Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
@labvanni.bsky.social
Computational biophysics and other amenities...
"More thinking and less pipetting"
"More thinking and less pipetting"
Pinned
Happy to finally share the amazing results of our long-term collaboration with Karin Reinisch’s lab on how bridge lipid-transfer proteins (BLTPs) cooperate with partner proteins to orchestrate lipid delivery. A quick thread (1/7)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
Please REPOST (“likes” don’t help in diffusion!) and consider applying: we work in such a fantastic context, we ask so interesting questions, and we have such a collegial and best-willing atmosphere… CRBM = Happy & Good Science
February 1, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Please REPOST (“likes” don’t help in diffusion!) and consider applying: we work in such a fantastic context, we ask so interesting questions, and we have such a collegial and best-willing atmosphere… CRBM = Happy & Good Science
Please share!!! I am looking for a postdoctoral researcher to join us. Focus will be on exciting collaborative projects on lipids and membrane biology, pushing the boundaries of in silico "reconstitutions". Previous experience with molecular dynamics simulations of biological systems a strong plus!
January 30, 2026 at 9:48 AM
Please share!!! I am looking for a postdoctoral researcher to join us. Focus will be on exciting collaborative projects on lipids and membrane biology, pushing the boundaries of in silico "reconstitutions". Previous experience with molecular dynamics simulations of biological systems a strong plus!
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
We have several Master’s thesis projects available in the D’Angelo lab, spanning different areas of lipid biology/biochemistry. If you know someone who might be interested, we’d really appreciate you sharing this. #lipidtime
www.epfl.ch/labs/dangelo...
www.epfl.ch/labs/dangelo...
Master Projects
DANGELOLAB
www.epfl.ch
January 23, 2026 at 7:13 AM
We have several Master’s thesis projects available in the D’Angelo lab, spanning different areas of lipid biology/biochemistry. If you know someone who might be interested, we’d really appreciate you sharing this. #lipidtime
www.epfl.ch/labs/dangelo...
www.epfl.ch/labs/dangelo...
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
Please share🙏:
Our lab opens 2 PhD positions to investigate fungi's evolution: #Barcelona
Wet lab in Biochemistry/Structural Biology of cryo-tolerant fungi
www.upf.edu/documents/d/...
Computational in Physical Chemistry of cellular processes under extrem environments
www.upf.edu/documents/d/...
Our lab opens 2 PhD positions to investigate fungi's evolution: #Barcelona
Wet lab in Biochemistry/Structural Biology of cryo-tolerant fungi
www.upf.edu/documents/d/...
Computational in Physical Chemistry of cellular processes under extrem environments
www.upf.edu/documents/d/...
www.upf.edu
January 26, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Please share🙏:
Our lab opens 2 PhD positions to investigate fungi's evolution: #Barcelona
Wet lab in Biochemistry/Structural Biology of cryo-tolerant fungi
www.upf.edu/documents/d/...
Computational in Physical Chemistry of cellular processes under extrem environments
www.upf.edu/documents/d/...
Our lab opens 2 PhD positions to investigate fungi's evolution: #Barcelona
Wet lab in Biochemistry/Structural Biology of cryo-tolerant fungi
www.upf.edu/documents/d/...
Computational in Physical Chemistry of cellular processes under extrem environments
www.upf.edu/documents/d/...
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
I finally made my webpage, check it out: pilarcossio.org
Dr. Pilar Cossio - Research Scientist
Senior Research Scientist at Flatiron Institute. Research in computational biology and biophysics.
pilarcossio.org
January 24, 2026 at 5:10 PM
I finally made my webpage, check it out: pilarcossio.org
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
New preprint from the lab! Triglycerides act like salt on ice: they solubilize cholesterol esters and drive lipid droplet growth. The TG/CE ratio shapes both droplet size and proteome, mirroring lipoprotein organization.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org
January 23, 2026 at 10:31 AM
New preprint from the lab! Triglycerides act like salt on ice: they solubilize cholesterol esters and drive lipid droplet growth. The TG/CE ratio shapes both droplet size and proteome, mirroring lipoprotein organization.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
The work by @danialv.bsky.social is now out in @pnas.org with a few changes after peer-review. Have a look if you are interested in lipid transport by bridge lipid transfer proteins (BLTPs)...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
January 22, 2026 at 2:18 PM
The work by @danialv.bsky.social is now out in @pnas.org with a few changes after peer-review. Have a look if you are interested in lipid transport by bridge lipid transfer proteins (BLTPs)...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Thanks André!
January 15, 2026 at 8:48 AM
Thanks André!
Finally, big congrats to all authors, including collaborators from the @pdc-lab.bsky.social, and thanks to @snsf.ch and @erc.europa.eu for funding this research line in my lab. Looking forward to your comments and feedback! (7/7)
January 12, 2026 at 7:57 PM
Finally, big congrats to all authors, including collaborators from the @pdc-lab.bsky.social, and thanks to @snsf.ch and @erc.europa.eu for funding this research line in my lab. Looking forward to your comments and feedback! (7/7)
Finally, @danialv.bsky.social used CG simulations to show that VPS13A can deliver lipids to an acceptor membrane that is bound at the C-terminal of VPS13A, and that XKR1 is proximal, but not continuous, to the delivery site. (6/7)
January 12, 2026 at 7:57 PM
Finally, @danialv.bsky.social used CG simulations to show that VPS13A can deliver lipids to an acceptor membrane that is bound at the C-terminal of VPS13A, and that XKR1 is proximal, but not continuous, to the delivery site. (6/7)
But how does VPS13A contact the lipid bilayer? Using a combination of coarse-grained (CG) MD simulation and in vitro flotation assay, we show that a disordered ATG2_C domain located in the C-terminal part of VPS13A is required for membrane binding. (5/7)
January 12, 2026 at 7:57 PM
But how does VPS13A contact the lipid bilayer? Using a combination of coarse-grained (CG) MD simulation and in vitro flotation assay, we show that a disordered ATG2_C domain located in the C-terminal part of VPS13A is required for membrane binding. (5/7)
The plasma membrane scramblase XKR1 directly interacts with the PH domain of VPS13A. All-atom MD simulations show that this interaction promotes a conformational change in XKR1 which exposes a hydrophilic groove, that acts as the scrambling region (4/7)
January 12, 2026 at 7:57 PM
The plasma membrane scramblase XKR1 directly interacts with the PH domain of VPS13A. All-atom MD simulations show that this interaction promotes a conformational change in XKR1 which exposes a hydrophilic groove, that acts as the scrambling region (4/7)
The cryo-EM data reveal that the VAB domain of VPS13A can adapt distinct conformations. These are likely to modulate the lipid transfer ability of VPS13A, and this mechanism is probably conserved in similar BLTPs. (3/7)
January 12, 2026 at 7:57 PM
The cryo-EM data reveal that the VAB domain of VPS13A can adapt distinct conformations. These are likely to modulate the lipid transfer ability of VPS13A, and this mechanism is probably conserved in similar BLTPs. (3/7)
The first step: at Yale, Bodan solved at near-atomic resolution the structure a prototypical BLTP, VSP13A, in complex with Calmodulin (CaM) and a plasma membrane scramblase, XKR1, demonstrating their physical interaction. (2/7)
January 12, 2026 at 7:57 PM
The first step: at Yale, Bodan solved at near-atomic resolution the structure a prototypical BLTP, VSP13A, in complex with Calmodulin (CaM) and a plasma membrane scramblase, XKR1, demonstrating their physical interaction. (2/7)
Happy to finally share the amazing results of our long-term collaboration with Karin Reinisch’s lab on how bridge lipid-transfer proteins (BLTPs) cooperate with partner proteins to orchestrate lipid delivery. A quick thread (1/7)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
January 12, 2026 at 7:57 PM
Happy to finally share the amazing results of our long-term collaboration with Karin Reinisch’s lab on how bridge lipid-transfer proteins (BLTPs) cooperate with partner proteins to orchestrate lipid delivery. A quick thread (1/7)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
Experimental tour-de-force from Anne-Claude Gavin's lab: selectivity mapping of 39 lipid transfer proteins reveals ~500 new LTP-lipid pairs. Molecular modeling by @mahmoudmoqadam.bsky.social, @rezatalandahti.bsky.social & Florian Echelard. @cbubergen.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Client Challenge
www.nature.com
January 9, 2026 at 8:02 AM
Experimental tour-de-force from Anne-Claude Gavin's lab: selectivity mapping of 39 lipid transfer proteins reveals ~500 new LTP-lipid pairs. Molecular modeling by @mahmoudmoqadam.bsky.social, @rezatalandahti.bsky.social & Florian Echelard. @cbubergen.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
Join us for the 2026 Glycolipid & Sphingolipid Biology Gordon Research Conference (GRC).
📍 Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco (Italy)
🗓️ March 22 - 27, 2026
Theme: "Molecular Codes of Cell Identity and Recognition"
#LipidResearch #Sphingolipids #GRC2026 #ScienceConference #Lipidtime
📍 Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco (Italy)
🗓️ March 22 - 27, 2026
Theme: "Molecular Codes of Cell Identity and Recognition"
#LipidResearch #Sphingolipids #GRC2026 #ScienceConference #Lipidtime
December 19, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Join us for the 2026 Glycolipid & Sphingolipid Biology Gordon Research Conference (GRC).
📍 Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco (Italy)
🗓️ March 22 - 27, 2026
Theme: "Molecular Codes of Cell Identity and Recognition"
#LipidResearch #Sphingolipids #GRC2026 #ScienceConference #Lipidtime
📍 Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco (Italy)
🗓️ March 22 - 27, 2026
Theme: "Molecular Codes of Cell Identity and Recognition"
#LipidResearch #Sphingolipids #GRC2026 #ScienceConference #Lipidtime
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
Join us for a two-and-a-half-day meeting in the scenic Wye Valley, to discuss how membrane contact sites shape cellular homeostasis across organelles, organisms, and approaches.
📍 Chepstow, South Wales, UK | 🗓️ 28–30 September 2026
👉 :
www.eventsforce.net/biochemsoc/f...
📍 Chepstow, South Wales, UK | 🗓️ 28–30 September 2026
👉 :
www.eventsforce.net/biochemsoc/f...
December 19, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Join us for a two-and-a-half-day meeting in the scenic Wye Valley, to discuss how membrane contact sites shape cellular homeostasis across organelles, organisms, and approaches.
📍 Chepstow, South Wales, UK | 🗓️ 28–30 September 2026
👉 :
www.eventsforce.net/biochemsoc/f...
📍 Chepstow, South Wales, UK | 🗓️ 28–30 September 2026
👉 :
www.eventsforce.net/biochemsoc/f...
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
TT in Experimental Biophysics
The Danish Institute for Advanced Study and the Dept of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Southern Denmark is hiring a tenure track Assistant Professor in Biophysics or a related discipline
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
The Danish Institute for Advanced Study and the Dept of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Southern Denmark is hiring a tenure track Assistant Professor in Biophysics or a related discipline
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
DIAS Fellow in Experimental Biophysics
The Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS) and the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy (FKF) at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) seek an excellent candidate to fill a tenure trac...
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com
December 6, 2025 at 7:40 PM
TT in Experimental Biophysics
The Danish Institute for Advanced Study and the Dept of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Southern Denmark is hiring a tenure track Assistant Professor in Biophysics or a related discipline
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
The Danish Institute for Advanced Study and the Dept of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Southern Denmark is hiring a tenure track Assistant Professor in Biophysics or a related discipline
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
The Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) and the newly funded Cluster of Excellence SCALE are seeking several Independent Research Group Leaders to drive theoretical and computational research in molecular and cellular life science.
fias.institute/de/das-fias/...
fias.institute/de/das-fias/...
Independent Research Group Leaders (f/m/d) SCALE / FIAS
fias.institute
December 5, 2025 at 5:30 PM
The Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) and the newly funded Cluster of Excellence SCALE are seeking several Independent Research Group Leaders to drive theoretical and computational research in molecular and cellular life science.
fias.institute/de/das-fias/...
fias.institute/de/das-fias/...
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
Happy to share our cryoEM Ensemble Optimization method! 🎉It infers optimal structures and their weights directly from individual cryoEM images - no maps just physics! with David Sliva-Sánchez, @erikhthiede.bsky.social & Roy Lederman www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Cryo-electron microscopy ensemble optimization using individual particles and physical constraints
Biomolecules are inherently dynamic, and understanding their conformational ensemble distributions is essential for understanding their dynamics and biological roles. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM...
www.biorxiv.org
December 5, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Happy to share our cryoEM Ensemble Optimization method! 🎉It infers optimal structures and their weights directly from individual cryoEM images - no maps just physics! with David Sliva-Sánchez, @erikhthiede.bsky.social & Roy Lederman www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
This is an exciting story! Happy to have contributed a little with @mudgal17.bsky.social. So many things we don't (yet) understand in membrane biology...
New preprint from the lab!!🎉
We show that Asgard archaea ESCRT-III proteins can trigger membrane fission and reveal its molecular mechanism, offering clues to how these cells may have built internal compartments. But do these organisms even have these compartments?
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We show that Asgard archaea ESCRT-III proteins can trigger membrane fission and reveal its molecular mechanism, offering clues to how these cells may have built internal compartments. But do these organisms even have these compartments?
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Molecular basis for cellular compartmentalization by an ancient membrane fission mechanism
The emergence of cell compartmentalization depends on membrane fission to create the endomembrane compartments. In eukaryotes, membrane fission is commonly executed by ESCRT-III, a protein complex con...
www.biorxiv.org
December 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
This is an exciting story! Happy to have contributed a little with @mudgal17.bsky.social. So many things we don't (yet) understand in membrane biology...
Thrilled to share that the work from @cristianrocharoa.bsky.social, identifying TMEM170 proteins as lipid scramblases that associate with bridge lipid transporters, is now out in @natsmb.nature.com
Unexpectedly, the scrambling pathway does not "feed" directly into the BLTP cavity...
rdcu.be/eRSst
Unexpectedly, the scrambling pathway does not "feed" directly into the BLTP cavity...
rdcu.be/eRSst
November 26, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Thrilled to share that the work from @cristianrocharoa.bsky.social, identifying TMEM170 proteins as lipid scramblases that associate with bridge lipid transporters, is now out in @natsmb.nature.com
Unexpectedly, the scrambling pathway does not "feed" directly into the BLTP cavity...
rdcu.be/eRSst
Unexpectedly, the scrambling pathway does not "feed" directly into the BLTP cavity...
rdcu.be/eRSst
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
Thrilled to share our latest work showing that the bridge lipid transport protein ATG2A transfers diacylglycerol (DAG), and some TAG/PA, from the ER to LDs, thereby recruiting DGAT2 to drive local TAG synthesis, promoting LD expansion while protecting ER membranes.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
ATG2A-mediated DAG transfer recruits DGAT2 for lipid droplet growth - Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
Elhan et al. show that ATG2A acts with DGAT2, the enzyme producing triacylglycerol (TAG), in lipid droplet growth. By delivering diacylglycerol to lipid droplets, ATG2A not only fuels TAG production b...
www.nature.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Thrilled to share our latest work showing that the bridge lipid transport protein ATG2A transfers diacylglycerol (DAG), and some TAG/PA, from the ER to LDs, thereby recruiting DGAT2 to drive local TAG synthesis, promoting LD expansion while protecting ER membranes.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Vanni Lab at UNIFR, Switzerland
🌍Open call: Junior Group Leader positions!
Join a world-class biomedical research institute at the heart of the Vienna BioCenter, where curiosity drives discovery.
Lead your own lab, pursue bold ideas, and shape the future of science at the IMP: www.imp.ac.at/career/open-...
Join a world-class biomedical research institute at the heart of the Vienna BioCenter, where curiosity drives discovery.
Lead your own lab, pursue bold ideas, and shape the future of science at the IMP: www.imp.ac.at/career/open-...
November 10, 2025 at 1:26 PM
🌍Open call: Junior Group Leader positions!
Join a world-class biomedical research institute at the heart of the Vienna BioCenter, where curiosity drives discovery.
Lead your own lab, pursue bold ideas, and shape the future of science at the IMP: www.imp.ac.at/career/open-...
Join a world-class biomedical research institute at the heart of the Vienna BioCenter, where curiosity drives discovery.
Lead your own lab, pursue bold ideas, and shape the future of science at the IMP: www.imp.ac.at/career/open-...