Diego Balboa
@diegobalboa.bsky.social
Group leader at University of Helsinki. Interested in diabetes, genetics, stem cells and developmental biology.
Pinned
University of Helsinki to lead five new Centres of Excellence | University of Helsinki
The Research Council of Finland has selected 11 Centres of Excellence for the 2026–2033 programme period. University of Helsinki researchers are involved in a total of eight new Centres.
www.helsinki.fi
Thrilled to share our Centre of Excellence in Metabolic Integration was funded, thank you Research Council of Finland!
Exciting science coming soon from a fantastic team at @helsinki.fi : Pekka Katajisto, Anu Suomalainen Wartiovaara, Ville Hietakangas, Elina Ikonen, Emmi Helle and Rafa Najumudeen 🎉
Exciting science coming soon from a fantastic team at @helsinki.fi : Pekka Katajisto, Anu Suomalainen Wartiovaara, Ville Hietakangas, Elina Ikonen, Emmi Helle and Rafa Najumudeen 🎉
Reposted by Diego Balboa
New insights into islet ER stress responses, proinsulin biosynthesis, ERAD and ERD1 using β-cell-specific Hrd1-KO mice & rodent (and human islet) β-cells treated acutely with HRD1 inhibitor. jci.org/articles/vie...
@jci.org
@jci.org
November 18, 2025 at 7:39 PM
New insights into islet ER stress responses, proinsulin biosynthesis, ERAD and ERD1 using β-cell-specific Hrd1-KO mice & rodent (and human islet) β-cells treated acutely with HRD1 inhibitor. jci.org/articles/vie...
@jci.org
@jci.org
Reposted by Diego Balboa
🧵(1/12) November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and we have many works coming out from the CIRTN labs focusing on islet biology and diabetes. For the beginning of Nov 2025, we have papers from Drs Thompson, Verchere, Chen, Dhanvantari, Hill, Hoesli, Kin, Levings, Lynn, Riddell, Rutter and Wheeler.
November 17, 2025 at 11:26 PM
🧵(1/12) November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and we have many works coming out from the CIRTN labs focusing on islet biology and diabetes. For the beginning of Nov 2025, we have papers from Drs Thompson, Verchere, Chen, Dhanvantari, Hill, Hoesli, Kin, Levings, Lynn, Riddell, Rutter and Wheeler.
Reposted by Diego Balboa
TE x ZFP = Evolution!
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
November 18, 2025 at 3:16 PM
TE x ZFP = Evolution!
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Major new direction in the lab: hacking human cell biology with pathogen effectors (eORFs) - amazing collaboration with @miketilapia.bsky.social lab. Huge congrats to first authors Tomas & He & all co-authors! Check out the pre-print on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org
November 18, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Major new direction in the lab: hacking human cell biology with pathogen effectors (eORFs) - amazing collaboration with @miketilapia.bsky.social lab. Huge congrats to first authors Tomas & He & all co-authors! Check out the pre-print on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
A new #ScienceImmunology study finds that mice and humans have pancreatic islet-resident macrophages with elevated antioxidant profiles, which could shield β cells from oxidative stress. https://scim.ag/49cqs3M
An islet-resident macrophage antioxidant program preserves β cell physiology
SLC7A11 licenses metabolic and antioxidant activities in islet macrophages, supporting β cell insulin secretion and redox homeostasis.
scim.ag
November 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM
A new #ScienceImmunology study finds that mice and humans have pancreatic islet-resident macrophages with elevated antioxidant profiles, which could shield β cells from oxidative stress. https://scim.ag/49cqs3M
Reposted by Diego Balboa
It's always special when you find your own paper in the table of contents of the journal 😍
"The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube" -> Now out in its final form
www.cell.com/developmenta...
"The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube" -> Now out in its final form
www.cell.com/developmenta...
November 18, 2025 at 4:11 PM
It's always special when you find your own paper in the table of contents of the journal 😍
"The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube" -> Now out in its final form
www.cell.com/developmenta...
"The cis-regulatory logic integrating spatial and temporal patterning in the vertebrate neural tube" -> Now out in its final form
www.cell.com/developmenta...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Measuring mitochondrial membrane potential
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
November 17, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Measuring mitochondrial membrane potential
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Very happy with this comment out today! It was a fantastic teamwork effort, with invaluable input from the editor @embojournal.org and the reviewers. Thanks a lot to all involved! @csic.es @ibmb-csic.bsky.social
Measuring mitochondrial membrane potential
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@marcliesa.bsky.social , Guillermo Martínez-Corrales et al @ibmb-csic.bsky.social comment on common misinterpretation of mitochondrial membrane potential measurements & suggest guidelines for accurate determination in cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
November 17, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Very happy with this comment out today! It was a fantastic teamwork effort, with invaluable input from the editor @embojournal.org and the reviewers. Thanks a lot to all involved! @csic.es @ibmb-csic.bsky.social
Reposted by Diego Balboa
🚨 Check out our new paper is now online in its final version!!!
🎉 👏 Congratulations @alejotorrescano.bsky.social who led the study
+ past & current team @labspagnoli.bsky.social
+ collaborators #VigilanteLab @kingslsm.bsky.social
➡️ doi.org/10.1126/scia...
short 🧵 below & more acknowledgments ⤵️
🎉 👏 Congratulations @alejotorrescano.bsky.social who led the study
+ past & current team @labspagnoli.bsky.social
+ collaborators #VigilanteLab @kingslsm.bsky.social
➡️ doi.org/10.1126/scia...
short 🧵 below & more acknowledgments ⤵️
Spatially organized cellular communities shape functional tissue architecture in the pancreas
Spatial maps reveal dynamic epithelial-mesenchymal niches shaping pancreatic development and function.
doi.org
November 13, 2025 at 3:56 PM
🚨 Check out our new paper is now online in its final version!!!
🎉 👏 Congratulations @alejotorrescano.bsky.social who led the study
+ past & current team @labspagnoli.bsky.social
+ collaborators #VigilanteLab @kingslsm.bsky.social
➡️ doi.org/10.1126/scia...
short 🧵 below & more acknowledgments ⤵️
🎉 👏 Congratulations @alejotorrescano.bsky.social who led the study
+ past & current team @labspagnoli.bsky.social
+ collaborators #VigilanteLab @kingslsm.bsky.social
➡️ doi.org/10.1126/scia...
short 🧵 below & more acknowledgments ⤵️
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Happy to present the final version of our Cadherin and gastruloid manuscript, online at @cp-cellreports.bsky.social.
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Initially in BiorXiv (www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...) 1/12
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Initially in BiorXiv (www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...) 1/12
Cadherins modulate the self-organizing potential of pseudo-embryos
Gastruloids derived from ES cells mimic embryonic patterning through robust self-organization.
Mayran et al. uncover that this competence depends on a cadherin switch regulated
by Snai1-driven E-cadhe...
www.cell.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Happy to present the final version of our Cadherin and gastruloid manuscript, online at @cp-cellreports.bsky.social.
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Initially in BiorXiv (www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...) 1/12
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Initially in BiorXiv (www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...) 1/12
Reposted by Diego Balboa
☕The authors identify a chemical cocktail to generate #totipotent - like cells, which they then use to build an #embryo model. This model captures a developmental spectrum from early #embryogenesis to post-implantation events.
bit.ly/4oHxUZp
bit.ly/4oHxUZp
A continuous totipotent-like cell-based embryo model recapitulates mouse embryogenesis from zygotic genome activation to gastrulation - Nature Cell Biology
The authors identify a chemical cocktail to generate totipotent-like cells, which they then use to build an embryo model. This model captures a developmental spectrum from early embryogenesis to post-...
bit.ly
November 15, 2025 at 8:17 PM
☕The authors identify a chemical cocktail to generate #totipotent - like cells, which they then use to build an #embryo model. This model captures a developmental spectrum from early #embryogenesis to post-implantation events.
bit.ly/4oHxUZp
bit.ly/4oHxUZp
Reposted by Diego Balboa
🚨Reposts appreciated‼️If I had read this PhD offer five years ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated for a second to apply 😉
Passionate about gene regulation, chromatin, and developmental biology? Just contact @radaiglesiaslab.bsky.social at @ibbtec.bsky.social 🧬✨
#PhD #3DGenome
Passionate about gene regulation, chromatin, and developmental biology? Just contact @radaiglesiaslab.bsky.social at @ibbtec.bsky.social 🧬✨
#PhD #3DGenome
November 15, 2025 at 9:53 AM
🚨Reposts appreciated‼️If I had read this PhD offer five years ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated for a second to apply 😉
Passionate about gene regulation, chromatin, and developmental biology? Just contact @radaiglesiaslab.bsky.social at @ibbtec.bsky.social 🧬✨
#PhD #3DGenome
Passionate about gene regulation, chromatin, and developmental biology? Just contact @radaiglesiaslab.bsky.social at @ibbtec.bsky.social 🧬✨
#PhD #3DGenome
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Extraislet β cells are virtually absent in the human #T1D pancreas www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org
November 12, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Extraislet β cells are virtually absent in the human #T1D pancreas www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
We have a new lab photo. Busy times in the Delas Lab!
Last month Maria and Shaun joined us to start their PhDs.
Learn more about our research and our team: delaslab.com
We will be recruiting another postdoc next year so have a look through our recent work and get in touch if you are interested.
Last month Maria and Shaun joined us to start their PhDs.
Learn more about our research and our team: delaslab.com
We will be recruiting another postdoc next year so have a look through our recent work and get in touch if you are interested.
November 12, 2025 at 2:04 PM
We have a new lab photo. Busy times in the Delas Lab!
Last month Maria and Shaun joined us to start their PhDs.
Learn more about our research and our team: delaslab.com
We will be recruiting another postdoc next year so have a look through our recent work and get in touch if you are interested.
Last month Maria and Shaun joined us to start their PhDs.
Learn more about our research and our team: delaslab.com
We will be recruiting another postdoc next year so have a look through our recent work and get in touch if you are interested.
Reposted by Diego Balboa
We express our deepest condolences on the passing of Antonio García-Bellido, considered the father of the Spanish school of Developmental Biology and an influential figure in this discipline worldwide. For the #SEBD, his passing represents the loss of its founder and first president. Rest in peace.
November 11, 2025 at 11:52 AM
We express our deepest condolences on the passing of Antonio García-Bellido, considered the father of the Spanish school of Developmental Biology and an influential figure in this discipline worldwide. For the #SEBD, his passing represents the loss of its founder and first president. Rest in peace.
Thrilled to share our Centre of Excellence in Metabolic Integration was funded, thank you Research Council of Finland!
Exciting science coming soon from a fantastic team at @helsinki.fi : Pekka Katajisto, Anu Suomalainen Wartiovaara, Ville Hietakangas, Elina Ikonen, Emmi Helle and Rafa Najumudeen 🎉
Exciting science coming soon from a fantastic team at @helsinki.fi : Pekka Katajisto, Anu Suomalainen Wartiovaara, Ville Hietakangas, Elina Ikonen, Emmi Helle and Rafa Najumudeen 🎉
University of Helsinki to lead five new Centres of Excellence | University of Helsinki
The Research Council of Finland has selected 11 Centres of Excellence for the 2026–2033 programme period. University of Helsinki researchers are involved in a total of eight new Centres.
www.helsinki.fi
November 10, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Thrilled to share our Centre of Excellence in Metabolic Integration was funded, thank you Research Council of Finland!
Exciting science coming soon from a fantastic team at @helsinki.fi : Pekka Katajisto, Anu Suomalainen Wartiovaara, Ville Hietakangas, Elina Ikonen, Emmi Helle and Rafa Najumudeen 🎉
Exciting science coming soon from a fantastic team at @helsinki.fi : Pekka Katajisto, Anu Suomalainen Wartiovaara, Ville Hietakangas, Elina Ikonen, Emmi Helle and Rafa Najumudeen 🎉
Reposted by Diego Balboa
OFERTA DE EMPLEO (por favor difundir):
Ofrecemos un contrato predoctoral de 4 años asociado a nuestro proyecto PID2024-157249OB-I00. El objetivo del proyecto es evaluar un nuevo mecanismo patológico según el cual la competición entre promotores puede llegar a ocasionar enfermedades congénitas
👇
Ofrecemos un contrato predoctoral de 4 años asociado a nuestro proyecto PID2024-157249OB-I00. El objetivo del proyecto es evaluar un nuevo mecanismo patológico según el cual la competición entre promotores puede llegar a ocasionar enfermedades congénitas
👇
November 6, 2025 at 5:24 PM
OFERTA DE EMPLEO (por favor difundir):
Ofrecemos un contrato predoctoral de 4 años asociado a nuestro proyecto PID2024-157249OB-I00. El objetivo del proyecto es evaluar un nuevo mecanismo patológico según el cual la competición entre promotores puede llegar a ocasionar enfermedades congénitas
👇
Ofrecemos un contrato predoctoral de 4 años asociado a nuestro proyecto PID2024-157249OB-I00. El objetivo del proyecto es evaluar un nuevo mecanismo patológico según el cual la competición entre promotores puede llegar a ocasionar enfermedades congénitas
👇
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Happy to share that our preprint is now published at @embomolmed.org! We expanded on the benchmark of porcine ductal organoids by a pretty extensive proteomics dataset to compare organoids derived from different developmental stages of the pig #devbio #PancSky www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Benchmarking porcine pancreatic ductal organoids for drug screening applications | EMBO Molecular Medicine
imageimageState-of-the-art single-cell RNA sequencing and proteomics approaches were employed
to benchmark porcine and human pancreatic ductal organoid systems for use as a drug
screening and testing ...
www.embopress.org
November 5, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Happy to share that our preprint is now published at @embomolmed.org! We expanded on the benchmark of porcine ductal organoids by a pretty extensive proteomics dataset to compare organoids derived from different developmental stages of the pig #devbio #PancSky www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Delighted to start my next scientific adventure with Cecilia, Kari and Taija looking at lymphatic immune interfaces. Many thanks to the research council of Finland to fund our Center of Excellence www.abo.fi/en/news/the-...
The Research Council of Finland funds cutting edge research at Åbo Akademi University with €4.5 million
Researchers at Åbo Akademi University have been granted nearly €4.5 million by the Research Council of Finland. The funding supports high-level research in fields such as cancer biology…
www.abo.fi
November 1, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Delighted to start my next scientific adventure with Cecilia, Kari and Taija looking at lymphatic immune interfaces. Many thanks to the research council of Finland to fund our Center of Excellence www.abo.fi/en/news/the-...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Suomen Akatemia on valinnut 11 uutta tutkimuksen huippuyksikköä ohjelmakaudelle 2026–2033. Niistä viittä johdetaan Helsingin yliopistosta.
Yhteensä yliopiston tutkijat ovat mukana kahdeksassa uudessa huippuyksikössä.
www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/y...
Yhteensä yliopiston tutkijat ovat mukana kahdeksassa uudessa huippuyksikössä.
www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/y...
Helsingin yliopisto johtaa viittä uutta tutkimuksen huippuyksikköä | Helsingin yliopisto
Suomen Akatemia on valinnut 11 uutta tutkimuksen huippuyksikköä ohjelmakaudelle 2026–2033. Niistä viittä johdetaan Helsingin yliopistosta, ja yhteensä yliopiston tutkijat ovat mukana kahdeksassa uudes...
www.helsinki.fi
October 30, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Suomen Akatemia on valinnut 11 uutta tutkimuksen huippuyksikköä ohjelmakaudelle 2026–2033. Niistä viittä johdetaan Helsingin yliopistosta.
Yhteensä yliopiston tutkijat ovat mukana kahdeksassa uudessa huippuyksikössä.
www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/y...
Yhteensä yliopiston tutkijat ovat mukana kahdeksassa uudessa huippuyksikössä.
www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/y...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
Pleased to share our latest paper characterizing a beta cell specific GABA knockout by first-author and fantastic postdoc Sandra Ferreira
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Beta cell secreted GABA sets appropriate insulin secretion by modulating islet calcium oscillations
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is produced in pancreatic beta cells and is implicated in modulating islet function, yet its precise physiological role…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Pleased to share our latest paper characterizing a beta cell specific GABA knockout by first-author and fantastic postdoc Sandra Ferreira
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
🚨Excited to kick off our online seminar series on Metabolism in Development and Physiology!
Please help us grow a collaborative and supportive community by joining (<1min): forms.gle/Y8QzucogKKrZ...
#Metabolism #Development #StemCells
Please RT! 🙏
Please help us grow a collaborative and supportive community by joining (<1min): forms.gle/Y8QzucogKKrZ...
#Metabolism #Development #StemCells
Please RT! 🙏
October 28, 2025 at 4:39 PM
🚨Excited to kick off our online seminar series on Metabolism in Development and Physiology!
Please help us grow a collaborative and supportive community by joining (<1min): forms.gle/Y8QzucogKKrZ...
#Metabolism #Development #StemCells
Please RT! 🙏
Please help us grow a collaborative and supportive community by joining (<1min): forms.gle/Y8QzucogKKrZ...
#Metabolism #Development #StemCells
Please RT! 🙏
Reposted by Diego Balboa
My lab is seeking two PhD candidates to investigate the function and regulation of endogenous retroviruses in the early stages of human development 🦠👩🔬. Apply through the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) program: www.molgen.mpg.de/IMPRS/applic.... www.molgen.mpg.de/5094682/Fuey...
[2026] – Endogenous retroviruses in human embryogenesis
www.molgen.mpg.de
October 23, 2025 at 8:31 PM
My lab is seeking two PhD candidates to investigate the function and regulation of endogenous retroviruses in the early stages of human development 🦠👩🔬. Apply through the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) program: www.molgen.mpg.de/IMPRS/applic.... www.molgen.mpg.de/5094682/Fuey...
Reposted by Diego Balboa
7) Thanks to all the coauthors who helped me with this final piece of my PhD. Currently looking for a suitable publication channel!🤓
October 23, 2025 at 1:08 PM
7) Thanks to all the coauthors who helped me with this final piece of my PhD. Currently looking for a suitable publication channel!🤓
Reposted by Diego Balboa
5) We then investigated a long-acting analogue of ghrelin, relamorelin in combination with octreotide, the current first line treatment for these CHI patients. We demonstrate that the combination of these drugs act synergistically to increase blood glucose more than the sum of the individual drugs
October 23, 2025 at 1:03 PM
5) We then investigated a long-acting analogue of ghrelin, relamorelin in combination with octreotide, the current first line treatment for these CHI patients. We demonstrate that the combination of these drugs act synergistically to increase blood glucose more than the sum of the individual drugs