Vince Arafiles
vincearafiles.bsky.social
Vince Arafiles
@vincearafiles.bsky.social
#Postdoc at The Hackenberger Group @fmp-berlin.de @AvHStiftung| PhD Futaki Lab #KyotoUniversity| @lindaunobel #LINO22 #drugdelivery #microscopy #photoproximitylabeling #pinoyscientists 🇵🇭
Happy to contribute to a great work from my colleague and friend @cestieger.bsky.social @fmp-berlin.de @jacs.acspublications.org

Modular Vinyl Phosphonamidates for Cysteine-Directed Protein Targeting | Journal of the American Chemical Society pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Modular Vinyl Phosphonamidates for Cysteine-Directed Protein Targeting
Covalent inhibitors and chemical probes targeting ligandable cysteine residues have emerged as powerful tools for drug discovery and proteomics. In this study, we introduce vinyl phosphonamidates (VPA...
pubs.acs.org
February 11, 2026 at 5:30 AM
A great article to remind oneself that academia's purpose is to satisfy personal egos but to encourage and bring the best out of the next generation while balancing the pressure to perform 👨🏾‍🏫👨🏾‍🔬
I needed a culture shift in my lab. I’m grateful one student spoke up
“I was transferring the stress I was under onto my graduate students,” this professor writes
www.science.org
February 3, 2026 at 8:58 AM
Reposted by Vince Arafiles
“This is the beauty of global-south scholars: they are the connectors of the two worlds,” resonates with our decision so much, while never allowing the global north underestimate the potential and capacity of the global south
January 1, 2026 at 12:38 PM
Reposted by Vince Arafiles
Exceptional young performers reached their peak quickly but narrowly mastered only one interest.

By contrast, exceptional adults reached peak performance gradually with broader, multidisciplinary practice.

However, elite programs are designed to nurture younger talent.
December 21, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Reposted by Vince Arafiles
One more paper from our lab! This ACS Synthetic Biology paper reports bottom-up construction of eukaryotic-like synthetic cells with an artificial nucleus-like organelle, enabling on-demand protein localization control by a small molecule. 💊 pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
Eukaryotic-like Synthetic Cells with Chemically Controlled Protein Localization
Compartmentalization by organelles and the dynamic control of protein localization within these compartmentalized spaces are key mechanisms for regulating biological processes in eukaryotic cells. Here, we present a bottom-up approach for constructing cell-sized liposomes (giant unilamellar vesicles, GUVs) encapsulating an artificial organelle with chemically controlled protein localization. In this system, proteins fused to Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase are rapidly recruited on demand from the inner solution to the interior of a DNA-droplet-based (“nucleus”-like) organelle within GUVs upon addition of a synthetic, DNA-binding trimethoprim derivative to the external solution. By coupling this system with a sequence-specific protease, we constructed a synthetic cell platform that enables chemically induced, multistep cascade reactions─including protein relocalization, organelle-specific enzymatic activity, and product release from the organelle─that culminate in the control of synthetic-cell phenotypes, such as pore formation in the GUV membrane. This work provides a versatile platform for the bottom-up creation of eukaryotic-like synthetic cells with sophisticated and programmable functions.
pubs.acs.org
December 16, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Lovely summary of our 🎯 DarT-labelling technology! We are hoping to see this applied to a more basic cell biology and biochem applicationsn

link to the original @natureportfolio.nature.com @natchem.nature.com article: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 14, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Reposted by Vince Arafiles
🚨Our paper is out! 🥳
Hijacking a bacterial ABC transporter for efficient genetic code expansion.
Many congrats to everyone involved - a multi-year effort led by @taruniype.bsky.social @maxfottner.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

it all started years ago with a failed experiment
🧵👇 1/9
Hijacking a bacterial ABC transporter for genetic code expansion - Nature
Bacterial ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters can be utilized and engineered to transport non-canonical amino acids into Escherichia coli for highly efficient synthesis of proteins with novel func...
www.nature.com
October 16, 2025 at 2:06 PM
🔥After years of hard work, it's finally out in @natchem.nature.com🔥 The Hackenberger group @fmp-berlin.de developed #🎯DarT-labeling, a #photocatalyticproximitylabeling method using deazaflavin - a ✅ biocompatible ✅ easily synthesized ✅ chemically benign #photocatalyst

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Energy-transfer photoproximity labelling in live cells using an organic cofactor - Nature Chemistry
Current photoproximity labelling methods often require metal-based catalysts to map protein interactomes but, owing to their toxicity, they have limited intracellular applicability. A deazaflavin cofa...
www.nature.com
September 17, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Reposted by Vince Arafiles
I am happy to share our new article on dynamic Eps15 and Dab2 networks in endocytosis studied by #NMR, and forming #LLPS. Research was done at @fmp-berlin.de and at the Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS).

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Promiscuous and multivalent interactions between Eps15 and partner protein Dab2 generate a complex interaction network - Nature Communications
Eps15, a protein involved in endocytosis initiation, uses small folded EH domains to bind disordered partner proteins and its own disordered tail, thus forming a dynamic network via phase separation t...
www.nature.com
August 21, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Reposted by Vince Arafiles
New from our group: proline-rich peptides that target mitochondria & stay there!
Tuning hydrophobicity and rigidity provided design rules for CPPs that enter cells and redistribute for long-term mitochondrial residency.
Now out in ACS Chemical Biology: pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
August 19, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Another beautiful cover image by @barthvanrossum.bsky.social highlighting both our recent BioRAM intracellular delivery platform together and the CPP-additive technology is now an Outside Back Cover in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social ! @fmp-berlin.de

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
July 25, 2025 at 5:13 AM
#BioRAM is the new #celldelivery platform in town! Everyone can now access the full version of this game-changing work from Jonathan Franke! Ecstatic to share my experience in #peptide - based #proteindelivery #intracellulardelivery @fmp-berlin.de @humboldt-foundation.de

doi.org/10.1002/anie...
Intracellular Delivery of Native Proteins by BioReversible Arginine Modification (BioRAM) on Amino Groups
Bioreversible Arginine Modification of amine-containing protein residues (termed BioRAM) allows the serum-compatible, readily accessible, and efficient delivery of native proteins into live cells. Co....
doi.org
July 10, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Sent! It's done! Can't wait to see our work in print 😌 #photoproximity #proteomics #cellpenetratingpeptides
a close up of a man 's face with the words `` it 's done '' written on the bottom .
ALT: a close up of a man 's face with the words `` it 's done '' written on the bottom .
media.tenor.com
July 9, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Reposted by Vince Arafiles
Also check out the associated News & Views by Masayasu Taki and Masayoshi Nakamura highlighting the work from @kjohnsson.bsky.social lab on SNAP-tag2

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
July 8, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Beautiful work by the @matilegroup.bsky.social! I'm following their thiol-mediated uptake stories and feel happy that #photocatalyticproximitylabeling is opening new doors to discover the mechanism of this fascinating cellular entry mechanism! #drugdelivery #cellularuptake
Photocatalytic microenvironment proteomics identifies proteins in thiol-mediated uptake by covalent labeling without disturbing exchange network dynamics. We hope our new paper will help the community to better understand, explore and use this enigmatic process.

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
July 3, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Reposted by Vince Arafiles
Excited to see this beautiful cover art by @barthvanrossum.bsky.social, which clearly illustrates our new bioconjugation chemistry for precise antibody modification in @jacs.acspublications.org! A big thank you to all co-authors @fmp-berlin.de & Tubulis GmbH and @humboldt-foundation.de for funding!
On the cover of this week's #JACS: "Orthogonal Site-Specific Dual Bioconjugation of Aryl and Alkyl Thiols"

Read it here 🔗 buff.ly/FJkPjYc
#ChemSky
June 10, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Huge development to protein delivery platforms from the Hackenberger lab in @fmp-berlin.de! An awesome collaboration with #JonathanFranke to get this science out in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social

BioReversible Arginine Modification (BioRAM) on Amino Groups onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Intracellular Delivery of Native Proteins by BioReversible Arginine Modification (BioRAM) on Amino Groups
Protein-based tools are emerging as innovative solutions to interfere with biological pathways in molecular biology and medicine. They offer advantages over traditional small molecules due to their a...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
June 3, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Great and meticulous work by my colleagues @mar_degeus @PhosphorusFive @fmp-berlin.de Orthogonal Site-Specific Dual Bioconjugation of Aryl and Alkyl Thiols | Journal of the American Chemical Society pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Orthogonal Site-Specific Dual Bioconjugation of Aryl and Alkyl Thiols
We introduce aryl thiols as nucleophiles for site-specific protein and antibody bioconjugation, which allows the orthogonal labeling of native cysteines for double modification strategies. In a high-y...
pubs.acs.org
May 5, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by Vince Arafiles
Transgenic means that genes from 1 organism have been put into another. We make transgenic mice to understand how genes influence biological processes. We make transgenic plants to make them more nutrient rich. We make transgenic bacteria so they make medicine for us. It's wide-ranging & v. useful.
March 6, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Reposted by Vince Arafiles
Beyond excited to announce our in-person symposium to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ChemBioChem/ChemPhysChem!

Advances in Structural Analysis of Biomolecules
From Subcellular Imaging to Drug Design

October 23-24, 2025, Berlin

Please like and share: cbc-cpc2025.org
February 28, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Reposted by Vince Arafiles
Very much looking forward to the 25th anniversary symposium of ChemBioChem and ChemPhysChem #CBCCPC2025 in Berlin on October 23rd and 24th, 2025.

There is an ever growing list of amazing speakers confirmed for this event. (1/2)

#chemsky #ChemBio @chemistryeurope.bsky.social

www.cbc-cpc2025.org
March 3, 2025 at 1:57 PM