You've just received a little tube of ribosome heterogeneity. Enjoy! ☺️

Every cell contains millions of tiny molecular machines called ribosomes. Their job? Making proteins.

But ribosomes may not all be identical. Just like the colourful sweets in your tube, they can differ in composition, potentially influencing which proteins they produce.

And here's where things get interesting: where ribosomes make proteins may matter just as much as what they make.

Our research has shown that intestinal stem cells depend on ribosomes working close to mitochondria, the cell's energy suppliers. When ribosomes move away, mitochondrial metabolism changes, and stem cells can lose their identity.

With our new Vidi grant, we'll investigate how cells control the positioning of these ribosomes, whether those working near mitochondria are different from others, and how their location influences energy production and ultimately what a cell becomes.

Because in biology, it's not just what you make. It's also where you make it.

Thanks for celebrating with us!