iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

What is the correlation? This paradox is relevant to how we think about and quantify gene expression: journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

How much data would it take to describe human biology ? A very crude description of molecular abundance requires 1,000× more bites than all digital data humanity stores. We need more than scale to close the gap. blog.slavovlab.net/2026/09/27/h...

blog.slavovlab.net

How Much Data Is Needed to Characterize Human Biology?

Biology is complex, and characterizing it takes a lot of data. How much? A very simple approximation is the abundance of each molecule type in each cell. The human body has about 4 × 1013 cells, an…

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Slavov Laboratory @slavovlab.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Dimensionality reduction usually loses information. - PCA loses the non-linear cycling. - t-SNE distorts the distances between the three populations -- Diffusion maps compress the early state cells and lose the cycling. Fig. 2e from nature.com/articles/s41...

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Slavov Laboratory @slavovlab.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The presentation by Luke Khoury at #SCP2026 is on YouTube: Single-cell proteomics reveals cell-type-specific functional coordination in PBMCs youtu.be/J_N2M7o7Dq0?...

youtu.be

Single-cell proteomics reveals cell-type-specific functional coordination in PBMCs | Luke Khoury

YouTube video by Nikolai Slavov

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Beyond heterogeneity, single-cell analysis can reveal functional coherence. Coherence, regularity and principles advance science. Full recording: www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0dI...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Millions of PBMCs have been analyzed by scRNA-seq. Have we seen it all ? We profiled thousands of single PBMCs — proteomes and transcriptomes side by side — and uncovered functional coordination undetectable in the deepest scRNA-seq we could perform. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... 1/

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Among the numerous metrics evaluating academics, one stands out for me: Our intellectual heritage reflected in our students and colleagues, and their intellectual growth. That amplifies the initial sparks and bears more fruit than any one of us could have produced.

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Some of the most important scientific results were initially rejected before they became important milestones of scientific progress. 🔷 If you have great results, this is one of the most effective ways to help them succeed: blog.slavovlab.net/2024/02/12/c... 1/

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Nature just published a tech feature on single-cell proteomics. It highlights our journey from skepticism to robust technology and biological discoveries. I love that the feature starts with a biological discovery enabled by the technology: www.cell.com/cell/fulltex... 1/

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

My personal experience is different. I always felt motivated to take risks, and my most recognized success is based upon taking risks. I recently talked about this experience: youtu.be/z0dIhG4C3qI?...

youtu.be

Biemann Medal Lecture: An exhilarating journey towards single-cell proteomics

YouTube video by Nikolai Slavov

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

By regulating protein stability, liver cells set protein accumulation rates and thus spatial abundance. Any tissue with a spatial gradient could be using this mechanism. Could this be a general mechanism for sculpting spatial protein gradients ? nikolaislavov.substack.com/p/sculpting-...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

These results bode well for the feasibility of massively scaling up single-cell proteomics while preserving and increasing the depth of coverage and quantitative accuracy. 1/

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Exactly 5 years ago, I presented projections for single-cell proteomics. It's fun and instructive to reflect on the projections, progress over the last 5 years, and on their correlation. The agreement is excellent 🚀 youtu.be/HEA9Ua_mx8s?...

youtu.be

Strategies for driving single-cell proteomics forward | Nikolai Slavov | SCP2021

YouTube video by Nikolai Slavov

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

A major update -- prompted by constructive peer feedback -- shows remarkable gradients within basal cells: 🔷 Strong within-cell-type variation of protein abundance synthesis and degradation due to simple biophysical principles. > RNA data doesn't reflect it. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Save the date: The 10th Single Cell Proteomics Conference (SCP2027) will be on July 12 - 14, 2027 single-cell.net/proteomics/s...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Our article is in today's issue of Nature. It shows that our proteome is more diverse than we thought, remarkably so ! This has been a long and exhilarating journey beginning in 2019. It has opened perspectives that we are very eager to explore. nikolaislavov.substack.com/p/rna-decodi...

nikolaislavov.substack.com

RNA Decoding Beyond the Genetic Code

What Have We Been Missing in the Proteome?

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Slavov Laboratory @slavovlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

A highlight of our recent Nature article reporting numerous stable proteins with amino acid sequences not predicted by the genetic code. Cells have more ways to diversify their proteomes. 📰 news.northeastern.edu/2026/08/10/p...

news.northeastern.edu

A new study suggests that our bodies produce more proteins than we thought

Protein sequence determination depends on more than DNA, Northeastern research finds, with new clues into cancer and Alzheimer's.

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Slavov Laboratory @slavovlab.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

In this revision, we expanded our analysis across more tissue types & more model systems. The conclusions held. Proteomes are strongly shaped by tissue type-specific protein degradation rates ▶️ This effect strongly depends on the cell growth rates. 🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

I recently attended two Gordon Research Conferences on very different topics. The most memorable talks had one thing in common: They focused deeply on a single project, taught something new with rigor, made their assumptions and caveats clear, and invited critical thinking. 1/

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

America's scientific leadership was built on Vannevar Bush's vision that investing in fundamental research creates tomorrow's breakthroughs. Abandoning this vision risks weakening the engine that has driven U.S. prosperity, innovation, and health for generations. 1/

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

My Biemann Medal lecture is now available on YouTube. In it, I trace the exhilarating journey of developing single-cell proteomics, beginning on Christmas Day in 2010, when, as a PhD student, I became convinced that understanding biology would require measuring proteins. youtu.be/z0dIhG4C3qI?...

youtu.be

Biemann Medal Lecture: An exhilarating journey towards single-cell proteomics

YouTube video by Nikolai Slavov

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

This Nature Chemical Biology article highlights how alternate RNA decoding is expanding the proteome diversity. The highlighted results are reshaping my view of the human proteome and understanding of biology. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Thinking on the timescale of days & weeks, progress can feel frustratingly slow. Shifting to the timescale of years, the progress is spectacular: Often faster than expected. The arc of technology development has been awesome. The best is yet to come 🚀 annualreviews.org/content/jour...

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Slavov Laboratory @slavovlab.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

We're glad to see our recent Nature article on alternate RNA decoding highlighted by GenomeWeb. The project started with a simple question that opened new horizons. 🔗 Links: 🔷 GenomeWeb piece: www.genomeweb.com/proteomics-p... 🔷 Nature article: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Some proteins covary with the cell division cycle similarly across cell types. Others covary in a cell type-dependent way. What is your interpretation ? doi.org/10.1186/s130...

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Slavov Laboratory @slavovlab.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

A gene may template many dozens of products. Its products can have diverse, even opposing functions. Ascribing the functions of the products to the gene is a simplistic approximation that has outlived its usefulness.

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

A deeper dive into the article we published last week in @nature.com. I will start with the framing and methodology as they are key to understanding the surprising results: Most proteomics experiments begin with an assumption. www.nature.com/articles/s41... 1/

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

As usually, the Single-Cell Proteomics Conference aims to maximize accessibility. Thus, #SCP2026 will enable virtual attendance via Zoom. It's free but requires registration at single-cell.net Only presentations by speakers who consent to Zoom broadcast will be included in the virtual program.

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Slavov Laboratory @slavovlab.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

This discovery has been a long and exhilarating journey! It started in 2019 and proceeded through many challenges and thrilling highs. A journey that has opened new perspectives that we long to explore !

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

We have studied proteins and proteomes for decades. Yet, our studies and methods have been rather limited to hypothesis testing. As a result, the proteome remains a frontier that awaits to be investigated with discovery-driven methods. nikolai.slavovlab.net/Proteome-sec...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

The program for #SCP2026 is online. The talks span diverse technologies and biological questions. Join the discussions, flash talks, and hands-on workshop. 🗓️ July 14-16, 2026 | Boston, USA 🔗 Check out the full program: single-cell.net/proteomics/s...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

The annual meeting of the American Society For Mass Spectrometry (@asms.org) has been very special for me as the Biemann Medal recognized our contributions to developing single-cell proteomic technologies and using them to open new perspectives.

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

The functional and molecular variation within a single cell-type is considerable, and proteomes tell that story. This covariation is coupled to functional differences: cells with distinct proteomic states show different endocytic activity, as measured by dextran uptake. nature.com/articles/s41...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

These numbers are key to understanding RNA and protein analysis. The different counting statistics fundamentally shape technological challenges and opportunities. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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ASMS @asms.org · 08/05/2026

Congratulations to Nikolai Slavov, recipient of the 2026 ASMS Biemann Medal! This award recognizes significant early-career achievement and highlights emerging leaders shaping the future of #massspectrometry. #TeamMassSpec

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

β-catenin is often synthesized to be immediately degraded... and defects in its degradation predispose to cancer. Why are key signaling mechanisms regulated by protein degradation ?

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

I am deeply honored to have been selected to receive the Biemann Medal by the American Society For Mass Spectrometry (@asms.org). While this award is presented to an individual, it reflects the collective contributions of exceptional teams at @slavovlab.bsky.social and @parallelsq.bsky.social.

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Slavov Laboratory @slavovlab.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

An accessible highlight of our recent article: How Single-Cell Proteomics Could Unlock the Rules That Govern Cells azolifesciences.com/news/2026041... Article: Single-Cell Proteomic Technologies: Tools in the Quest for Principles. www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...

azolifesciences.com

How Single-Cell Proteomics Could Unlock the Rules That Govern Cells

This review shows how single-cell proteomics by mass spectrometry has advanced from an uncertain idea to a rapidly improving toolkit that can now quantify thousands of protein groups from individual c...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Judging from the abstracts submitted to the single-cell proteomics conference, SCP2026 is shaping to be an exceptional meeting. A convergence of new technologies, deep questions, and inventive experimental designs is poised to unlock answers to long standing puzzles. Abstract deadline: May 1st

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Slavov Laboratory @slavovlab.bsky.social · 12/04/2026

Single-cell proteomics by mass spectrometry: Technological overview and recent progress From uncertain possibility to robust and rapidly advancing technologies: 1/2 youtu.be/tibkXV6NblI?...

youtu.be

Single-cell proteomics by mass spectrometry: Technological overview and recent progress

YouTube video by Nikolai Slavov

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

A corner stone of cell models: mRNA abundance scales with cell size & growth rate. Changes in growth rate shift thousands of mRNA levels coordinately. Thus, the transcriptional responses to perturbations often reflect the associated growth rate changes. www.molbiolcell.org/doi/full/10....

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

A powerful example of protein abundance regulation. The degradation rate of p53 determines its abundance. p53 is special, but regulation by protein degradation is not a special case. It's common: doi.org/10.1101/2025...

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

This July 14 - 15, the 9th Single-Cell Proteomics Conference (single-cell.net) brings together a community that is redefining what’s possible: Robust methods enable scalable proteoform measurements from single cells without sacrificing depth or quantitative accuracy. 1/3

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Six years on from this perspective: science.org/doi/10.1126/... The technology has rapidly advanced and spread beyond a few pioneering labs. I am excited for the next phase, when the technology will increasingly enable mechanistic investigations & discoveries. 🚀

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Here is a robust biochemical & functional difference between young and old mammalian cells: - The fraction of new amino acids incorporated into proteins. The difference is consistent, quantitative, cell-type specific, and deeply intriguing. What aging mechanisms cause it ? 1/

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Nikolai Slavov @slavov-n.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

At the same time, some proteins are very long-lived. Some persist as long as the organism itself. Protein lifetimes range from minutes to decades: that's a dynamic range of ~6,000,000-fold. Lifetimes vary across cell types & states, and these dynamics are essential to life! 2/

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Slavov Laboratory @slavovlab.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

A recurrent theme in ML: ◼️ Poorly trained models appear to excel at predictions. "Because the sequence and its function are inexorably linked, even a maximally overfit model with no understanding of gene regulation can predict the expression of sequences that are similar to its training data."

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