Shapeshifting gates guard the cell nucleus An international study led by the University of Basel has discov- ered that nuclear pore complexes – tiny gateways in the nuclear membrane – are not rigid or gel-like as once thought. Their interiors are dynamically organized, constantly moving and re- arranging. The findings reshape our understanding of a vital transport process in cells and have implications for diseases and potential therapies. An essential part of the results was generated within a SNI PhD School project and published in the scientific journal Nature Cell Biology. Media release: https://bit.ly/3ZjYMnp Original publication: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41556-025-01812-9 In situ model of the nuclear pore complex trans- port barrier Tethered within the pore are highly dynamic pro- tein threads termed FG Nups (green). Under liv- ing conditions, cargo-carrying transport factors (pink) interact with the FG Nups, loosely forming a central plug that helps organize a dynamic transport barrier. Selective transport may pro- ceed preferentially through the surrounding re- gion. For clarity, cargoes are omitted and FG-Nup density is reduced. (Image: E. Sahagún, Scixel) 29 SNI Annual Report 2025