Going to #SITC2026? Win a $500 travel award from LUMICKS! Apply before Sep 30, 2026: www.lumicks.com/news/2026-si... See you at Phoenix this November and let’s talk about #CellAvidity and #Immunotherapy!
LUMICKS
@lumicks.bsky.social
Empowering scientists with tools that reveal crucial insights not available before, at the molecular and cellular level | Dynamic single-molecule & Cell Avidity
🧬 Congratulations to the labs of Gijs Wuite and Ian Hickson on their @natcomms.nature.com paper! With C-Trap, they directly stretched native human mitotic chromosomes and challenged traditional view of condensin! Kudos to all authors! 📖 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Condensin I but not Condensin II is crucial for mitotic chromosome mechanics - Nature Communications
During mitosis, chromosomes undergo a dramatic metamorphosis. Here, the authors show that Condensin I, but not Condensin II, is important for establishing chromosome stiffness and elasticity, as well ...
nature.com
🎓 Discover how to use *Q-Trap mode* to expand your possibilities on the C-Trap. Our new guide explains differences with dual-trap mode, how to switch between configs, what to consider for force detection, calibration & complex assays like DNA braiding and multi-tether experiments: bit.ly/3SE17cE
Recent publication with @gwuite.bsky.social, @barisiclab.bsky.social and Ian Hickson a.o., where the big finding is in the titel: Condensin I but not Condensin II is crucial for mitotic chromosome mechanics. Congratulations to the contributors! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Condensin I but not Condensin II is crucial for mitotic chromosome mechanics - Nature Communications
During mitosis, chromosomes undergo a dramatic metamorphosis. Here, the authors show that Condensin I, but not Condensin II, is important for establishing chromosome stiffness and elasticity, as well ...
nature.com
Missed our webinar with Dr. Alba Rodríguez Garcia? Now available on-demand 🎥 Learn how Cell Avidity, as a new parameter, drives CAR-T performance, especially when targets are low. Dual CD19/BCMA CAR-T selected is now in phase I clinical trial: lumicks.com/webinars/avi...
Watch: Avidity and functional characterization of CD19/BCMA dual-targeting CAR-T cell designs in NHL - LUMICKS
Speaker: Alba Rodríguez Garcia, PhD, . In this webinar, we discuss Avidity and functional characterization of CD19/BCMA dual-targeting CAR-T cell designs in NHL. Category: Cell Therapy
lumicks.com
New in #Cell (Xiang Zhao group, SIBCB): The C-Trap measured #catchbonds directly, enabling engineered #TCRs to clear tumors in vivo without off-target toxicity. Great example for all mechanosensory systems! Congrats to all the authors! 🎉 Read the publication: www.cell.com/cell/abstrac...
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 ...
cell.com
Cell therapy researchers: in 5 days ⏰ Dr. Alba Rodríguez Garcia shares her Phase I CAR-T study in #NHL: highlighting Cell Avidity as a key driver of performance. Stronger interactions → better function, even at low antigen levels 👉 Join live webinar: web.lumicks.com/l/970813/202...
Can we overcome CAR-T resistance without redesigning the CAR? A new study in #Cell proves it comes down to Cell Avidity. Using the #lumicks z-Movi, researchers showed how restoring cell-to-cell binding strength beats antigen escape. If you're in cell therapy, read www.cell.com/cell/abstrac...
Ferritin aggregation cell engager for CAR T avidity engineering against refractory leukemias
Li et al. developed a ferritin aggregation cell engager that helps CAR T cells better recognize and attack leukemia cells without re-engineering the CAR itself. This versatile platform overcomes antig...
cell.com
What could you uncover if your fluorophore didn’t blink or bleach? Lumidyne fluorophores feature a built-in self-healing design that reduces blinking and photobleaching for stable, bright and extended fluorescence lifetimes. Read more about this promotion: store.lumicks.com/product/lumi...
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.
store.lumicks.com
Excited to have Dr. Alba Rodríguez Garcia share her preclinical study of a now-in-Phase I CAR-T therapy in our upcoming webinar! 🔬 In her work, co-transduced CD19/BCMA CAR-T cells demonstrated superior avidity and functional performance. 👉 Learn more and register: web.lumicks.com/l/970813/202...
How do CAR-T cells keep working when targets weaken? Join our upcoming webinar to hear Dr. Alba Rodríguez Garcia, PhD highlights the role of cell avidity, not just binding, but functional strength under real conditions. 👉 web.lumicks.com/l/970813/202...
Live Webinar: Avidity and functional characterization of CD19/BCMA dual-targeting CAR-T cell designs in NHL | Alba Rodríguez Garcia, PhD
Jul 01, 2026 | Alba Rodríguez Garcia, PhD presents Avidity and functional characterization of CD19/BCMA dual-targeting CAR-T cell designs in NHL
web.lumicks.com
Subtle differences in binding location, dynamics, and off-target behavior in DNA-protein interactions are difficult to resolve traditionally. A recent @nature.com publication from David Ruedalab highlights C-Trap to quickly distinguish off-target activity of Cas9 from its high-fidelity variants 👇
LUMICKS is excited to sponsor and attend Machines on Genes in Crete June 8-11. Connect with us to explore real-time, single-molecule insights with the C-Trap! #BiochemEvent @biochemsoc.bsky.social
Demo: many C-Trap users want to do cell mechanobiology experiments on the C-Trap. Our scientists recorded this video showing what a live cell membrane pulling experiment looks like on the C-Trap. Details of the workflow and key highlights are in the video captions: www.lumicks.com/university/v...
Congratulations to all the authors!🎉
Bret Freudenthal@freudlab.bsky.social · 2mo agoHow does a DNA repair enzyme find a needle in a haystack? 🧬 Our latest paper in NAR, led by the one and only C-trap queen Kaitlin Dehart, uses single-molecule imaging to watch APE1 scan DNA and lock onto AP-sites. @lumicks.bsky.social academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
Video guide for advanced features of the bright-field camera: 👉 How to record the bright-field camera images along with the matching timeline data. 👉 How to crop the camera field of view, and increase the camera framerate. www.lumicks.com/university/v...
A new paper in @narjournal.bsky.social from the team of Fernando Moreno Herrero introduces OT-Curtains using the C-Trap, a massive upgrade from traditional DNA curtains: 1️⃣Zero Surface Artifacts 2️⃣Lower Force Regimes 3️⃣Dynamic Control Congrats to the authors! 🎉 👉Read: academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
OT-Curtains: an approach for studying protein interactions with DNA ends using optical tweezers and confocal fluorescence microscopy
Abstract. DNA ends generated by double-strand breaks are vulnerable intermediates that must be rapidly recognized, protected, and resolved to preserve geno
academic.oup.com
An amazing experience! It was truly great to participate and co-organize the 3rd UK & Ireland SMBio symposium in Sheffield this week. Thanks to all 🙏 invited speakers: @gwuite.bsky.social,@slfort.bsky.social, @jwelburn.bsky.social, @akellett.bsky.social, @michellepeckham.bsky.social & Aakash Basu
Nuclear Extracts: we recently published an article in LUMICKS University introducing the prep and use of nuclear extracts for DNA-protein interaction experiments on the C-Trap. From extraction to assessment of fraction purity, to labelling and dilution on the C-Trap: www.lumicks.com/university/a...
LUMICKS is a proud sponsor of the BPS Canada Meeting in Winnipeg. Meet Paul and Edwin at the conference between today and Thursday 👋
Joyous that a new Q‑Trap is now live at the University of Leicester, following the successful completion of the training and a well‑attended seminar for the wider scientific community. Hosted by Prof. Andrew Hudson, the installation was made possible through BBSRC funding. Happy Friday! 🧬
We are thrilled to celebrate the recent publication from the Marcela Maus lab, showcasing a breakthrough in overcoming the physical barriers of #solidtumors. By measuring 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘆, their work on "glycobridges" is a game-changer for CAR-T therapy. 🎉 👉 Read: nature.com/articles/s41...
Tuning CAR-T cells by targeting cancer-associated glycan in pancreatic cancer - Nature Communications
Components of the glycocalyx have been shown to impair immune cell functions, including of CAR-T cells. Here the authors show that CAR-T cell mediated cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer models can be e...
nature.com
Cool recent paper by Huan-Xiang Zhou (Uni of Illinois, Chicago) in PNAS with many prime examples of the C-Trap applied to the (fascinating) world of protein-DNA condensates: www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
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
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...
cell.com
👏 Congrats to the team of Maria Kamenetska (Boston University) for their latest publication on RNA aptamers: pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
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...
pubs.acs.org
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...
Structural basis of supercoiling-induced CRISPR–Cas9 off-target activity - Nature
Cas9 structures explain topology sensing and off-target activation.
nature.com
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...
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...
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
web.lumicks.com
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...
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...
nature.com