Shirin Bahmanyar is an associate professor of molecular, cellular & developmental biology at Yale University, CT, USA. Shirin’s lab studies the organization of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and nuclear envelope, their dynamics throughout the cell cycle, and their relationship to lipid metabolism. We reached out to Shirin and were delighted to hear her thoughts on open questions in this field and to learn more about her research background and interests.

Kelly Stevens is an associate professor in the departments of Bioengineering and Laboratory Medicine & Pathology at the University of Washington. We spoke with her and discussed her work, her views on diversity and its importance, but also her personal struggles as an LGBT+ and disabled scientist.

In June 2023, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) released a report detailing standards for human stem cell research. We spoke to the co-chairs of the Steering Committee, Tenneille Ludwig, Senior Scientist and Director of the WiCell Stem Cell Bank, and Peter W. Andrews, Emeritus Professor at the University of Sheffield, and discussed the purpose and some of the basic aspects of these standards.

The mechanisms controlling lysosome abundance in cells and how changes in lysosome pool size impact physiological and pathophysiological processes are discussed.

Qu et al. identify and characterize reciprocal crosstalk between small-cell lung cancer cells and astrocytes, which mimics neuron–astrocyte interactions during brain development and promotes brain metastasis.

Ader et al. find a grommet-like role for ESCRTs distinct from their nuclear envelope sealing function after spindle pole body extrusion. The grommet works with spindle pole body components that establish a diffusion barrier to maintain compartmentalization.

Kramer, Prakash et al. share genome-wide CRISPR screens for factors that alter the levels of two dual-genome-encoded Complex IV subunits, COX1 and COX4. They identify PREPL and NME6 as genes that connect mitochondrial metabolism to mtDNA expression.

Zhang et al. report curved adhesions, which are integrin-based adhesions formed in response to membrane curvatures that can be imposed by the overlying extracellular matrix fibre geometry.

Shapiro, Chang, et al. identify a conserved role for the iron-binding histone demethylase KDM3B in sensing iron levels and regulating mTORC1 through transcriptional repression of key mTORC1 pathway components.

Timms, Mena et al. present a multiplex CRISPR screening platform capable of assigning E3 ligases to their substrates and degrons at scale.

In this issue, Jason Shapiro, Hsiang-Chun (Jimmy) Chang and colleagues identify a conserved role for the iron-binding histone demethylase KDM3B in sensing iron levels and regulating mTORC1 through transcriptional repression of key components of the mTORC1 pathway. In this Q&A, we discuss this manuscript’s findings and publishing journey with first authors Jason Shapiro and Jimmy Chang and corresponding author Hossein Ardehali. Hossein is currently the director of the Center for Molecular Cardiology at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago; Jason is an MD candidate graduating in 2024 at the Feinberg School of Medicine; and Jimmy is a resident physician in the Department of Pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Shirin Bahmanyar is an associate professor of molecular, cellular & developmental biology at Yale University, CT, USA. Shirin’s lab studies the organization of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and nuclear envelope, their dynamics throughout the cell cycle, and their relationship to lipid metabolism. We reached out to Shirin and were delighted to hear her thoughts on open questions in this field and to learn more about her research background and interests.