Tim Coorens
@timcoorens.bsky.social
Research Group Leader at EMBL-EBI | Former postdoc
at Broad Institute | Former PhD student at Sanger Institute | Lineage tracing, cancer genomics, human development
at Broad Institute | Former PhD student at Sanger Institute | Lineage tracing, cancer genomics, human development
Reposted by Tim Coorens
Welcome @timcoorens.bsky.social 🇳🇱, our new Research Group Leader.
Find out how Tim’s group is exploring using large-scale single-cell and spatial data to trace cell lineages, understand cancer origins, and uncover how mutations drive disease.
www.ebi.ac.uk/about/news/p...
🖥️🧬
Find out how Tim’s group is exploring using large-scale single-cell and spatial data to trace cell lineages, understand cancer origins, and uncover how mutations drive disease.
www.ebi.ac.uk/about/news/p...
🖥️🧬
Welcome: Tim Coorens
EMBL-EBI’s newest Research Group Leader is investigating how somatic mutations reveal the hidden histories of human cells.
www.ebi.ac.uk
August 12, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Welcome @timcoorens.bsky.social 🇳🇱, our new Research Group Leader.
Find out how Tim’s group is exploring using large-scale single-cell and spatial data to trace cell lineages, understand cancer origins, and uncover how mutations drive disease.
www.ebi.ac.uk/about/news/p...
🖥️🧬
Find out how Tim’s group is exploring using large-scale single-cell and spatial data to trace cell lineages, understand cancer origins, and uncover how mutations drive disease.
www.ebi.ac.uk/about/news/p...
🖥️🧬
Last but not least, if you're interested in somatic mutations, new technologies and computational genomics - we're hiring a postdoc in my brand new lab
@emblebi.bsky.social!
Reach out if interested or you have any questions, and apply here: embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
@emblebi.bsky.social!
Reach out if interested or you have any questions, and apply here: embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
Postdoctoral Fellow in Coorens Group
We are looking for a motivated and talented postdoctoral-level researcher with experience in genomic analyses to join the newly established Coorens group at EMBL-EBI. We study how normal cells in diff...
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com
July 3, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Last but not least, if you're interested in somatic mutations, new technologies and computational genomics - we're hiring a postdoc in my brand new lab
@emblebi.bsky.social!
Reach out if interested or you have any questions, and apply here: embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
@emblebi.bsky.social!
Reach out if interested or you have any questions, and apply here: embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j...
This effort would be impossible without the work of many hundreds of people, including the scientists, the NIH staff, and - of course - the donors and their family. A very exciting time to study somatic evolution and I can't wait to see what the next years bring.
July 3, 2025 at 2:29 PM
This effort would be impossible without the work of many hundreds of people, including the scientists, the NIH staff, and - of course - the donors and their family. A very exciting time to study somatic evolution and I can't wait to see what the next years bring.
SMaHT will generate massive amounts of data, including short-read, long-read, duplex, single cell DNA, and donor specific assemblies, and much more. Check out our stellar data platform (data.smaht.org), courtesy of our Data Analysis Center in Peter Park's lab - watch this space for future data!
SMaHT Data Portal
data.smaht.org
July 3, 2025 at 2:29 PM
SMaHT will generate massive amounts of data, including short-read, long-read, duplex, single cell DNA, and donor specific assemblies, and much more. Check out our stellar data platform (data.smaht.org), courtesy of our Data Analysis Center in Peter Park's lab - watch this space for future data!
Underpinning the efforts of the Network is a set of 150 donors from across the US and age range, collected by the NDRI, with many tissues samples for each donor - an absolutely unique collection and momentous effort. Also more info at our consortium website: smaht.org
July 3, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Underpinning the efforts of the Network is a set of 150 donors from across the US and age range, collected by the NDRI, with many tissues samples for each donor - an absolutely unique collection and momentous effort. Also more info at our consortium website: smaht.org
The SMaHT Network, funded by the NIH Common Fund, has over 300 members from over 50 different institutions all working together on developing new tools and technologies to detect somatic variation, analysing the data in the best way possible, and generating a reference catalog of mosaicism
July 3, 2025 at 2:29 PM
The SMaHT Network, funded by the NIH Common Fund, has over 300 members from over 50 different institutions all working together on developing new tools and technologies to detect somatic variation, analysing the data in the best way possible, and generating a reference catalog of mosaicism
The cells in our bodies constantly acquire mutations. But what are the patterns of mutations across tissues? How do mutations in normal cells lead to cancer and disease? These are questions we will tackle within the Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues (SMaHT) Network, now described in @nature.com
The Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues Network - Nature
The Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues Network aims to create a reference catalogue of somatic mosaicism across different tissues and cells within individuals.
www.nature.com
July 3, 2025 at 2:29 PM
The cells in our bodies constantly acquire mutations. But what are the patterns of mutations across tissues? How do mutations in normal cells lead to cancer and disease? These are questions we will tackle within the Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues (SMaHT) Network, now described in @nature.com
Reposted by Tim Coorens
Upcoming #CiMUSseminar on Monday ⤵️
🗣 Dr. @timcoorens.bsky.social from @ebi.embl.org :
🧪 "Somatic mutations across normal tissues: past, present, future"
📅 June 30, 1 PM
📍 Theatre room, CiMUS
#RedeCiGUS #FondosEuropeos
@mobilegenomes.bsky.social @usc.gal
🗣 Dr. @timcoorens.bsky.social from @ebi.embl.org :
🧪 "Somatic mutations across normal tissues: past, present, future"
📅 June 30, 1 PM
📍 Theatre room, CiMUS
#RedeCiGUS #FondosEuropeos
@mobilegenomes.bsky.social @usc.gal
June 27, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Upcoming #CiMUSseminar on Monday ⤵️
🗣 Dr. @timcoorens.bsky.social from @ebi.embl.org :
🧪 "Somatic mutations across normal tissues: past, present, future"
📅 June 30, 1 PM
📍 Theatre room, CiMUS
#RedeCiGUS #FondosEuropeos
@mobilegenomes.bsky.social @usc.gal
🗣 Dr. @timcoorens.bsky.social from @ebi.embl.org :
🧪 "Somatic mutations across normal tissues: past, present, future"
📅 June 30, 1 PM
📍 Theatre room, CiMUS
#RedeCiGUS #FondosEuropeos
@mobilegenomes.bsky.social @usc.gal
Reposted by Tim Coorens
🚨Chemo treatment upgrade!🚨
Check out our approach to modernise chemotherapy treatment published today in @natgenet.nature.com. From @cniostopcancer.bsky.social #TailorBio @cruk-ci.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41... More details 👇
Check out our approach to modernise chemotherapy treatment published today in @natgenet.nature.com. From @cniostopcancer.bsky.social #TailorBio @cruk-ci.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41... More details 👇
www.nature.com
June 23, 2025 at 9:03 AM
🚨Chemo treatment upgrade!🚨
Check out our approach to modernise chemotherapy treatment published today in @natgenet.nature.com. From @cniostopcancer.bsky.social #TailorBio @cruk-ci.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41... More details 👇
Check out our approach to modernise chemotherapy treatment published today in @natgenet.nature.com. From @cniostopcancer.bsky.social #TailorBio @cruk-ci.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41... More details 👇
Reposted by Tim Coorens
Social media grump Kamila has finally made it onto Bluesky!
Please check out my new perspective on metastasis evolution in @natrevcancer.nature.com if you need a reprieve from the news.
I tried my best to develop some new conceptual thoughts here, you be the judge whether I succeeded.
Please check out my new perspective on metastasis evolution in @natrevcancer.nature.com if you need a reprieve from the news.
I tried my best to develop some new conceptual thoughts here, you be the judge whether I succeeded.
🚨 PERSEPCTIVE
Naxerova explains how genetic analysis of primary tumors & metastases can distinguish competing metastasis models, arguing that quantifying whether metastasis occurs through nonrandom lineage selection could offer insights into metastasis biology.
📖 👇
Naxerova explains how genetic analysis of primary tumors & metastases can distinguish competing metastasis models, arguing that quantifying whether metastasis occurs through nonrandom lineage selection could offer insights into metastasis biology.
📖 👇
Evolutionary paths towards metastasis - Nature Reviews Cancer
In this Perspective, Kamila Naxerova discusses how genetic analyses of primary tumours and matched metastases can distinguish between competing metastasis evolution models, arguing that further insights into human metastasis biology could be enabled by a framework that rigorously quantifies whether metastases descend from a nonrandom selection of primary tumour lineages.
bit.ly
May 21, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Social media grump Kamila has finally made it onto Bluesky!
Please check out my new perspective on metastasis evolution in @natrevcancer.nature.com if you need a reprieve from the news.
I tried my best to develop some new conceptual thoughts here, you be the judge whether I succeeded.
Please check out my new perspective on metastasis evolution in @natrevcancer.nature.com if you need a reprieve from the news.
I tried my best to develop some new conceptual thoughts here, you be the judge whether I succeeded.
Reposted by Tim Coorens
If you’ve ever wondered about the statistical significance of differences among mutational signature profiles, check out our new Aggregate Mutation Spectrum Distance (AMSD) preprint co-led by Sam Hart and @alisonfeder.bsky.social with @nalcala.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
A signature-agnostic test for differences between tumor mutation spectra reveals carcinogen and ancestry effects
Mutational signatures contain valuable information about the mutational processes shaping cancer genomes. However, despite dozens of tools to identify signatures in cancer samples, there is not an est...
www.biorxiv.org
May 20, 2025 at 4:58 PM
If you’ve ever wondered about the statistical significance of differences among mutational signature profiles, check out our new Aggregate Mutation Spectrum Distance (AMSD) preprint co-led by Sam Hart and @alisonfeder.bsky.social with @nalcala.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Reposted by Tim Coorens
Keeping you in the loop! ➰
Our Linktree includes all SMaHT websites and social media accounts for easy and consistent access.
Find all our social media accounts in one place:
linktr.ee/smahtnetwork
Our Linktree includes all SMaHT websites and social media accounts for easy and consistent access.
Find all our social media accounts in one place:
linktr.ee/smahtnetwork
SMaHT Network | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree
Aiming to transform our understanding of somatic mosaicism.
linktr.ee
May 16, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Keeping you in the loop! ➰
Our Linktree includes all SMaHT websites and social media accounts for easy and consistent access.
Find all our social media accounts in one place:
linktr.ee/smahtnetwork
Our Linktree includes all SMaHT websites and social media accounts for easy and consistent access.
Find all our social media accounts in one place:
linktr.ee/smahtnetwork
Reposted by Tim Coorens
Thrilled to see my #MITS25 talk brought to life by the brilliant 🎨 @atjcagan.bsky.social! Dive into the stellar science from @g-agarwal.bsky.social & co - fresh on bioRxiv: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#Genomics #SomaticEvolution
#Genomics #SomaticEvolution
May 1, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Thrilled to see my #MITS25 talk brought to life by the brilliant 🎨 @atjcagan.bsky.social! Dive into the stellar science from @g-agarwal.bsky.social & co - fresh on bioRxiv: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#Genomics #SomaticEvolution
#Genomics #SomaticEvolution
Thanks again for coming over to speak! It was an amazing talk
April 27, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Thanks again for coming over to speak! It was an amazing talk
Thanks very much, Daniel!
March 21, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Thanks very much, Daniel!
Reposted by Tim Coorens
Read ‘The somatic mutation landscape of normal gastric epithelium’ from @sangerinstitute.bsky.social, @broadinstitute.org, The University of Hong Kong & others in @nature.com ⤵️
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The somatic mutation landscape of normal gastric epithelium - Nature
Whole-gene sequencing of microdissected gastric glands from individuals with and without gastric cancer reveals distinct patterns of somatic mutations and provides insights into influen...
www.nature.com
March 20, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Read ‘The somatic mutation landscape of normal gastric epithelium’ from @sangerinstitute.bsky.social, @broadinstitute.org, The University of Hong Kong & others in @nature.com ⤵️
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Thanks to all the donors and their families for making this study possible. And many thanks to Grace Collord, Peter Campbell, @imartincorena.bsky.social , SY Leung, Mike Stratton and all other co-authors. @broadinstitute.org @sangerinstitute.bsky.social
March 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Thanks to all the donors and their families for making this study possible. And many thanks to Grace Collord, Peter Campbell, @imartincorena.bsky.social , SY Leung, Mike Stratton and all other co-authors. @broadinstitute.org @sangerinstitute.bsky.social
In short, the normal stomach shows a landscape of somatic mutations with many differences from those of other organs. Our findings provide insights into intrinsic and extrinsic influences on somatic evolution in the gastric epithelium in healthy, precancerous and malignant states
March 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
In short, the normal stomach shows a landscape of somatic mutations with many differences from those of other organs. Our findings provide insights into intrinsic and extrinsic influences on somatic evolution in the gastric epithelium in healthy, precancerous and malignant states
Because we used the LCM approach, we can map these driver clones to their location in tissues, which reveals expansions of mutant clones and local selective pressures. We find three CTNNB1 mutant clones right next to one another, rather than evenly distributed.
March 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Because we used the LCM approach, we can map these driver clones to their location in tissues, which reveals expansions of mutant clones and local selective pressures. We find three CTNNB1 mutant clones right next to one another, rather than evenly distributed.
Lastly, the stomach also shows a rich landscape of driver mutations, most notably in epigenetic modifiers (ARID1A, ARID1B, KDM6A) and surprisingly inactivating mutations in CTNNB1 (unlike the activating ones observed in cancer).
March 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Lastly, the stomach also shows a rich landscape of driver mutations, most notably in epigenetic modifiers (ARID1A, ARID1B, KDM6A) and surprisingly inactivating mutations in CTNNB1 (unlike the activating ones observed in cancer).
Glands with trisomies were not associated with a specific stomach region, and their incidence does not linearly increase with age, but are associated with severe chronic inflammation. It's plausible these are a consequence of an exposure, a pathogen or otherwise, long before the time of sampling.
March 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Glands with trisomies were not associated with a specific stomach region, and their incidence does not linearly increase with age, but are associated with severe chronic inflammation. It's plausible these are a consequence of an exposure, a pathogen or otherwise, long before the time of sampling.
Intriguingly, these trisomies happen multiple times in the same donor, with different alleles amplified. In one case, we found trisomies in 9 of 12 glands sampled. Timing analysis shows these all happened around the same time, suggesting a sudden burst or selective advantage.
March 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Intriguingly, these trisomies happen multiple times in the same donor, with different alleles amplified. In one case, we found trisomies in 9 of 12 glands sampled. Timing analysis shows these all happened around the same time, suggesting a sudden burst or selective advantage.
The most surprising finding, however, comes from the CNVs in the stomach. We find extraordinarily high rates of somatic whole-chromosome gains/trisomies in the stomach, mostly of chrs 20 and 13, highly concentrated in a few patients.
March 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
The most surprising finding, however, comes from the CNVs in the stomach. We find extraordinarily high rates of somatic whole-chromosome gains/trisomies in the stomach, mostly of chrs 20 and 13, highly concentrated in a few patients.
While SBS17 is very common in gastric cancer, we only find it very rarely in normal glands, and only in very low proportions. So while stomach cells can get exposed to SBS17, high levels of SBS17 seem to be exclusive to overt cancer.
March 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
While SBS17 is very common in gastric cancer, we only find it very rarely in normal glands, and only in very low proportions. So while stomach cells can get exposed to SBS17, high levels of SBS17 seem to be exclusive to overt cancer.
The mutational signatures are mostly SBS1, SBS5 and SBS18, like other epithelial tissues. Metaplastic glands have much more SBS1 and SBS18 (ROS), and indels linked to polymerase slippage. These are also dominant in intestinal glands, so may suggest a “rewiring” of the mutation rate.
March 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
The mutational signatures are mostly SBS1, SBS5 and SBS18, like other epithelial tissues. Metaplastic glands have much more SBS1 and SBS18 (ROS), and indels linked to polymerase slippage. These are also dominant in intestinal glands, so may suggest a “rewiring” of the mutation rate.