Diego Balboa
@diegobalboa.bsky.social
Group leader at University of Helsinki. Interested in diabetes, genetics, stem cells and developmental biology.
Pinned
University of Helsinki to lead five new Centres of Excellence | University of Helsinki
The Research Council of Finland has selected 11 Centres of Excellence for the 2026–2033 programme period. University of Helsinki researchers are involved in a total of eight new Centres.
www.helsinki.fi
Thrilled to share our Centre of Excellence in Metabolic Integration was funded, thank you Research Council of Finland!
Exciting science coming soon from a fantastic team at @helsinki.fi : Pekka Katajisto, Anu Suomalainen Wartiovaara, Ville Hietakangas, Elina Ikonen, Emmi Helle and Rafa Najumudeen 🎉
Exciting science coming soon from a fantastic team at @helsinki.fi : Pekka Katajisto, Anu Suomalainen Wartiovaara, Ville Hietakangas, Elina Ikonen, Emmi Helle and Rafa Najumudeen 🎉
Reposted by Diego Balboa
🎉 Our deconstructed, stem-cell–based approach to studying signaling centers and limb-development cell types is out! 🥳 So nice to see it in its final form after the preprint— and huge thanks to the community for all the enthusiasm and interest since then!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Specialized signaling centers direct cell fate and spatial organization in a mesodermal organoid model
Stem cell–derived mesodermal organoids reveal how signaling centers guide cell fate and tissue organization.
www.science.org
December 2, 2025 at 9:15 AM
🎉 Our deconstructed, stem-cell–based approach to studying signaling centers and limb-development cell types is out! 🥳 So nice to see it in its final form after the preprint— and huge thanks to the community for all the enthusiasm and interest since then!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
The new issue @cp-devcell.bsky.social brings the final form of our opossum heterochrony work www.cell.com/developmenta... And it also brings two great papers from @oliveringe.bsky.social @santoslab.bsky.social and @tobyandrews.bsky.social @rashmi-priya.bsky.social 🙌 great #DevBio from @crick.ac.uk
December 2, 2025 at 11:06 AM
The new issue @cp-devcell.bsky.social brings the final form of our opossum heterochrony work www.cell.com/developmenta... And it also brings two great papers from @oliveringe.bsky.social @santoslab.bsky.social and @tobyandrews.bsky.social @rashmi-priya.bsky.social 🙌 great #DevBio from @crick.ac.uk
Reposted by Diego Balboa
I am very pleased to see our work, in which we describe a mutational hotspot at transcription start sites in the human germline, out:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Great work from @castellanoed.bsky.social, @vseplyarskiy.bsky.social, Miguel Cortés Guzmán and Clàudia Serrano Colomé!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Great work from @castellanoed.bsky.social, @vseplyarskiy.bsky.social, Miguel Cortés Guzmán and Clàudia Serrano Colomé!
Transcription start sites experience a high influx of heritable variants fueled by early development - Nature Communications
The impact of transcription on germline mutagenesis remains poorly understood. Here, the authors identify a mutational hotspot at transcription start sites in the human germline that is significantly ...
www.nature.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:35 PM
I am very pleased to see our work, in which we describe a mutational hotspot at transcription start sites in the human germline, out:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Great work from @castellanoed.bsky.social, @vseplyarskiy.bsky.social, Miguel Cortés Guzmán and Clàudia Serrano Colomé!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Great work from @castellanoed.bsky.social, @vseplyarskiy.bsky.social, Miguel Cortés Guzmán and Clàudia Serrano Colomé!
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Several opportunities to join our group as a PhD candidate with bioinformatics or experimental background and interests in #microbiome, #Candida, or #evolution.
👉 IRB call:
www.irbbarcelona.org/en/careers/y...
👉 Inphinit call:
lacaixafoundation.org/en/doctoral-...
👉 EvoMG call
www.evomg-dn.eu
👉 IRB call:
www.irbbarcelona.org/en/careers/y...
👉 Inphinit call:
lacaixafoundation.org/en/doctoral-...
👉 EvoMG call
www.evomg-dn.eu
November 30, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Several opportunities to join our group as a PhD candidate with bioinformatics or experimental background and interests in #microbiome, #Candida, or #evolution.
👉 IRB call:
www.irbbarcelona.org/en/careers/y...
👉 Inphinit call:
lacaixafoundation.org/en/doctoral-...
👉 EvoMG call
www.evomg-dn.eu
👉 IRB call:
www.irbbarcelona.org/en/careers/y...
👉 Inphinit call:
lacaixafoundation.org/en/doctoral-...
👉 EvoMG call
www.evomg-dn.eu
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Join us next week for another round of inspiring VGZT talks! 🤩
🗓️ Thursday, December 4th
⏰ 9:30 PST / 12:30 EST / 17:30 UTC / 17:30 GMT / 18:30 CET
Our speakers are
👉 Luca Braccioli (@bracciolilab.bsky.social)
👉 Komal Makwana (on X: @Komal_Makwana4)
See you next week 👋
🗓️ Thursday, December 4th
⏰ 9:30 PST / 12:30 EST / 17:30 UTC / 17:30 GMT / 18:30 CET
Our speakers are
👉 Luca Braccioli (@bracciolilab.bsky.social)
👉 Komal Makwana (on X: @Komal_Makwana4)
See you next week 👋
November 29, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Join us next week for another round of inspiring VGZT talks! 🤩
🗓️ Thursday, December 4th
⏰ 9:30 PST / 12:30 EST / 17:30 UTC / 17:30 GMT / 18:30 CET
Our speakers are
👉 Luca Braccioli (@bracciolilab.bsky.social)
👉 Komal Makwana (on X: @Komal_Makwana4)
See you next week 👋
🗓️ Thursday, December 4th
⏰ 9:30 PST / 12:30 EST / 17:30 UTC / 17:30 GMT / 18:30 CET
Our speakers are
👉 Luca Braccioli (@bracciolilab.bsky.social)
👉 Komal Makwana (on X: @Komal_Makwana4)
See you next week 👋
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Your periodic reminder that science is not done by a few selected "stars scientists". Science is done by hundred of thousands. Siloed money mean a few flashy discoveries and a lot of waste. Want to change things? Make funding accessible and stop funding calls with less than 2% success rate.
· #AcademicSky ·
The European Research Council is launching €7m Plus Grants for ambitious, long‑term research — open to researchers at any career stage but limited to about 30 awards; current ERC grantees and applicants are ineligible, reports @clanicholson.bsky.social.
The European Research Council is launching €7m Plus Grants for ambitious, long‑term research — open to researchers at any career stage but limited to about 30 awards; current ERC grantees and applicants are ineligible, reports @clanicholson.bsky.social.
ERC’s new €7m Plus Grants open to researchers at any career stage - Research Professional News
European Research Council president describes scheme as part attempt to lure US talent
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 29, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Your periodic reminder that science is not done by a few selected "stars scientists". Science is done by hundred of thousands. Siloed money mean a few flashy discoveries and a lot of waste. Want to change things? Make funding accessible and stop funding calls with less than 2% success rate.
Reposted by Diego Balboa
📣 I hereby make my Bluesky debut to announce that our work linking DNA binding affinities and kinetics 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘰 and 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰 for the human transcription factor KLF1 just got published in Cell! @cp-cell.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Key findings in a thread (1/6):
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Key findings in a thread (1/6):
November 27, 2025 at 1:17 PM
📣 I hereby make my Bluesky debut to announce that our work linking DNA binding affinities and kinetics 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘰 and 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰 for the human transcription factor KLF1 just got published in Cell! @cp-cell.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Key findings in a thread (1/6):
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Key findings in a thread (1/6):
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Our new paper is out now in Nature Communications! We uncovered the function of XBP1 in beta cells of a preclinical model of T1D and identified unique and shared gene regulatory networks driven by IRE1 and XBP1.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Defining the role of β-cell IRE1α/XBP1 pathway and its gene regulatory network components in non-obese diabetic mice - Nature Communications
Modulating the unfolded protein response (UPR) can induce protective dedifferentiation of β-cells in non-obese diabetic mice. Here, the authors show that β-cell deletion of UPR transcription factor XB...
www.nature.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Our new paper is out now in Nature Communications! We uncovered the function of XBP1 in beta cells of a preclinical model of T1D and identified unique and shared gene regulatory networks driven by IRE1 and XBP1.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Reposted by Diego Balboa
There's increasing evidence that in organoid/embryoids conditions of cells at start of experiments is crucial/ determines outcome. Much to be learnt still. Taking advantage of mouse #gastruloids, two groups explore this here. Important work to calibrate the field www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
March 19, 2025 at 12:01 PM
There's increasing evidence that in organoid/embryoids conditions of cells at start of experiments is crucial/ determines outcome. Much to be learnt still. Taking advantage of mouse #gastruloids, two groups explore this here. Important work to calibrate the field www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
I wrote a little bit about the "missing heritability" question and several recent studies that have brought it to a close. A short 🧵
The missing heritability question is now (mostly) answered
Not with a bang but with a whimper
theinfinitesimal.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:34 PM
I wrote a little bit about the "missing heritability" question and several recent studies that have brought it to a close. A short 🧵
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Bri2 BRICHOS domain inhibits cytotoxic IAPP amyloid formation and improves beta cell function in stem cell-derived islets under metabolic stress. #T1D #SC-islets #CellTherapy
link.springer.com/article/10.1... 🔓
link.springer.com/article/10.1... 🔓
Bri2 BRICHOS domain inhibits IAPP amyloid formation and improves beta cell function in stem cell-derived islets under metabolic stress - Diabetologia
Aims/hypothesis Accumulation of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) and amyloid formation is associated with beta cell dysfunction and cell death in human islets and may also contribute to graft failure ...
link.springer.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Bri2 BRICHOS domain inhibits cytotoxic IAPP amyloid formation and improves beta cell function in stem cell-derived islets under metabolic stress. #T1D #SC-islets #CellTherapy
link.springer.com/article/10.1... 🔓
link.springer.com/article/10.1... 🔓
Reposted by Diego Balboa
New IJDB issue! Our cover image features an immunostaining of neural crest cells and their derivatives in an Mllt1 E10.5 murine embryo from the paper by Zinck et al doi.org/10.1387/ijdb... Congratulations to the team of @aineurolab.bsky.social for their outstanding contribution!
November 19, 2025 at 4:45 PM
New IJDB issue! Our cover image features an immunostaining of neural crest cells and their derivatives in an Mllt1 E10.5 murine embryo from the paper by Zinck et al doi.org/10.1387/ijdb... Congratulations to the team of @aineurolab.bsky.social for their outstanding contribution!
Reposted by Diego Balboa
The 100 yr pursuit for non-injectable #insulin ..Here based on mouse and mini pig data, “a skin-permeable polymer may enable non-invasive transdermal delivery of insulin, relieving patients with #diabetes from subcutaneous injections” www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A skin-permeable polymer for non-invasive transdermal insulin delivery - Nature
The fast skin-permeable polyzwitterion poly[2-(N-oxide-N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] may enable non-invasive transdermal delivery of insulin, and potentially facilitate the use of other protei...
www.nature.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:20 PM
The 100 yr pursuit for non-injectable #insulin ..Here based on mouse and mini pig data, “a skin-permeable polymer may enable non-invasive transdermal delivery of insulin, relieving patients with #diabetes from subcutaneous injections” www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
We are looking for a postdoctoral fellow to work on induced proximity 🤜🤛 and functional genomics! Join our team in Toronto 🇨🇦 to tackle major challenges in oncology and neurodegeneration. www.nature.com/naturecareer...
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW - Toronto (City), Ontario (CA) job with Taipale Lab, Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto | 12849004
The Taipale lab in the Donnelly CCBR and University of Toronto is looking for a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow
www.nature.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:51 PM
We are looking for a postdoctoral fellow to work on induced proximity 🤜🤛 and functional genomics! Join our team in Toronto 🇨🇦 to tackle major challenges in oncology and neurodegeneration. www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Our new preprint is online! Viruses, bacteria and parasites use effector proteins to evade immunity and rewire host cell pathways. Together with @AlexanderStark8, we wondered if we could systematically map what these effectors, regardless of their origin, do in human cells. 1/8
www.biorxiv.org
November 18, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Our new preprint is online! Viruses, bacteria and parasites use effector proteins to evade immunity and rewire host cell pathways. Together with @AlexanderStark8, we wondered if we could systematically map what these effectors, regardless of their origin, do in human cells. 1/8
Reposted by Diego Balboa
New insights into islet ER stress responses, proinsulin biosynthesis, ERAD and ERD1 using β-cell-specific Hrd1-KO mice & rodent (and human islet) β-cells treated acutely with HRD1 inhibitor. jci.org/articles/vie...
@jci.org
@jci.org
November 18, 2025 at 7:39 PM
New insights into islet ER stress responses, proinsulin biosynthesis, ERAD and ERD1 using β-cell-specific Hrd1-KO mice & rodent (and human islet) β-cells treated acutely with HRD1 inhibitor. jci.org/articles/vie...
@jci.org
@jci.org
Reposted by Diego Balboa
🧵(1/12) November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and we have many works coming out from the CIRTN labs focusing on islet biology and diabetes. For the beginning of Nov 2025, we have papers from Drs Thompson, Verchere, Chen, Dhanvantari, Hill, Hoesli, Kin, Levings, Lynn, Riddell, Rutter and Wheeler.
November 17, 2025 at 11:26 PM
🧵(1/12) November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and we have many works coming out from the CIRTN labs focusing on islet biology and diabetes. For the beginning of Nov 2025, we have papers from Drs Thompson, Verchere, Chen, Dhanvantari, Hill, Hoesli, Kin, Levings, Lynn, Riddell, Rutter and Wheeler.
Reposted by Diego Balboa
TE x ZFP = Evolution!
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
November 18, 2025 at 3:16 PM
TE x ZFP = Evolution!
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Major new direction in the lab: hacking human cell biology with pathogen effectors (eORFs) - amazing collaboration with @miketilapia.bsky.social lab. Huge congrats to first authors Tomas & He & all co-authors! Check out the pre-print on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org
November 18, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Major new direction in the lab: hacking human cell biology with pathogen effectors (eORFs) - amazing collaboration with @miketilapia.bsky.social lab. Huge congrats to first authors Tomas & He & all co-authors! Check out the pre-print on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
A new #ScienceImmunology study finds that mice and humans have pancreatic islet-resident macrophages with elevated antioxidant profiles, which could shield β cells from oxidative stress. https://scim.ag/49cqs3M
An islet-resident macrophage antioxidant program preserves β cell physiology
SLC7A11 licenses metabolic and antioxidant activities in islet macrophages, supporting β cell insulin secretion and redox homeostasis.
scim.ag
November 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM
A new #ScienceImmunology study finds that mice and humans have pancreatic islet-resident macrophages with elevated antioxidant profiles, which could shield β cells from oxidative stress. https://scim.ag/49cqs3M
Reposted by Diego Balboa
It's always special when you find your own paper in the table of contents of the journal 😍
"The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube" -> Now out in its final form
www.cell.com/developmenta...
"The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube" -> Now out in its final form
www.cell.com/developmenta...
November 18, 2025 at 4:11 PM
It's always special when you find your own paper in the table of contents of the journal 😍
"The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube" -> Now out in its final form
www.cell.com/developmenta...
"The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube" -> Now out in its final form
www.cell.com/developmenta...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Measuring mitochondrial membrane potential
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
November 17, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Measuring mitochondrial membrane potential
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Very happy with this comment out today! It was a fantastic teamwork effort, with invaluable input from the editor @embojournal.org and the reviewers. Thanks a lot to all involved! @csic.es @ibmb-csic.bsky.social
Measuring mitochondrial membrane potential
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
November 17, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Very happy with this comment out today! It was a fantastic teamwork effort, with invaluable input from the editor @embojournal.org and the reviewers. Thanks a lot to all involved! @csic.es @ibmb-csic.bsky.social
Reposted by Diego Balboa
🚨 Check out our new paper is now online in its final version!!!
🎉 👏 Congratulations @alejotorrescano.bsky.social who led the study
+ past & current team @labspagnoli.bsky.social
+ collaborators #VigilanteLab @kingslsm.bsky.social
➡️ doi.org/10.1126/scia...
short 🧵 below & more acknowledgments ⤵️
🎉 👏 Congratulations @alejotorrescano.bsky.social who led the study
+ past & current team @labspagnoli.bsky.social
+ collaborators #VigilanteLab @kingslsm.bsky.social
➡️ doi.org/10.1126/scia...
short 🧵 below & more acknowledgments ⤵️
Spatially organized cellular communities shape functional tissue architecture in the pancreas
Spatial maps reveal dynamic epithelial-mesenchymal niches shaping pancreatic development and function.
doi.org
November 13, 2025 at 3:56 PM
🚨 Check out our new paper is now online in its final version!!!
🎉 👏 Congratulations @alejotorrescano.bsky.social who led the study
+ past & current team @labspagnoli.bsky.social
+ collaborators #VigilanteLab @kingslsm.bsky.social
➡️ doi.org/10.1126/scia...
short 🧵 below & more acknowledgments ⤵️
🎉 👏 Congratulations @alejotorrescano.bsky.social who led the study
+ past & current team @labspagnoli.bsky.social
+ collaborators #VigilanteLab @kingslsm.bsky.social
➡️ doi.org/10.1126/scia...
short 🧵 below & more acknowledgments ⤵️