Inside the nucleus, complex molecular processes such as transcription and RNA processing depend on the precise coordination of many components in space and time. Increasingly, researchers have recognized that some of these activities take place within biomolecular condensates – membrane-less compartments that concentrate proteins and RNA at specific genomic regions. It is hypothesized that these condensates help to coordinate complex reactions and thereby shape the gene expression landscape. “My project explores how chromatin-associated condensates interact with the transcription machinery to control transcriptional outcomes”, says Theresia. “In doing so, we want to gain a better understanding of how nuclear organization gives rise to precise gene regulation.” By investigating how these structures form and function, Theresia’s research seeks to uncover fundamental principles of gene expression. Theresia completed her studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Bayreuth in Germany and started her PhD in the Köhler lab in June 2025.