SMART International Summer School continues today with a mini symposium and happy hour. There's never been a more exciting time to study Life Sciences!
Alexey Amunts
@amunts.bsky.social
PI at SMART and Münster Uni | ERC grantee | 微博@A_Amunts
SMART and @kavlioxford.bsky.social @kavlifoundation.org are teaming up, signing a Memorandum of Understanding to launch collaboration. The partnership will focus on infectious diseases, membrane biology, antimicrobial resistance. It will also support researcher exchanges between Shenzhen and Oxford.
AI conference in Shanghai: a fantastic presentation of new EEG-based brain-to-robot platform, translating user’s intentions into commands for a robotic arm. By BrainCo based in Hangzhou. #AI #Robotics #Technology
Huaizong Shen joins SMART as Head of the Structural Biology Dept, after leading a lab at Westlake since 2019. His group combines structural biology and AI to advance molecular discovery, and his experience in building research capacity will be invaluable in his new role. Welcome and best of luck!
Alexey Amunts@amunts.bsky.social · 2mo agoCongratulations to Meidi Gu on starting her lab at SMART! Meidi brings expertise in immunotherapy developed through her postdoc with @jimriley52.bsky.social at @pennmehp.bsky.social and @mdanderson.bsky.social Her lab will focus on how membrane remodeling shapes T-cell function in diseased tissues.
RNA can build. A short RNA self-assembles into a 60-subunit icosahedral cage like a viral capsid, but made entirely of RNA. The striking preprint also reveals a 57-nt RNA filament at ~2.7 Å. Congratulations, Lin Huang and colleagues! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Sad news about the sudden passing of Richard Neutze. A friend and pioneer of time resolved studies. His bold work on intermediates inspired many of us. His enthusiasm helped shape MAX IV in Sweden and generations of scientists all over the world. We'll miss the warm smile, curiosity and generosity.
Congratulations to Meidi Gu on starting her lab at SMART! Meidi brings expertise in immunotherapy developed through her postdoc with @jimriley52.bsky.social at @pennmehp.bsky.social and @mdanderson.bsky.social Her lab will focus on how membrane remodeling shapes T-cell function in diseased tissues.
Alexey Amunts@amunts.bsky.social · 3mo agoDelighted to welcome our new PI, Daxiao Sun who is starting her lab at SMART after a postdoc with @hymanlab.bsky.social @mpi-cbg.de and Alf Honigmann @biotec-tud.bsky.social Daxiao’s group will investigate how biomolecular condensates regulate cell junctions and tissue morphogenesis. Welcome!
Delighted to welcome our new PI, Daxiao Sun who is starting her lab at SMART after a postdoc with @hymanlab.bsky.social @mpi-cbg.de and Alf Honigmann @biotec-tud.bsky.social Daxiao’s group will investigate how biomolecular condensates regulate cell junctions and tissue morphogenesis. Welcome!
Alexey Amunts@amunts.bsky.social · 6mo agoWei Yang joins SMART after a postdoc with David Baker @uwproteindesign.bsky.social. He designs next generation binders for immune checkpoint receptors. At SMART, Wei's team will integrate algorithm development with high-throughput experimental validation to deliver selective protein therapeutics.
Fascinating new @nature.com paper: a Pluto moment for biology. It introduces the concept of 'peptideins' - a new category for dark translated ORFs that produce detectable microprotein-like products with unknown biological roles.
Revealed: the mysterious ‘dark’ proteins that might play a big role in biology
Thousands of ‘dark proteins’ have been reclassified as peptideins and added to databases as a new category.
nature.com
It was very special Karen Davies Memorial Symposium in Nottingham. Karen’s pioneering work on ATP synthase and bioenergetic membranes shaped our field, and speakers highlighted her impact as colleague, mentor and friend. Thank you eBIC, CCPEM and all participants for making such a meaningful tribute
Alexey Amunts@amunts.bsky.social · last yr.Sad news about Karen Davies' passing. Karen was an inspiration in bioenergetics and cryoET. Her pioneering postdoctoral work on ATP synthase and respiratory supercomplexes marked turning points in the field. I created Scholar profile to acknowledge her contribution scholar.google.com/citations?hl...
The first Max Planck Center in Shenzhen. @maxplanck.de and Chinese Academy of Sciences launch a Center for Synthetic Biochemistry at Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology. It will leverage automated infrastructure for biomanufacturing of natural products. Germany-China partnership is growing.
Alexey Amunts@amunts.bsky.social · 4mo agoPleasure to welcome Patrick Cramer to SMART and to present our research and discuss future directions. Cooperation between Max Planck Society @maxplanck.de and institutions in Shenzhen is expanding and will open new opportunities. As Patrick concluded in German, “Jedem Anfang wohnt ein Zauber inne”.
Pleasure to welcome Patrick Cramer to SMART and to present our research and discuss future directions. Cooperation between Max Planck Society @maxplanck.de and institutions in Shenzhen is expanding and will open new opportunities. As Patrick concluded in German, “Jedem Anfang wohnt ein Zauber inne”.
Since our preprint on the ETC-ATP synthase supercomplex has attracted attention, I would like to introduce the platform we used, Langtaosha. It was launched by SMART together with several other institutions with support from Open Life Science Alliance, aiming for long-term open infrastructure 1/4
Alexey Amunts@amunts.bsky.social · 4mo ago65 years after Peter Mitchell’s chemiosmotic theory, we report an association between ATP synthase and the electron transport chain. In the preprint led by @longzhou88.bsky.social, we describe a large supercomplex and show how the supramolecular organization contribute to oxidative phosphorylation 🧵
In a followup with @longzhou88.bsky.social and Yue Liu we move from molecular mechanism to membrane architecture. A giant ETC-ATP synthase assembly containing 10 ATP synthases and 6 respiratory complexes builds long-range periodic OXPHOS arrays on native cristae langtaosha.org.cn/lts/en/prepr... 1/4
Alexey Amunts@amunts.bsky.social · 4mo ago65 years after Peter Mitchell’s chemiosmotic theory, we report an association between ATP synthase and the electron transport chain. In the preprint led by @longzhou88.bsky.social, we describe a large supercomplex and show how the supramolecular organization contribute to oxidative phosphorylation 🧵
65 years after Peter Mitchell’s chemiosmotic theory, we report an association between ATP synthase and the electron transport chain. In the preprint led by @longzhou88.bsky.social, we describe a large supercomplex and show how the supramolecular organization contribute to oxidative phosphorylation 🧵
A Supercomplex Incorporating Both Electron Transport Chain and ATP Synthase
The mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system powering most aerobic organisms is typically depicted as two spatially segregated machineries(1): electron transport chain complexes I-IV (ETC CI-CIV
langtaosha.org.cn
Catching the early morning low tide in Aguda on Portugal’s Atlantic coast with colleagues from Universidade de Aveiro, collecting local species for analysis. Pure curiosity and passion for science!
Hiking with Kai Zhang and lab colleagues above the clouds. A nice retreat to conclude a busy week
After watching a beautiful sunset from the 117th floor of Ping An Centre, we went for chamber music at Shenzhen Concert Hall featuring Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. The majority of the audience were in their 20s and 30s, even kids. Refreshing to see young people embracing classical music in Shenzhen.
On International Women’s Day 2026, China honoured 9 women for outstanding achievements, including our colleague Nieng Yan. The recognition reflects her scientific excellence and leadership as the founding president of SMART, Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research & Translation. Congratulations Nieng!
Epigenetics twist in watermelon: ripening is accompanied by genome-wide DNA hypermethylation,mostly non-CG. In cultivated fruit 11,961 genes gain methylation. Epigenetic program tied to domestication. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Genome-wide DNA hypermethylation enhances watermelon fruit ripening
Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), an important member of the Cucurbitaceae family, has become one of the most popular economic crops in the world, and u…
sciencedirect.com
Information theory meets archaeology. Ice Age notches weren’t just decoration, and early humans may have been recording information that way. A very interesting attempt to trace the evolution of signs. Looks like we were building data storage systems already 40,000 years ago.
Humans 40,000 y ago developed a system of conventional signs | PNAS
As humans, we store and share information. This allows us to distribute knowledge necessary for survival and to coordinate large groups. Our homini...
pnas.org
Happy Lunar New Year from Huawei RD campus! May the Year of the Horse be filled with bright moments and positive energy, bring speed toward goals and strength for the journey ahead. Happy celebrations to everyone celebrating!
Sunday reset: nature and good company. Yangtai mountain park in heart of Shenzhen with clear spring water, lakes and evergreen forest. Great to spend the day with Shujia Zhu who recently moved her lab to Shenzhen. Back to work full of energy.
Wei Yang joins SMART after a postdoc with David Baker @uwproteindesign.bsky.social. He designs next generation binders for immune checkpoint receptors. At SMART, Wei's team will integrate algorithm development with high-throughput experimental validation to deliver selective protein therapeutics.
A delegation of German academic leadership and council visited Shenzhen labs. Strong interest in concrete collaborations @unibonn.bsky.social @unileipzig.bsky.social @uniheidelberg.bsky.social @uni-freiburg.de @unituebingen.bsky.social @lmu.de @unistuttgart.bsky.social @kit.edu @tuda.bsky.social
Neuroscientist Arthur Konnerth from TUM launches a brain research lab in Shenzhen
We're launching a research lab at SMART. Shenzhen Medical Academy for Research and Translation is a newly established institute with long-term funding mechanisms for internal and external investigators. At full capacity SMART aims to support up to 400 labs. www.scmp.com/news/china/s...
Structural biologist Alexey Amunts launches new research lab in Shenzhen
‘Shenzhen adds another dimension; it is a place where ideas do not remain ideas for long,’ Amunts says of new position.
scmp.com
Science highlight in Shenzhen: Galileo mapping lunar craters, watched by Pierre and Marie Curie, as if observation and discovery are in dialogue across time and disciplines. A bridge lined with 30 bronze statues of scientists turns walk to the library into a conversation with the history of science.
Alexey Amunts@amunts.bsky.social · 9mo agoScience in the spotlight! Buildings in Shenzhen lit with research themes, and scientists Xue Qikun and Nieng Yan carrying the torch for the national games. So refreshing to see science celebrated. Congrats to both on the relay!
