Javier Espadas
@javierespadas.bsky.social
EMBO postdoc in @RouxLab.bsky.social, exploring the mechanics of membrane remodeling and its evolutionary implications. Skiing, climbing, and running in my free time
Pinned
Javier Espadas
@javierespadas.bsky.social
· Feb 11
New research on ancient Asgard archaeal ESCRT-III proteins reveals evolutionary secrets of membrane remodelling.
Diorge Souza, Javier Espadas and Sami Chaaban, investigated the ESCRT-III proteins with Buzz Baum and Aurelien Roux.
Read more: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/asgard-archa...
#LMBResearch (1/2)
Diorge Souza, Javier Espadas and Sami Chaaban, investigated the ESCRT-III proteins with Buzz Baum and Aurelien Roux.
Read more: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/asgard-archa...
#LMBResearch (1/2)
Extremely happy to see our work finally out!🎉 Great collaboration between @rouxlab.bsky.social @buzzbaum.bsky.social labs and a real pleasure to work and share co-first authorship with incredible scientists and friends @diorgeps.bsky.social @sami-c.bsky.social. Big thanks to the rest of the authors!
Reposted by Javier Espadas
🚨 Preprint alert 🚨
Don’t miss our latest story on how mycobacterial surface shedding shapes the host response !
Don’t miss our latest story on how mycobacterial surface shedding shapes the host response !
Why would Mycobacterium shed its surface right after entering a host cell? Host phagocytes rapidly strip its outer layer, releasing components that alert neighbors and trigger defense responses
Our preprint is out, curious to hear your take! 👀
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Our preprint is out, curious to hear your take! 👀
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 20, 2025 at 2:47 PM
🚨 Preprint alert 🚨
Don’t miss our latest story on how mycobacterial surface shedding shapes the host response !
Don’t miss our latest story on how mycobacterial surface shedding shapes the host response !
What an amazing work!!
Excited to see it out after seeing how much hard work has been done here, and the result of it is equally impressive!!
Congrats to all authors!!!
Excited to see it out after seeing how much hard work has been done here, and the result of it is equally impressive!!
Congrats to all authors!!!
Why would Mycobacterium shed its surface right after entering a host cell? Host phagocytes rapidly strip its outer layer, releasing components that alert neighbors and trigger defense responses
Our preprint is out, curious to hear your take! 👀
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Our preprint is out, curious to hear your take! 👀
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
What an amazing work!!
Excited to see it out after seeing how much hard work has been done here, and the result of it is equally impressive!!
Congrats to all authors!!!
Excited to see it out after seeing how much hard work has been done here, and the result of it is equally impressive!!
Congrats to all authors!!!
Reposted by Javier Espadas
Launching celldynamicslab.com, the homepage of our new group at EPFL working on cell fragmentation, membrane and cortex mechanics, FLIM imaging, and microfluidics tools. MSc/PhD or postdocs interested in quantitative cell biology are welcome to reach out. We're also hiring a lab manager in 2026!
Main - Cell Dynamics and Fragmentation Lab
The Cell Dynamics and Fragmentation lab at We study how single cells move and fragment in complex environments using microfluidics. We bring tools and concep...
celldynamicslab.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Launching celldynamicslab.com, the homepage of our new group at EPFL working on cell fragmentation, membrane and cortex mechanics, FLIM imaging, and microfluidics tools. MSc/PhD or postdocs interested in quantitative cell biology are welcome to reach out. We're also hiring a lab manager in 2026!
Reposted by Javier Espadas
Maria Tettamanti shows that inhibition of TORC2 by the small amphipath PalmC induces the TORC2-dependent internalization of sterols. Congrats to Maria and all coworkers involved, and to EMBOj for the efficient review process: use review commons! @biology-unige.bsky.social @sciencesunige.bsky.social
Yeast cells utilize a TORC2 feedback loop for plasma membrane adaptation to mechanical stress, with increased sterol transport from plasma membrane to endoplasmic reticulum activating TORC2 signaling
Robbie Loewith, Aurélien Roux @rouxlab.bsky.social and coworkers
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Robbie Loewith, Aurélien Roux @rouxlab.bsky.social and coworkers
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
November 14, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Maria Tettamanti shows that inhibition of TORC2 by the small amphipath PalmC induces the TORC2-dependent internalization of sterols. Congrats to Maria and all coworkers involved, and to EMBOj for the efficient review process: use review commons! @biology-unige.bsky.social @sciencesunige.bsky.social
An Asgard archaeon containing internal membrane compartments!! 😯
This will reshape our understanding of how the eukaryotic endomembrane system originated.
Congrats to @buzzbaum.bsky.social, @tbharat-lab.bsky.social and all ppl involved!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
This will reshape our understanding of how the eukaryotic endomembrane system originated.
Congrats to @buzzbaum.bsky.social, @tbharat-lab.bsky.social and all ppl involved!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments
The emergence of eukaryotes from a merger between an archaeon and a bacterial cell ~two billion years ago involved a profound change in cellular organisation. While the order in which different featur...
www.biorxiv.org
November 8, 2025 at 5:15 PM
An Asgard archaeon containing internal membrane compartments!! 😯
This will reshape our understanding of how the eukaryotic endomembrane system originated.
Congrats to @buzzbaum.bsky.social, @tbharat-lab.bsky.social and all ppl involved!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
This will reshape our understanding of how the eukaryotic endomembrane system originated.
Congrats to @buzzbaum.bsky.social, @tbharat-lab.bsky.social and all ppl involved!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Javier Espadas
An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 7, 2025 at 10:44 AM
An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Javier Espadas
This is a glimpse of the cytoskeletal structures we found doing U-ExM in more than 200 species, now in Cell🤩: shorturl.at/6oHvi
Amazing collaboration between @centriolelab.bsky.social , @dudinlab.bsky.social and @gautamdey.bsky.social labs.
I believe last one is a 🕷️
#FluorescenceFriday
#Microscopy
Amazing collaboration between @centriolelab.bsky.social , @dudinlab.bsky.social and @gautamdey.bsky.social labs.
I believe last one is a 🕷️
#FluorescenceFriday
#Microscopy
November 7, 2025 at 1:35 PM
This is a glimpse of the cytoskeletal structures we found doing U-ExM in more than 200 species, now in Cell🤩: shorturl.at/6oHvi
Amazing collaboration between @centriolelab.bsky.social , @dudinlab.bsky.social and @gautamdey.bsky.social labs.
I believe last one is a 🕷️
#FluorescenceFriday
#Microscopy
Amazing collaboration between @centriolelab.bsky.social , @dudinlab.bsky.social and @gautamdey.bsky.social labs.
I believe last one is a 🕷️
#FluorescenceFriday
#Microscopy
Reposted by Javier Espadas
Interested in intracellular organization and membrane trafficking? 🥞 Join us at @melisupf.bsky.social in Barcelona! We’re looking for postdocs to apply for a Juan de la Cierva fellowship (PhD between Jan’24–Dec ’25). If you’d like to work with us, get in touch! www.aei.gob.es/en/announcem...
Ayudas para contratos Juan de la Cierva 2025 | Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Las ayudas Juan de la Cierva tienen como finalidad fomentar la incorporación de jóvenes, en posesión del grado de doctor, con objeto de que completen su formación investigadora postdoctoral en centros...
www.aei.gob.es
November 2, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Interested in intracellular organization and membrane trafficking? 🥞 Join us at @melisupf.bsky.social in Barcelona! We’re looking for postdocs to apply for a Juan de la Cierva fellowship (PhD between Jan’24–Dec ’25). If you’d like to work with us, get in touch! www.aei.gob.es/en/announcem...
Reposted by Javier Espadas
🚨Our collaboration with @centriolelab.bsky.social & @gautamdey.bsky.social is out today in @cp-cell.bsky.social
We show that #Expansion #Microscopy is a broad-spectrum modality for Euks, enabling 3D phenotypic maps rooted to phylogeny.
#ProtistsOnSky #SciComm #SciSky
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
We show that #Expansion #Microscopy is a broad-spectrum modality for Euks, enabling 3D phenotypic maps rooted to phylogeny.
#ProtistsOnSky #SciComm #SciSky
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
October 31, 2025 at 2:42 PM
🚨Our collaboration with @centriolelab.bsky.social & @gautamdey.bsky.social is out today in @cp-cell.bsky.social
We show that #Expansion #Microscopy is a broad-spectrum modality for Euks, enabling 3D phenotypic maps rooted to phylogeny.
#ProtistsOnSky #SciComm #SciSky
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
We show that #Expansion #Microscopy is a broad-spectrum modality for Euks, enabling 3D phenotypic maps rooted to phylogeny.
#ProtistsOnSky #SciComm #SciSky
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Javier Espadas
It’s a tradition that I ask my “Physics III” class to create some memes about our class material. It’s *also* a tradition that they’re super good at this. Please enjoy, like and share! 🧪
(I promised my students extra game points if this goes nano-viral!)
(Front pic is my own entry.)
1/17
(I promised my students extra game points if this goes nano-viral!)
(Front pic is my own entry.)
1/17
November 1, 2025 at 3:07 PM
It’s a tradition that I ask my “Physics III” class to create some memes about our class material. It’s *also* a tradition that they’re super good at this. Please enjoy, like and share! 🧪
(I promised my students extra game points if this goes nano-viral!)
(Front pic is my own entry.)
1/17
(I promised my students extra game points if this goes nano-viral!)
(Front pic is my own entry.)
1/17
Reposted by Javier Espadas
Please RT. Post-doc opportunity alert! 💥 closing 10th December.. Come join our team (www.thelowlab.org) at Imperial, London, working on the structure and mechanism of bacterial secretion systems.
For more details and to apply please see
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
For more details and to apply please see
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
October 29, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Please RT. Post-doc opportunity alert! 💥 closing 10th December.. Come join our team (www.thelowlab.org) at Imperial, London, working on the structure and mechanism of bacterial secretion systems.
For more details and to apply please see
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
For more details and to apply please see
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
Reposted by Javier Espadas
Lab’s first paper is out!! We show the first structures of #Asgard #chromatin by #cryo-EM 🧬❄️
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
October 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Lab’s first paper is out!! We show the first structures of #Asgard #chromatin by #cryo-EM 🧬❄️
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Reposted by Javier Espadas
📢 New preprint !
Please check if you are interested in the comparison between 2d and 3d nematic theories 🤔
I show that the 2d description can lead to artefacts on curved surfaces, and I propose a thin film description of nematic shells with full 3d orientation !
This was a funny summer project 😊
Please check if you are interested in the comparison between 2d and 3d nematic theories 🤔
I show that the 2d description can lead to artefacts on curved surfaces, and I propose a thin film description of nematic shells with full 3d orientation !
This was a funny summer project 😊
Mathieu Dedenon: Three-dimensional formulation of curved nematic shells https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.19412 https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.19412 https://arxiv.org/html/2510.19412
October 23, 2025 at 10:49 AM
📢 New preprint !
Please check if you are interested in the comparison between 2d and 3d nematic theories 🤔
I show that the 2d description can lead to artefacts on curved surfaces, and I propose a thin film description of nematic shells with full 3d orientation !
This was a funny summer project 😊
Please check if you are interested in the comparison between 2d and 3d nematic theories 🤔
I show that the 2d description can lead to artefacts on curved surfaces, and I propose a thin film description of nematic shells with full 3d orientation !
This was a funny summer project 😊
Reposted by Javier Espadas
🧵 I've been meaning to write a #Skytorial on our recently posted prepring in which we show evidence that the Golgi 🥞 is a mechanoresponsive organelle. Extracellular mechanical forces also tune Golgi export capacity! 👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Mechanical forces stimulate Golgi export
Human cells face a wide range of external mechanical stimuli that vary with cell type, state, and pathological conditions. The rapidly growing field of mechanobiology investigates how cells sense and ...
www.biorxiv.org
September 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM
🧵 I've been meaning to write a #Skytorial on our recently posted prepring in which we show evidence that the Golgi 🥞 is a mechanoresponsive organelle. Extracellular mechanical forces also tune Golgi export capacity! 👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
😯😯😯 beautiful work!
It is out! 🦚 I recorded hundreds of #ExM 🔬images of cytokinetic bridges and averaged them into 6 stages. How? With help from our fantastic collaborators @zacsimile.bsky.social and @jonasries.bsky.social in Vienna 😇. Check out the full atlas here: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17232370
October 18, 2025 at 6:58 PM
😯😯😯 beautiful work!
Reposted by Javier Espadas
Attention membrane traffickers! I'm recruiting a post-doc to my lab in Dundee. We're dissecting the functions of intrinsically disordered domains of COPII coat proteins. We think they control timing of coat assembly and morphology of carriers.
www.dundee.ac.uk/work-for-us/...
www.dundee.ac.uk/work-for-us/...
Postdoctoral Research Assistant - MCDB - UOD2016
Closing date: Thursday 6 November 2025, 23:59
www.dundee.ac.uk
October 15, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Attention membrane traffickers! I'm recruiting a post-doc to my lab in Dundee. We're dissecting the functions of intrinsically disordered domains of COPII coat proteins. We think they control timing of coat assembly and morphology of carriers.
www.dundee.ac.uk/work-for-us/...
www.dundee.ac.uk/work-for-us/...
Reposted by Javier Espadas
Lipid imaging on the cover of @nature.com! Great times for lipid cell biology indeed. And a fantastic recognition of all the hard work by the team, especially Juan M. Iglesias-Artola and Kristin Böhlig (who made the cover). Link to article: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 9, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Lipid imaging on the cover of @nature.com! Great times for lipid cell biology indeed. And a fantastic recognition of all the hard work by the team, especially Juan M. Iglesias-Artola and Kristin Böhlig (who made the cover). Link to article: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Javier Espadas
There's a PhD position now available with me in Bath, on the evolution of symbiosis. www.findaphd.com/phds/project.... The supervisory team also includes @anja1.bsky.social @phil-donoghue.bsky.social and others. NB, this is open both to UK-based students *and* to international students :)
The genomic basis of symbiotic integration at University of Bath on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - The genomic basis of symbiotic integration at University of Bath, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
October 9, 2025 at 9:39 AM
There's a PhD position now available with me in Bath, on the evolution of symbiosis. www.findaphd.com/phds/project.... The supervisory team also includes @anja1.bsky.social @phil-donoghue.bsky.social and others. NB, this is open both to UK-based students *and* to international students :)
Reposted by Javier Espadas
🚨 New preprint out!
“Fluorescence lifetime estimation: a practical approach using Flipper-TR FLIM” with Tithi Mandal and @rouxlab.bsky.social
We benchmark and describe step-by-step Flipper-TR FLIM measurements across different set-ups and and strategies.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
“Fluorescence lifetime estimation: a practical approach using Flipper-TR FLIM” with Tithi Mandal and @rouxlab.bsky.social
We benchmark and describe step-by-step Flipper-TR FLIM measurements across different set-ups and and strategies.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Fluorescence lifetime estimation: a practical approach using Flipper-TR FLIM
Flipper-TR is a membrane dye sensitive to lipid packing widely used to probe membrane tension in live cells via fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). However, no consensus currently exists ...
www.biorxiv.org
October 5, 2025 at 4:04 PM
🚨 New preprint out!
“Fluorescence lifetime estimation: a practical approach using Flipper-TR FLIM” with Tithi Mandal and @rouxlab.bsky.social
We benchmark and describe step-by-step Flipper-TR FLIM measurements across different set-ups and and strategies.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
“Fluorescence lifetime estimation: a practical approach using Flipper-TR FLIM” with Tithi Mandal and @rouxlab.bsky.social
We benchmark and describe step-by-step Flipper-TR FLIM measurements across different set-ups and and strategies.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Javier Espadas
Finally out, such an awesome piece of work, very proud of this one: www.cell.com/cell-systems... #MicroSky
October 4, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Finally out, such an awesome piece of work, very proud of this one: www.cell.com/cell-systems... #MicroSky
Reposted by Javier Espadas
I have a PhD student and an undergrad student positions open at the Institute of Biotechnology @helsinki.fi We are using reconstitution, cell and structural biology to study protein-membrane interactions and membrane microdomain formation. Links to calls below! Feel free to drop a message and share!
September 29, 2025 at 3:45 PM
I have a PhD student and an undergrad student positions open at the Institute of Biotechnology @helsinki.fi We are using reconstitution, cell and structural biology to study protein-membrane interactions and membrane microdomain formation. Links to calls below! Feel free to drop a message and share!
Reposted by Javier Espadas
PhD student position: jobs.helsinki.fi/job-invite/4...
Doctoral Researcher, group Hakala
Doctoral Researcher, group Hakala
jobs.helsinki.fi
September 29, 2025 at 3:45 PM
PhD student position: jobs.helsinki.fi/job-invite/4...
Reposted by Javier Espadas
Undergraduate/internship/master's thesis position: jobs.helsinki.fi/job-invite/4...
Research Assistant or Master Thesis worker, group Hakala
Research Assistant or Master Thesis worker, group Hakala
jobs.helsinki.fi
September 29, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Undergraduate/internship/master's thesis position: jobs.helsinki.fi/job-invite/4...
Reposted by Javier Espadas
New short paper from our lab @currentbiology.bsky.social, in which we discover of a new mode of cell motility for choanoflagellates: flagellar gliding. www.cell.com/current-biol... - A 🧵
Flagellar gliding in choanoflagellates
Freire-Delgado and Brunet discover a new mode of cell motility in choanoflagellates,
the closest relatives of animals. Under mild confinement, choanoflagellate move over
surfaces without cell deformat...
www.cell.com
September 9, 2025 at 6:12 PM
New short paper from our lab @currentbiology.bsky.social, in which we discover of a new mode of cell motility for choanoflagellates: flagellar gliding. www.cell.com/current-biol... - A 🧵
Reposted by Javier Espadas
Our Wadjet-II paper by @roisnehamelinf.bsky.social is out in polished form: www.cell.com/structure/fu...
With a great preview by @kevincorbett.bsky.social & @amardeeep.bsky.social highlighting the potential of Wadjets:
Wadjet—Keeping a watchful eye on circular DNA.
www.cell.com/structure/fu...
With a great preview by @kevincorbett.bsky.social & @amardeeep.bsky.social highlighting the potential of Wadjets:
Wadjet—Keeping a watchful eye on circular DNA.
www.cell.com/structure/fu...
September 5, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Our Wadjet-II paper by @roisnehamelinf.bsky.social is out in polished form: www.cell.com/structure/fu...
With a great preview by @kevincorbett.bsky.social & @amardeeep.bsky.social highlighting the potential of Wadjets:
Wadjet—Keeping a watchful eye on circular DNA.
www.cell.com/structure/fu...
With a great preview by @kevincorbett.bsky.social & @amardeeep.bsky.social highlighting the potential of Wadjets:
Wadjet—Keeping a watchful eye on circular DNA.
www.cell.com/structure/fu...