Epigenetics News & Highlights

To fit the long range of DNA into the tiny nucleus, it is packaged into a structure called chromatin.

Talented PhD students are encouraged to apply for the upcoming Chromatin Summer School taking place from 17 - 29 August 2026

New graphical review produced by Prof. Dr. Robert Schneider and PhD. student Yu-Hao Liu.

18 & 19 November 2025- The Talent Forum highlights innovative research ideas and promotes global connections across the scientific community.

If you are preparing to become a group leader in Epigenetics and Nucleic Acids Research, apply as a…

The device for measurement of quantity of sugar in blood

A new study, led by Prof. Eleftheria Zeggini and Prof. Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, has revealed a significant genetic link between newborn blood protein levels and the future risk of developing type 1 diabetes.

Genetic engineering and gene manipulation concept. Hand is replacing part of a DNA molecule.

Dr. Stefan Stricker lab, in collaboration with the Helmholtz Protein Expression and Purification Platform (PEPP), have developed a CRISPR-based technology that activates genes without using DNA or viruses.

Hands of an elderly man resting on a walking cane

A research led by Dr. Martin Hrabě de Angelis found that the loss of Ten1 gene in mice induces telomere shortening and models human dyskeratosis congenita.

Dr. Eva Hörmanseder's lab has uncovered crucial factors that limit the success of nuclear reprogramming, a process used to change one type of cell into another.

Embryonic stem cells colony under a microscope 3D illustration

Created by scientists from the IES and IFE, in partnership with the Research School EpiCrossBorders, this new exhibition at the Deusches Museum reveals the remarkable role of stem cells in health, healing, and the future of medicine.

The German Research Foundation (DFG) has awarded Reinhart Koselleck funding in the amount of 1.25 Mio. Euro to Prof. Irmela Jeremias, head of the Research Unit Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Stem Cells (AHS) at the Stem Cell Center, for her outstanding…

As single-cell omic techniques continue to revolutionize our understanding of gene expression patterns, the need for robust tools to infer gene regulatory networks (GRNs) becomes increasingly urgent. In a new study, Dr. Scialdone and his team at…

Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells, Mikroskopy Image by Yung Li Chen

Chromosome segregation, a fundamental process in cell division, ensures the precise distribution of genetic material to daughter cells. Chen et al., explore the role of non-coding RNAs contributing to the robustness of this process.

Group of scientists or researchers in lab coats holding DNA molecule and analyzing it. Scientific research in genetic engineering, genome modification and genomics. Flat cartoon vector illustration.

Researchers at the Hamperl lab from the Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES), working alongside the Scialdone lab at the institute and Lopes lab in University of Zurich, introduce the innovative approach for accurately mapping the dynamics…

In a recent publication in Genes and Development, the researchers from Torres-Padilla lab (Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells, IES) have shed light on the intricate interplay between nuclear organization and transcriptional activity during early…

On October 16, 2023, the Munich Epigenetics community came together for their 7th annual Epigenetics Spotlight meeting, dedicating an afternoon to explore the latest breakthroughs in the field of epigenetics.

In addition to the enlightening…

Colyn Crane Robinson in his office 25.11.05

We pay tribute to the loss of a remarkable scientist, Colyn Crane-Robinson, who passed away on 5th March 2023. Throughout his lifetime, Colyn's unwavering dedication and infectious enthusiasm enriched our understanding of nucleic acid structures and…

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Beads on a string
chromatin visualized using 3D-printed nucleosomes (by Igor Kukhtevich) and crochet yarn

In July, the Torres-Padilla lab published two new manuscripts showcasing their latest research contributions.

The IUBMB Focused Meeting on Integrative Omics of Nuclear Functions co-organized by Dr. Till Bartke from the Institute of Functional Epigenetics will take place in Crete (Greece) on October 15-20, 2023.

In a cross-departmental collaboration with the Institute for Diabetes and Cancer (IDC) and the Institute of Virology (Viro), researchers from the Schneider lab (Institute of Functional Epigenetics, IFE) have discovered a novel axis connecting…

Finding a needle in a haystack variation

The analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data is a powerful tool for identifying new types of cells. However, the rarer the cells are, the more challenging it becomes to find and characterize them. This means that rare cells can often go unnoticed,…

The Paris-Munich Epigenetics Workshop & Symposium organized by Dr. Till Bartke from the Institute of Functional Epigenetics will take place at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Munich on June 14-16, 2023.

Before a cell divides, the genomic content of a cell is duplicated during DNA replication. Each cell has many origins of replication (ORIs), but not all are active at the same time, and some fire earlier and some later. Combining their approach to…

Researchers from the Institute for Epigenetics and Stem Cells at Helmholtz Munich studied RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) in early mouse embryos and shed light on transcriptional elongation during zygotic genome activation (ZGA), a key process of…

You are excited about understanding life? You would like to gain hands-on research experience and find out more about the daily life of scientists?

The call for our SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 2023 IN EPIGENETICS, STEM CELLS, AND ARTIFICAL…

When a cell divides, the correct distribution of cellular content, such as RNAs, to daughter cells is essential. By tagging RNAs with the new diSpinach aptamer in combination with a self-made microfluidics device, researchers at the Institute of…

Icons related to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, blood pressure check and awareness, medicine and healthcare.

Cells must continuously adjust to their environments and cope with changing temperatures, stress conditions, or resources. Particularly, if conditions change repeatedly, it might make sense for cells to adjust more effectively. A collaborative…

The fourth epigenetics@HelmholtzMunich retreat took place on November 7th – 8th 2022 close to Lake Ammersee in Bavaria.

Entwicklungs- und Wachstumsschritte eines Gänseblümchens, grüner Hintergrund und Sonnenschein.

Inspired by recent work from Antonio Scialdone’s group on the spatial expression of olfactory neurons, Maria Elena Torres Padilla and Robert Schneider, directors of IES and IFE respectively, teamed up with the Deutsches Museum to share our research…

The sixth Munich Epigenetic Spotlight meeting was held at the Stem Cell Center of Helmholtz Munich in Großhadern on Monday 24th October 2022. Keynote speakers were Eileen Furlong from EMBL, Heidelberg, and Yang Shi from the Ludwig Institute for…

Lab technician working with equipment: tweezers, microscope, test tubes filled with colored fluid, chemical flasks

The first 'Helmholtz Summer School on Chromatin Biology: A hands-on-expedition', organized by the Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES) and the Institute of Functional Epigenetics (IFE) in collaboration with Abcam, took place on Campus from…

Since 2016, the annual Summer Internship Program in Epigenetics, Stem Cells, and Artificial Intelligence gives international students the opportunity to work alongside world-leading scientists on original research. Under the supervision of Kurt…

News & Highlights

Empowering Young Scientists: Applications Open for 2026 Chromatin Summer School

Histone modifications in development

Helmholtz Munich will host the Talent Forum

Genetic Connection Between Newborn Blood Proteins and Type 1 Diabetes

Safe and Precise Control of Genes Using a New CRISPR Method

How a Missing Gene Speeds Up Aging: New Insights into Telomere Health

Cell Fate Changes: The Role of Transcriptional Memory in Reprogramming

Stem Cells, The Genies of the Body – New Exhibition at the Deutsches Museum

The DFG awarded 1.25m Euro funding to Prof. Irmela Jeremias

The German Research Foundation (DFG) has awarded Reinhart Koselleck funding in the amount of 1.25 Mio. Euro to Prof. Irmela Jeremias, head of the Research Unit Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Stem Cells (AHS) at the Stem Cell Center, for her outstanding…

From Single-Cell Data to Gene Networks: Evaluating Algorithms with STREAMLINE

The role of non-coding RNAs in Chromosome Segregation through Mechanisms Beyond the Sequence

MATAC-Seq: lifting the fog around cell to cell variability

Unveiling the Dynamics of LAD Reorganization and Transcription in Early Embryonic Development

The afternoon of Science: Munich Epigenetics Spotlight Meeting 2023 brings epigenetics community together

In memory of Colyn Crane-Robinson (1935–2023)

July recap: two new manuscripts from Torres-Padilla lab

IUBMB Focused Meeting on Integrative Omics of Nuclear Functions 2023

Deciphering connections between cancer metabolism, the epigenome and cellular stress

Finding needles in a haystack of single-cell data: algorithm developed by Scialdone lab helps identify rare cells in single-cell sequencing datasets.

Paris-Munich Epigenetics Workshop & Symposium 2023

How origins of replication are organized by the cytoskeleton

How our genes are read at the beginning of life

Call for the Summer Internship Program 2023 in Epigenetics, Stem Cells, and Artificial Intelligence is open!

Sharing = Caring? – Asymmetric RNA Segregation depends on the replicative age of cells

Altered expression response upon repeated gene repression

The fourth Epigenetics Retreat was a great success

Young Epigenetic Scientists at the new Science Communication lab of the Deutsches Museum

Full house again at the 6th Munich Epigenetics Spotlight Meeting

1st Helmholtz Summer School on Chromatin Biology was a great success.

Summer Intern Ecaterina Radzichevici contributes to publication about the structural maintenance of chromosome