Francesca Mattiroli got tenure: ‘Science is a team sport’

You started in 2018 as a group leader here. Can you tell us about your journey so far?

“I’ve loved science since I was a kid”, Francesca begins smiling, “But didn’t have many examples around me. My parents didn’t go to university. So, I come from a very different background. However, it was always clear to me that I wanted to be a scientist. I just didn’t know how to become one and what it takes to be a scientist. My image of a scientist back then was just somebody pipetting and I thought that’s what I wanted to do,” she reminisces. “But I was also really intrigued by why twins look the same but still have slight differences.”

How did you figure out the path to becoming a scientist?

“Step by step, just by following my passion for science and talking to people along the way,” she shares. “I grew up in Italy and studied biotechnology in Pavia, near Milan. I had no idea what a PhD was when I started university! It’s very silly in a sense now thinking back,” she chuckles. “During my internships, I asked a lot of questions and spoke to people who explained the academic system to me.”

“Even though I love Italy, I always knew I wanted to go abroad. A bit by chance, I ended up at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) doing a PhD with Titia Sixma. That’s where I really learned a lot and a huge part of why I’m here today is because of the mentoring I had. My mentors really understood me. They were generous and incredibly supportive, and helped me improve in areas where I wasn’t as strong, like giving presentations or being more outspoken. Later, during my postdoc with Karolin Luger in Boulder, Colorado, I was fortunate to have the same valuable guidance. It’s not just about the work you do; it’s about the people you meet.That is also true now, where mentors are my colleagues, like Puck Knipscheer, and where my team members make all the science possible. I owe a lot to all of these people.”

Let’s talk about your research. What’s your focus, and what excites you most?

“In my lab, we want to understand how chromatin forms,” Francesca explains. “Chromatin is a structure that decides which genes are on and which are off. And that structure isn’t permanent, it’s constantly being made and destroyed.” With a smile Francesca adds, “Just sitting here for an hour, your body has made enough DNA to go to the moon, and with that, millions of chromatin structures are formed!”

Francesca carries on, “When a cell divides, it needs to copy chromatin exactly. But if a cell mixes up these structures, it will eventually die or become sick, leading to diseases like cancer. This process keeps us alive, and we still don’t fully understand how this happens accurately. That’s what we’re trying to figure out. But there are a lot of different processes intertwined which makes it hard to see what is actually happening.”

Francesca stands up and grabs a tablet out of her drawer. “During my postdoc, I studied the machineries that make chromatin, and I thought, ‘wow, that is an amazing system!’ I learnt to make the structure out of the cell. Now, in my lab, we’re building chromatin from scratch.” She points at the image of a structure on her screen. “We take all the proteins needed to make this chromatin structure and we add them one by one to figure out what each one does”, she explains.

Francesca’s eyes light up, “I love studying molecular structures because it lets us see where all the amino acids are, and how they organize and interact with other proteins. It’s is the basis for understanding biology, and this knowledge can be used to develop drugs for fighting diseases.”

Francesca adds, “I learned a lot from being a mother, and I believe it made me a better professional too. Being a mom taught me to be open about other ways of doing things, and to be more efficient and prioritize my time. For example, I spend one afternoon every week with my kids. At first, it felt strange to leave work unfinished, but once I’m home, I can let go of the stress and enjoy being with them. It’s something I’ve come to cherish because I know they won’t want to spend time with me forever!”, she laughs.

“Besides spending time with my family, I love playing volleyball. I actually played professionally during high school and university, and it was how I paid for my studies,” Francesca says with a modest smile. “I had to stop when I injured my knee, but now I play for fun whenever I get the chance. Volleyball has definitely shaped the way I see teamwork, it’s something I try to bring into my lab as well. Just like volleyball, science is a team sport, you can’t play alone. You achieve more when you work together.”

Any final advice for those at the start of their careers?

“That’s always a tough question!”, Francesca laughs. “But if I think about my journey, one thing that’s been clear is that I love what I do. Even during stressful times, I wouldn’t change it for anything. So, my first piece of advice is to find something you’re genuinely passionate about. I often tell my team: trust in who you are and what you enjoy. Finally, I’d say don’t settle. Keep searching for what excites you and makes you happy, always aim for that next step. It’s not about never being satisfied, but about staying curious and driven.”