Frank M. Mason, PhD
@frankmasonlab.bsky.social
Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Interested in mechanisms driving genomic instability, renal cell carcinoma, and epigenetics in cancer.
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
Thrilled to share that the final piece of my PhD work is now on bioRxiv! biorxiv.org/content/10.1... With support from @nvidia and the @NSF, we used AlphaFold to screen 1.6M+ protein pairs, revealing thousands of potential novel PPIs. All data can be viewed at predictomes.org/hp
Proteome-wide in silico screening for human protein-protein interactions
Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) drive virtually all biological processes, yet most PPIs have not been identified and even more remain structurally unresolved. We developed a two-step computational...
biorxiv.org
November 12, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Thrilled to share that the final piece of my PhD work is now on bioRxiv! biorxiv.org/content/10.1... With support from @nvidia and the @NSF, we used AlphaFold to screen 1.6M+ protein pairs, revealing thousands of potential novel PPIs. All data can be viewed at predictomes.org/hp
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
Less than two weeks left to apply for our TWO tenure track assistant professor positions in Department of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Basic Sciences
nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University - Nashville, Tennessee job with Vanderbilt University School of Medicine | 12843515
Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine—Basic Sciences
nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Less than two weeks left to apply for our TWO tenure track assistant professor positions in Department of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Basic Sciences
nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
If you are somehow still compelled to be a PI in the world in which we find ourselves, we'd love to have you as a colleague!
Two positions in Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University.
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Two positions in Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University.
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University - Nashville, Tennessee job with Vanderbilt University School of Medicine | 12843515
Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine—Basic Sciences
www.nature.com
October 2, 2025 at 7:23 PM
If you are somehow still compelled to be a PI in the world in which we find ourselves, we'd love to have you as a colleague!
Two positions in Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University.
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Two positions in Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University.
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
We published a detailed protocol for our Plate-CUT&Tag method on @protocolsio.bsky.social to accompany our recent preprint (www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...) give it a try! Feedback welcome! dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.n2bvjed5wgk5/v1
Plate CUT&Tag (Meers Lab version)
This protocol describes a method for carrying out CUT&Tag-Direct in 96 well microplates for high-throughput processing of samples by a single operator with only standard lab...
dx.doi.org
September 22, 2025 at 5:45 PM
We published a detailed protocol for our Plate-CUT&Tag method on @protocolsio.bsky.social to accompany our recent preprint (www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...) give it a try! Feedback welcome! dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.n2bvjed5wgk5/v1
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
Happy to share our work in @embojournal 👉 shorturl.at/zXNyn
For decades, we’ve known cells dismantle & rebuild the nuclear envelope in sync with spindle poles. But why does this coordination matter? And how do pole material properties ensure error-free division?
Follow this thread to know more 👇
For decades, we’ve known cells dismantle & rebuild the nuclear envelope in sync with spindle poles. But why does this coordination matter? And how do pole material properties ensure error-free division?
Follow this thread to know more 👇
September 13, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Happy to share our work in @embojournal 👉 shorturl.at/zXNyn
For decades, we’ve known cells dismantle & rebuild the nuclear envelope in sync with spindle poles. But why does this coordination matter? And how do pole material properties ensure error-free division?
Follow this thread to know more 👇
For decades, we’ve known cells dismantle & rebuild the nuclear envelope in sync with spindle poles. But why does this coordination matter? And how do pole material properties ensure error-free division?
Follow this thread to know more 👇
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
#1 Centromeres are epigenetic loci defined by CENP-A, positioned in unmethylated DNA flanked by highly methylated regions. Our work, published in @natgenet.nature.com in collaboration with @naltemose.bsky.social investigates the role of DNAme at human centromeres www.nature.com/articles/s41...
DNA methylation influences human centromere positioning and function - Nature Genetics
Genome-wide and targeted perturbation of DNA methylation at centromeres affects CENP-A positioning and centromere structure, resulting in aneuploidy and reduced cell viability.
www.nature.com
September 4, 2025 at 1:10 PM
#1 Centromeres are epigenetic loci defined by CENP-A, positioned in unmethylated DNA flanked by highly methylated regions. Our work, published in @natgenet.nature.com in collaboration with @naltemose.bsky.social investigates the role of DNAme at human centromeres www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
Ceramide-induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress as a Targetable Vulnerability in Endocrine Therapy-Resistant Breast Cancer https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.18.670862v1
August 22, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
Meet the 2025 ASCB Award Winners—trailblazing scientists honored for research, mentoring, education, and innovation. Celebrate excellence across all career stages in cell biology. Read more: www.ascb.org/society-news...
August 4, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Meet the 2025 ASCB Award Winners—trailblazing scientists honored for research, mentoring, education, and innovation. Celebrate excellence across all career stages in cell biology. Read more: www.ascb.org/society-news...
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
New preprint! We solve a mystery you didn't know existed. Mitotic cells lack new transcription but require ongoing translation. Interphase mRNA half life is only 2-4 hrs. So how do cells arrest in mitosis for hours without depleting their transcriptomes?
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Global inhibition of deadenylation stabilizes the transcriptome in mitotic cells
In the presence of cell division errors, mammalian cells can pause in mitosis for tens of hours with little to no transcription, while still requiring continued translation for viability. These unique...
www.biorxiv.org
July 23, 2025 at 10:57 AM
New preprint! We solve a mystery you didn't know existed. Mitotic cells lack new transcription but require ongoing translation. Interphase mRNA half life is only 2-4 hrs. So how do cells arrest in mitosis for hours without depleting their transcriptomes?
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
The nuclear lamina strengthens the nucleus and organizes the genome. So what happens when you acutely degrade it in living cells? Not what we thought! (1/n)
www.molbiolcell.org/doi/10.1091/...
www.molbiolcell.org/doi/10.1091/...
Lamin B1 and LAP2β resist cytoskeletal force to maintain lamin A/C meshwork organization and preserve nuclear integrity | Molecular Biology of the Cell
The nuclear lamins are extremely long-lived proteins in most cell types. As a consequence, lamin function cannot be effectively dissected with temporal precision using standard knock-down approaches. ...
www.molbiolcell.org
July 21, 2025 at 5:46 PM
The nuclear lamina strengthens the nucleus and organizes the genome. So what happens when you acutely degrade it in living cells? Not what we thought! (1/n)
www.molbiolcell.org/doi/10.1091/...
www.molbiolcell.org/doi/10.1091/...
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
Now online at Molecular Cell: authors.elsevier.com/a/1lN5g3vVUP...
authors.elsevier.com
July 3, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Now online at Molecular Cell: authors.elsevier.com/a/1lN5g3vVUP...
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
New preprint from Kelsey Fryer in the lab using ChAR-seq to identify RNAs that are bound to human centromeres. Lots of surprises! #centromere #RNA www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org
June 20, 2025 at 12:40 AM
New preprint from Kelsey Fryer in the lab using ChAR-seq to identify RNAs that are bound to human centromeres. Lots of surprises! #centromere #RNA www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
Online Now: Off-pore Nup98 condensates mobilize heterochromatic breaks and exclude Rad51 Online now:
Off-pore Nup98 condensates mobilize heterochromatic breaks and exclude Rad51
Merigliano et al. identified a non-canonical, “off-pore” role for nucleoporins in genome stability and in the spatial regulation of homologous recombination in multicellular eukaryotes. Nup98 condensates form at DNA breaks within pericentromeric heterochromatin to prevent aberrant recombination by excluding Rad51, while promoting the mobilization of repair sites through immiscibility with heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) condensates.
dlvr.it
June 5, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Online Now: Off-pore Nup98 condensates mobilize heterochromatic breaks and exclude Rad51 Online now:
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
Congrats to the team! Happy that we could help!
Thrilled to share our latest @cp-cell.bsky.social.
We present VICAR (VIral-induced Centromeric DNA Amplification and Recognition), a new defense system to detect viruses in the nucleus based on nuclear cGAS.
www.cell.com/cell/abstrac...
We present VICAR (VIral-induced Centromeric DNA Amplification and Recognition), a new defense system to detect viruses in the nucleus based on nuclear cGAS.
www.cell.com/cell/abstrac...
Centromeric DNA amplification triggered by viral proteins activates nuclear cGAS
Herpesvirus proteins disrupt centromeres, triggering centromeric DNA amplification
and local nuclear activation of the nucleic acid sensor cGAS. This reveals an immune
surveillance mechanism in the nu...
www.cell.com
June 2, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Congrats to the team! Happy that we could help!
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
New preprint from the lab on ARID1A, G quadruplexes, and repair:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
ARID1A stabilises non-homologous end joining factors at DNA breaks induced by the G4 ligand pyridostatin
ARID1A is a subunit of the BAF chromatin remodelling complex that is frequently mutated in cancer. It is challenging to predict how ARID1A loss impacts cancer therapy response because it participates ...
www.biorxiv.org
May 27, 2025 at 5:32 PM
New preprint from the lab on ARID1A, G quadruplexes, and repair:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Frank M. Mason, PhD
If you like chromatin remodellers and centromeres, this might be of interest. In it, we generated omics data from isogenic PBRM1 cell lines, which we hope is of use to the community, freely available (when evil forces aren't messing with the publicly funded websites 🙄) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
PBRM1 directs PBAF to pericentromeres and protects centromere integrity - Nature Communications
Centromere fragility can drive tumourigenesis, so protective mechanisms are important. Here, the authors suggest that the PBAF chromatin remodelling complex, which is frequently misregulated in cancer...
www.nature.com
March 5, 2025 at 2:44 PM
If you like chromatin remodellers and centromeres, this might be of interest. In it, we generated omics data from isogenic PBRM1 cell lines, which we hope is of use to the community, freely available (when evil forces aren't messing with the publicly funded websites 🙄) www.nature.com/articles/s41...