Ivano Legnini
@ilegnini.bsky.social
Group Leader @humantechnopole.bsky.social Molecular and Systems Biology. RNA enthusiast
We're looking for a group leader in functional genomics at @humantechnopole.bsky.social Super exciting science, cutting edge facilities, very competitive package. More info here: careers.humantechnopole.it/job/Senior-R...
Senior Research Group Leader in the Genomics Research Centre - Functional Genomics Programme
Senior Research Group Leader in the Genomics Research Centre - Functional Genomics Programme
careers.humantechnopole.it
🚨In our new preprint we show that miRNAs act within a precise temporal window to control cell fate decisions in the human forebrain. 🧠 A study of miRNA expression dynamics and functions during early human brain development. @mdc-bimsb.bsky.social Check it out! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
MicroRNAs are required within a critical time window to define neural patterning during early human brain development
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key post-transcriptional regulators of cell state transitions, yet their function in early human brain development is largely unknown. Here, we present a longitudinal analysis of miRNA function in developing human forebrain organoids. We show that mRNAs and miRNAs expression mirrors known developmental gene programs and that miRNA biogenesis peaks at neural commitment. To test the function of miRNAs in regulating commitment, we impaired their biogenesis at defined stages. miRNA disruption during pre-neuronal commitment caused severe patterning defects, whereas post-commitment perturbation had minimal impact on forebrain identity. We show that miRNA loss during pre-commitment increased WNT and BMP signaling, thus shifting cell fates towards non-forebrain identity such as midbrain/hindbrain. These effects could be partially rescued by expressing five miRNAs. Our findings uncover a critical time window where miRNAs regulate morphogen signaling in early human neurodevelopment, establishing them as essential temporal determinants of cell fate and brain regional identity. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.
biorxiv.org
Really exciting times at HT!
Florian Jug@florianjug.bsky.social · 4mo agoWe've spent the last year building something at @humantechnopole.bsky.social that we think is genuinely needed: #AI that works across biological scales and data modalities, not just within them. A thread on what we're doing, why, and who we're looking for. A 🧵... 1/9
Happy 🥲 We're now looking for a postdoc and a technician to work on this super exciting 5 years project on mRNA mtabolism and poly(A) tail length control. Links to apply here: Postdoc: careers.humantechnopole.it/job/Postdoc-... Technician: careers.humantechnopole.it/job/Technici...
Postdoc Legnini Lab (FIS3 POLARIS project)
Postdoc Legnini Lab (FIS3 POLARIS project)
careers.humantechnopole.it
Human Technopole@humantechnopole.bsky.social · 5mo ago🧬 What controls how long an #mRNA molecule survives inside a cell? 🔬 Our @ilegnini.bsky.social Group leads POLARIS, a new €1.35M FIS3 project exploring how poly(A) tails regulate mRNA stability and gene expression. Read more 👉 humantechnopole.it/en/news/pola...
Had a great day at Human Technopole - lots of stimulating discussions with students and faculty and also, this should be a new standard, Aperol spritz after the seminar! @humantechnopole.bsky.social
Nature research paper: Single-cell and isoform-specific translational profiling of the mouse brain go.nature.com/4aYPQu7
Single-cell and isoform-specific translational profiling of the mouse brain - Nature
Post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA translation was explored using Ribo-STAMP and single-cell RNA sequencing to reveal cell-type-specific and isoform-specific translation patterns across hippocampal neuronal and non-neuronal cell types, highlighting functional differences between CA1 and CA3.
go.nature.com
Thrilled to announce that I’ve just opened my research lab at @helmholtz-hiri.bsky.social ! A huge thank you to my mentor Roi Avraham (and lab members!) for the incredible training and support that made this possible.
1/6 We're hiring! Fully funded postdoc position in my group humantechnopole.it/en/research-...
Legnini Group - Human Technopole
Laboratory for Molecular and Systems Biology of RNA The Legnini Group at Human Technopole combines molecular and systems biology approaches to study gene regulation. We use synthetic biology and opt...
humantechnopole.it
SHH exosomes surfing along the OUTSIDE of mesenchymal cell cytonemes - check it out! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Exosome secretion is required for sonic hedgehog dispersal and signal gradient formation in the embryonic limb mesenchyme
Carrier-assisted diffusion and cytoneme transport have been postulated to disperse Hedgehog across diverse embryonic tissues, yet their relative contributions to patterning mesenchymal tissues remains...
biorxiv.org
Lovely little pre-Christmas present to see this out @natcellbio.nature.com! Some 🔥 new results in here since the biorvix incl (1) a new RARE-GFP reporter ✳️🙌, (2) additional NMP quantification 🔢, (3) no neural tube patterning on RA inhibition 🙅 etc. Enjoy! 😍 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Modelling co-development between the somites and neural tube in human trunk-like structures - Nature Cell Biology
Makwana, Tilley et al. generate human stem cell-based trunk-like structures approximating Carnegie stage 13–14 of development. They use them to model and study the development of the thoracic and lumbar trunk.
nature.com
Good to see the peer reviewed version of this published A chemo-optogenetic system for spatiotemporal control of gene expression We use it to: - Reconstruct SHH mediated neural tube patterning in vitro - Measure extracellular half-life of Shh www.cell.com/developmenta...
Investigating morphogen and patterning dynamics with optogenetic control of morphogen production
Benzinger et al. develop a chemo-optogenetic system for precise spatiotemporal control of morphogen production in vitro. Using light-controlled Sonic hedgehog expression, they recapitulate neural tube...
cell.com
Still a couple of weeks to apply for a fully funded PhD position in #AI and #RNA biology!!!
Ivano Legnini@ilegnini.bsky.social · 8mo agoAnd in addition to the postdoc position (1 week left to apply!), just opened a PhD position in AI and RNA biology 🤩
🔬 Join Human Technopole! 🧠 Our @ilegnini.bsky.social Group seeks a #Postdoc in Molecular Systems Biology to study genetic–environmental interactions in early neurodevelopment. Apply by 30 Nov 2025 👉 careers.humantechnopole.it/job/Postdoc-...
Postdoc in Molecular Systems Biology
Postdoc in Molecular Systems Biology
careers.humantechnopole.it
And in addition to the postdoc position (1 week left to apply!), just opened a PhD position in AI and RNA biology 🤩
Ivano Legnini@ilegnini.bsky.social · 9mo ago1/6 We are hiring!!! 🐣🐣🐣 Fully funded postdoc position in my group! humantechnopole.it/en/research-...
PhD position in my lab in #AI #RNA, in co-supervision with superstar @florianjug.bsky.social www.polimi.it/dottorato/fu...
Bandi Dottorato Polimi 2025–2026 | Scadenze e Regolamenti - polimi
Consulta i bandi di dottorato di ricerca del Politecnico di Milano: scadenze aggiornate, regolamenti, borse INPS e opportunità PNRR.
polimi.it
Human Technopole@humantechnopole.bsky.social · 8mo ago❓ Are you passionate about #AI, #RNA structure and modelling, or genomics? 🧬 We are offering 2 fully funded #PhD positions in the DADS programme of Politecnico di Milano in our @ilegnini.bsky.social and Soranzo Groups! Apply by 18 Dec 2025 👉 humantechnopole.it/en/news/2-fu... #phdlife
1/6 We are hiring!!! 🐣🐣🐣 Fully funded postdoc position in my group! humantechnopole.it/en/research-...
Legnini Group - Human Technopole
Laboratory for Molecular and Systems Biology of RNA The Legnini Group at Human Technopole combines molecular and systems biology approaches to study gene regulation. We use synthetic biology and opt...
humantechnopole.it
Looking for a master student to help with a superexciting EU-funded project on mRNA metabolism. It'll involve cutting-edge sequencing and imaging techniques as well as computational workflows and modelling - great training opportunity! Get in touch if interested humantechnopole.it/en/research-...
Legnini Group - Human Technopole
Laboratory for Molecular and Systems Biology of RNA The Legnini Group at Human Technopole combines molecular and systems biology approaches to study gene regulation. We use synthetic biology and opt...
humantechnopole.it
Immune responses need to be fast ⏱️ mRNA metabolism adapts rapidly via alternative splicing, polyadenylation & decay. Find out more: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #Immunology #RNA #mRNAmetabolism @ilegnini.bsky.social
Great opportunity! Up to 4 Group Leader positions at the NOVA Institute for Medical Systems Biology (NIMSB) in Computational & Experimental Medical Systems Biology 📍 Lisbon ⏳ Apply by Oct 8 🔗 nimsb.unl.pt/wp-content/u... #Job #SciencePositions #JobOffer #GroupLeaders #Innovation #systemsbiology
🎉 A stellar wrap-up for the Milan #RNA Salon! On 18 July, 120+ scientists gathered at HT for the final event of the season. 🔬 Matthias Hentze @embl.org opened with a keynote on Riboregulation, followed by research talks from Laura Carpen (HT) and @mchiaragrieco.bsky.social @ceredalab.bsky.social
This job involve spending 1-2 years in Berlin and 1-2 years in Barcelona, a truly unique opportunity! 🌍 As the lead scientist, you will apply single-cell long-read sequencing, CRISPR interference, and small molecule modulation to dissect the molecular pathways underlying islet development.
🚨🚨🚨 Please RT! We're looking for a postdoc to join an exciting joint project between our lab @upf.edu & @crg.eu (Barcelona) and the Sander lab @mdc-berlin.bsky.social (Berlin) investigating how alternative splicing and microexons influences the maturation of pancreatic islets. Deadline: 30/09/25👇
upf.edu
We’re happy to share our new preprint form @N_Rajewsky, with @tmpentimalli.bsky.social i.bsky.social @Ilan Theurillat lab! 🎉 🧬 Spatiotemporal atlas of tumor–stroma crosstalk in a new TNBC model. Spatial transcriptomics (Open-ST), snRNA-seq, and functional validation. 🔗 biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Spatiotemporal dynamics of tumor microenvironment remodeling
During tumorigenesis, interactions between tumor and stromal cells progressively remodel the tumor microenvironment (TME) towards pro-tumoral functions. Understanding early TME remodeling dynamics is ...
biorxiv.org
🚨 New preprint alert 🚨 We systematically benchmarked @nanoporetech.com 's modification-aware basecalling models released for RNA on sets of in vitro and in vivo sequences and made some curious observations 🧬🔍. bit.ly/4lXqNul Follow along for a little recap (1/12)
Systematic benchmarking of basecalling models for RNA modification detection with highly multiplexed nanopore sequencing
Nanopore direct RNA sequencing (DRS) holds promise for advancing our understanding of the epitranscriptome by detecting RNA modifications in native RNA molecules. Recently, Oxford Nanopore Technologie...
bit.ly
‼️ Don't forget to submit your abstract for #EMBLSpatialBiology! The new deadline is 15 July 👉 https://s.embl.org/spb25-01-bl 📅 14–17 Oct 📍EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual ✨ ESSB will provide a fee subsidy for the top accepted abstracts. More info ➡️ https://s.embl.org/SPB25-01-practical-information
Scientists 3-D printed objects inside of living cells for the first time. Naturally, they chose to print an elephant.
Scientists 3-D printed a tiny elephant inside a cell
The first structures ever 3-D printed inside living cells point to applications for biology research.
buff.ly
📢 Announcing the MOPITAS Autumn School on Spatial Transcriptomics Data Analysis – taking place November 12–14, in Munich. Don't miss this excellent opportunity to deepen your expertise in data science and multi-OMICS analysis - especially as a PhD student in the data science community.
