About our Research

Human embryo on the stage of 16 cells on background with DNA

Cracking up the Nucleus to Unlock a Cell's Full Potential.

Epigenetic Reprogramming lies at the heart of the earliest stages of development, at fertilization, which enables the formation of a totipotent zygote – the one-cell embryo able to give rise to all the cells of our body.

Our research is dedicated to exploring the fascinating field of Cellular Identity and uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying Epigenetic Reprogramming, Cell Fate, and Cellular Memory. We aim at determining how stem cells originate in vivo and at establishing the epigenetic principles behind changes in cellular plasticity and reprogramming. Our researchers study how the transitions in cell potency and cell fate are regulated by chromatin-mediated processes using a variety of approaches including quantitative imaging, modeling, functional genomics and cell biology. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind the maintenance and manipulation of cellular plasticity will have strong implications in regenerative medicine and disease, and will help in deciphering human reproduction and infertility.

Chromatin Remodeling and Cellular Plasticity

Cellular Plasticity and Totipotency

Master cells – cells that can make every other type of cell.

What enables a cell to make any cell type? How can we unlock this potential?

Communication is the key, also between cells.

Cellular Identity Changes

Making heads and tails of embryos.

How do cells self-organize so that they migrate together? How do they “talk” to the other cells and instruct them to adopt different fates, based on their position?

Building the Nucleus

Fitting it all in the right place, at the right time.

How do cells fit the 2 meter of our DNA in the tiny nucleus? How is the DNA packaging established at the beginning of embryonic development?

Transcription-Replication Conflicts under different temperatures

Genome Conflicts

Accidents in the nucleus: driving at high speed.

How do cells regulate and coordinate transcription and replication on our genome? Do the protein complexes collide at certain regions of the genome?

Portrait Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla_freigestellt

Prof. Dr. Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla

Director of the Stem Cell Center, Director of the Institute for Epigenetics and Stem Cells, Group Leader, Director of the Stem Cell Center (rotating)

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Dr. Stephan Hamperl

Group Leader

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Dr. Antonio Scialdone

Group Leader

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Dr. Nicolas Battich

Group Leader

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Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla, IES Director.
Interview, Jesús Chimal-Monroy and Diana Escalante-Alcalde, Int. J. Dev. Biol. (2021)
"The people that you recruit are key. It's the same as in your lab: one has to recruit better people than oneself to really get things working at the level that one would like them to work, and I think this is when science starts being fun. I also think the critical mass of the people that you bring together in an institute is very important. [...] I think that's very important for creativity and for really fostering an environment of leadership and empowering the younger generation."

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Research at the IES

Cracking up the Nucleus to Unlock a Cell's Full Potential.

Cracking up the Nucleus to Unlock a Cell's Full Potential.

On This Page

We study the epigenetic mechanism that determine cell identity.

Our Research Topics

Master cells – cells that can make every other type of cell.

Making heads and tails of embryos.

Fitting it all in the right place, at the right time.

Accidents in the nucleus: driving at high speed.

Our Group Leaders

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Infinite Cells,

Infinite Innovation, Infinite Potential