Mechanisms of HSV-1 helicase-primase inhibition and replication fork complex assembly Cryo-EM structures of HSV-1 helicase-primase and replication fork complexes reveal mechanisms of drug inhibition, features that explain drug selectivity, and the molecular basis of replication fork co...

For this recent Cell publication, Joseph Loparo (Harvard Medical School) and team studied DNA replication in Herpes Simplex Virus type 1, specifically how a helicase-primase and DNA pol coordinate at the replication fork, tracking helicase activity in real-time with the C-Trap: bit.ly/3QoBHyD

Beautiful result and insights @qmsmith.bsky.social!

Single Molecule Force Measurements Reveal Energy Stabilization of Theophylline Aptamer RNA Switch Required for Gene Control RNA aptamers play essential roles in gene regulation, sensing, and therapeutics, relying on ligand-induced kinetic changes for function. The theophylline aptamer has been engineered to regulate synthe...

👏 Congrats to the team of Maria Kamenetska (Boston University) for their latest publication on RNA aptamers:
pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....

This shift from static imaging to dynamic, tension-controlled observation is a game-changer for high-fidelity enzyme design.

Congrats to the authors! 👏

Curious about how the C-Trap can elevate your research? Let’s talk!

#CRISPR #Cas9 #SingleMolecule #GeneEditing

By using the LUMICKS C-Trap, the team was able to:
-Apply real-world mechanical stress to individual DNA molecules.
-Capture the "HNH domain" toggling into an active state in real-time.
-Track the real-time structural movements of the Cas9 protein with smFRET

Structural basis of supercoiling-induced CRISPR–Cas9 off-target activity - Nature Cas9 structures explain topology sensing and off-target activation.

A new #Nature study from the Rueda and @alicepyne.bsky.social labs identifies the molecular mechanism of DNA supercoiling in CRISPR–Cas9 off-target activity.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Congratulations! Looking forward to see your data!

Last call to join Dr. Xiaolan Zhao (MSKCC) to witness the frontier of DNA biology. You can’t miss this chance to see how the LUMICKS C-Trap is enabling her team at MSKCC to decode the "how" behind the Smc5/6 complex. Secure your spot before we go live:

web.lumicks.com/l/970813/202...

Live Webinar: Molecular determinants of Smc5/6 association with DNA junctions | Xiaolan Zhao Mar 26, 2026 | Xiaolan Zhao presents Molecular determinants of Smc5/6 association with DNA junctions

The next frontier of DNA biology isn't just knowing what happens, but how it happens in motion.

The C-Trap has enabled Dr. Xiaolan Zhao's team at MSKCC to push the boundaries of discovery, capturing the mechanical nuances of the Smc5/6 complex at ssDNA gaps.

Join: web.lumicks.com/l/970813/202...

TIGIT disruption rescues the antitumor activity of low avidity TCR-engineered T cells by increasing TCR signal strength - Nature Communications Anti-tumor functions of low-avidity T cells are often suboptimal. Here the authors show that genetic disruption of TIGIT in TCR-engineered T cells enhances their anti-tumor activity against pancreatic...

New in NatComms: Cell Avidity is the "success metric" in T-cell therapy.

Traditional "low-avidity" T-cells are often too weak to kill solid tumors. The team of Chiara Bonini knocked out TIGIT to make them 'high-avidity' potent cancer killers.

Congrats to the authors!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

How do you move from static DNA models to real-time mechanics?

Join our next webinar to see how the team of Dr. Xiaolan Zhao at MSKCC uses the LUMICKS C-Trap to decode the molecular determinants of Smc5/6 association with DNA junctions.

🔗 web.lumicks.com/l/970813/202...

SMBio 2026 Sheffield - Symposium - LUMICKS We are pleased to announce the SMBio26, the third UK-Ireland symposium focusing on single-molecule research! Featuring keynotes, talks, posters and discussions, this 2-day event aims to bring together...

Last call! 🔔 Would you like to be considered for a poster presentation or a short talk during the SMBio 2026 Sheffield?

Today's the last day to sign up! Join the biggest UK gathering of this type yet: www.lumicks.com/event/sympos...

The Cell Surface: Biology Powered by Physics | University of Copenhagen, BendixLab YouTube video by WebsEdgeScience

Huge congrats to Poul Martin Bendix (University of Copenhagen) for their feature on Biophysics Society TV at #BPS2026! 🎉 We're proud that the C-Trap helped power multiple research projects in the lab: from cell biology & medicine to nanoscience & plant science!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcZV...

Congratulations 👏

Wed 10:30 AM, B120: Ritika Gupta @finzi-dunlap-lab.bsky.social: ParBs condensates generate force for bacterial chromosome segregation.

Wed 10:30 AM, B116: Longfu Xu @ucblaborcenter.bsky.social: Correlated dynamics and activity mapping reveals rapid DNA polymerase exchange at the Replication Fork.

Ramesh Adakkattil of the Von Appen lab @mpi-cbg.de shares insights into the protein-DNA surface hydrogel that protecting the genome, Tue 1:45, B120.

Sneha Bhat @ucmerced.bsky.social: Single-Molecule Studies Reveal DNA Sensor IFI16B Inhibits AAIM2 Inflammasome via DNA competition, Tue 1:45, B144

Sergei Rudnizky @nucleosomezky.bsky.social: "Dynamic CTCF conformations control cohesin barrier function", Mon 1:45 PM, B177

Peter Murray: "Light-Activated CRISPR for On-Demand Perturbations of Chromatin Insulators", Mon 1:45 PM, B173.

Both of @bostonchildrens.bsky.social & @harvardmed.bsky.social

Jia Gao @pennstatechemistry.bsky.social on NAP1 and histone acetylation in regulation phase-separation of nucleosome arrays. Missed the poster? Check out the talk on Tue 12:30 PM, 207/208.

Tomoko Sunami @qst-japan.bsky.social on the polynucleosome during molecular crowding, Mon 1:45 PM, B166.

(2/2) At #bps2026, the valuable science isn't just presented on the main stage, it's on the poster boards. If you're walking the poster halls, stop by the boards of these incredible scientists to see C-Trap data in the context of important applications and ask them directly about their experience!

Tuning the sensitivity of mechanosensory receptors through histidine scanning Histidine scanning represents a broadly applicable technique for the identification of critical interaction sites within TCRs and other mechanosensory receptors to enhance receptor signaling strength ...

Read: Measuring the strength of catch bonds (performed on m/C-Trap) helped develop this new technique to elucidate the critical interaction sites leading to TCR activation & applicable to other mechanosensory receptors too. 👏 Congrats Bo Sun and Xiang Zhao among others! www.cell.com/cell/abstrac...

Adaptor-mediated recruitment of three dyneins to dynactin enhances force generation - Nature Cell Biology Dynein–dynactin–cargo adaptor complexes typically function with two dynein motors. Rao et al. show that, under mechanical load, these complexes can recruit a third dynein via a second adaptor, increas...

🎉 Congratulations to the teams of @arnegennerich.bsky.social and @floberger.bsky.social among others, for publishing their fascinating work on dyneins: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

"Dynamic CTCF Conformations Control Cohesin Barrier Function" - Sergei Rudnizky (Harvard Medical School) on Wednesday Feb 25, 1:30 PM - Room 201/202/203. Platform: Genome Organization and Dynamics.

And on Wed 25 Feb, 1:30 PM in Room 201/202/203, find Sergei Rudnizky (@nucleosomezky.bsky.social) on "Dynamic CTCF conformations control cohesin barrier function"

The best part of #BPS2026 is seeing the science our customers are producing in such variety. Next, we'll highlight the posters!

Both Tuesday, February 24: Jia Gao on "ROLES OF HISTONE CHAPERONE NAP1 AND HISTONE ACETYLATION IN REGULATING PHASE-SEPARATION OF NUCLEOSOME ARRAYS", 12:30 PM, Room 207/208. Raya Sorkin on "MEMBRANE TENSION AND ASYMMETRY AFFECT FUSION, AND INFORM VIRAL FUSION MECHANISMS", 09:05 PM, Room 209/210/211.

Jia Gao (@pennstatechemistry.bsky.social) on the roles of NAP1 and histone acetylation in regulation phase-separation of nucleosome arrays, 12:30 PM, 207/208.

Raya Sorkin (@sorkinlab.bsky.social) on how membrane tension and asymmetry affect fusion and viral fusion mechanisms, 09:05 PM, 209/210/211.

Tuesday 24 February in Room 207/208: 10:00 AM, Longfu Xu (@ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social): correlated dynamics and activity mapping reveals rapid DNA polymerase exchange and SSB. Platform: Protein-Nucleic Acid Interaction II 10:05 AM, Ritika Gupta (Clemson University): ParBs condensates generate force for bacterial chromosome segregation. Platform: Protein-Nucleic Acid Interaction II

Tue 24 Feb, in Room 207/208:

10:00 AM, Longfu Xu (@ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social): correlated dynamics and activity mapping reveals rapid DNA polymerase exchange and SSB.

10:05 AM, Ritika Gupta (@finzi-dunlap-lab.bsky.social): ParBs condensates generate force for bacterial chromosome segregation.

COMBINING FLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPY WITH OPTICAL TWEEZERS TO SHINE LIGHT ON DNA AND CHROMOSOMES. Erwin Peterman. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Saturday 21 February 2026 - 4:00 PM - Room 303/304, Biological Fluorescence Symposium. A PROTEIN-DNA SURFACE HYDROGEL MECHANICALLY REINFORCES THE CELL NUCLEUS AND PROTECTS THE GENOME. Ramesh Adakkattil. MPI-CBG (Von Appen lab). Sunday 22 February 2026 - 4:00 PM - Room 201/202/203, Platform: Condensates from Biophysics to Disease I.

Find Erwin Peterman (@vuamsterdam.bsky.social) speaking on the virtues of combining fluorescence microscopy with optical tweezers on Saturday 4:00 PM, Room 303/304.

On Sunday, 4:00 PM, Room 201/202/203, Ramesh Adakkattil of the Von Appen lab (@mpi-cbg.de) speaks on the protein-DNA surface hydrogel.

User Spotlight: Where you can find C-Trap data at #BPS2026?

Browse through the thread to see the schedule of C-Trap customer's talks you don't want to miss, and save this post for later to revisit during the conference.

And come say hi to LUMICKS at booth 619 from Sunday to Tuesday!

Abstract deadline for the SMBio26 organized with the University of Sheffield, is postponed to February 27th to accommodate for extra spots made available!

To accommodate for extra spots made available, we're reopening the abstract deadline for the SMBio26 organized together with the University of Sheffield!

Organized with the @sheffielduni.bsky.social team: Matt Newton, @alicepyne.bsky.social & Ruby Peters.

Program & registration 👉 bit.ly/3NtxZlM

Live Webinar: Tuning CAR-T cells by targeting cancer-associated glycan in pancreatic cancer | Steven Park Sangwoo, PhD Feb 23, 2026 | Steven Park Sangwoo, PhD presents Tuning CAR-T cells by targeting cancer-associated glycan in pancreatic cancer

Solid tumors use a "sugar shield" (glycocalyx) to block immune cells. How do we break through?

Join our webinar to see how researchers from Harvard Medical School engineered "glyco-bridge" to enhance tumor recognition and killing, and validated by Cell Avidity measurements.

bit.ly/4rlQF5C

Please let us remind you it's the last day before the 1st abstract deadline of the single-molecule biology symposium SMBio26 in Sheffield, May 20th-21st. Don't be late!

Single molecules. Joint research.

www.lumicks.com/event/sympos...

Lumidyne Advanced Fluorophore Technologies - Discount Code Get 10% discount on Lumidyne advanced fluorophore dyes for optical tweezers (C-Trap) experiments. via the LUMICKS store. Photostable and self-healing.

One of the challenges in single-molecule biophysics is keeping your fluorophores stable long enough to capture the full story.

That's why we have partnered with Lumidyne to offer their specialized dyes.

Use code “LUMICKS” to enjoy 10% discount on all Lumidyne fluorephores. See info: bit.ly/463pZhQ