the award and my fellow honorees. www.isscr.org/isscr-news/i...

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Excited to share our recent review on extraembryonic mesoderm development, just published in Development! "Extra embryonic mesoderm during development and in in vitro models." journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

Happy 600th birthday to the University of Leuven!

We keep searching, because knowledge has no end.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

“I have always been motivated by other successful women, they challenge and inspire me. I hope one day to be able to inspire other women too. Because there is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish” - Chloé Lorent.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

“Science is everyone’s game - driven by diverse minds, not gender. By breaking barriers and embracing equality, we create a future where talent and curiosity lead the way.” - Thi Xuan Ai Pham. Thi Xuan Ai Pham is a PhD student in our lab working on human naive pluripotent stem cells.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

“My passion for research that may impact the health of our population, combined with my role as a mother, is my daily motivation to move from the lab to the minds of our young women and girls, empowering them to shape their future”. - Dr. Marim Solis.

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

The Pasque lab wishes you and your loved ones a happy holiday season and a wonderful end of year! We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead!

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

It was a fantastic edition of the 8th Meeting of the Belgian Society for Stem Cell Research in Brussels with stellar speakers including Susana de Sousa Lopes, Jacob Hanna, Florian Merkle, Anchel de Jaime-Soguero and many more. Thank you to all participants. #BeSSCR #StemCells

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Vincent Pasque @pasquelab.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

Totipotency is the ability of a cell to give rise to all cell types, both embryonic & extraembryonic. But how do we test this in human cells? Check out Box 2: Experimental Criteria to Evaluate Human Totipotency in our recent review: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39366361/

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