Chun-Yan Lim is a group leader at the Guangzhou Laboratory, China, studying organelle contacts as metabolic signaling hubs. We reached out to Chun-Yan to discuss his scientific career and life in the lab.

The enduring lack of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in academia is arguably the biggest challenge facing universities. Progress has been slow and dependent on the efforts of marginalized faculty. We explain why this is a problem, offer potential solutions and ask those with intersecting privilege and power to be the drivers of change.

Septins are conserved proteins that form heteromeric filaments of varied composition and have diverse roles, though it is unclear how specific septins have distinct functions. Cannon et al. report that a gene duplication of a septin results in similar but distinct septins with separate properties and functions.

NRF2 is a transcription factor that confers resistance to oxidative stress and ferroptosis, a type of cell death that is mediated by free iron and lipid peroxidation. Here, Zhang and colleagues demonstrate that NRF2 modulates iron levels to dictate ferroptosis sensitivity.

Biomolecular condensation of macromolecules is an increasingly important concept in cell biology. Indeed, research on condensates touches on multiple areas of research, from biochemistry to biophysics and from organelles to cell polarity. We asked experts at the forefront of this field to comment on what excites them most regarding biomolecular condensation, as well as on current challenges, priorities

Enhancer activation is generally accompanied by a reduction in DNA methylation (5-methylcytosine, 5mC) during mammalian development, but whether DNA demethylation regulates enhancer activity is unclear.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with diverse genetic etiologies. Pathology resulting from the DNA- and RNA-binding protein TDP-43 has been observed in neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS, frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and others. Linares et al. show that suppression of the pre-mRNA splicing factor SYF2 ameliorates neurodegeneration in ALS by improving

Dimple Notani is principal investigator (PI) at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bangalore, India, studying gene regulation. Nature Cell Biology contacted Dimple to discuss the state of the field and her experience running a research lab in India through a pandemic and as a junior PI.