I am very grateful to the great mentors and collaborators whom I have worked with Geneviève Almouzni Jean-Pierre Quivy Eran Meshorer Tina Karagyozova, PhD David Mazaud Dominic Bingham Hatem Hmidan Patricia Le Baccon Audrey Forest and, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to drop me a line!

Why does this matter? Because chromatin disorganization is a hallmark of cancer and developmental disorders. Our findings point to a new layer of genome regulation—one that could be harnessed to keep stem cells healthy, or even to design new therapies for diseases where genome stability breaks down.

But here's the kicker: when we disturbed this balance, stem cells showed abnormal nuclear shapes, struggled during cell division, and often died. This reveals that the interplay between H3.1 and H3.3 is critical for maintaining genome stability and healthy cell division.

Using cutting-edge microscopy, genome sequencing, and engineered cell models, we found that this balance shifts dynamically during the cell cycle and varies between stem cells and differentiated cells.

We focused on two key players: H3.1, which is deposited during DNA replication, and H3.3, which is incorporated independently of replication. These histones compete for space at chromocenters, specialized nuclear compartments essential for chromosome stability.

My drop contribution to the ocean.