--- title: News url: 'https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news' markdown: 'https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news.md' date: '2026-08-15' description: 'The latest updates from our laboratory.' --- # News The latest updates from our laboratory. [![](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/images/a/e/c/5/b/aec5bcb39fff27a6d33e48cdfb38f1f93b9cd1e9-pathways-in-muscle.png)](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260615-theses-gene-technology) 15th Jun 2026 ### [Two theses defended in Applied Chemistry and Gene Technology](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260615-theses-gene-technology) Congratulations to Triinu Rätsepso and Merili Samuli on defending their theses in the **Applied Chemistry and Gene Technology** programme. Triinu defended her master's thesis, *The creatine analogue guanidinoacetate does not stimulate respiration in permeabilized mouse cardiomyocytes*. Her work exam... [thesis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:thesis#body-wrapper) [MSc](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:MSc#body-wrapper) [BSc](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:BSc#body-wrapper) [gene technology](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:gene%20technology#body-wrapper) [creatine-deficient mice](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:creatine-deficient%20mice#body-wrapper) [arginine-glycine amidinotransferase knockout](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:arginine-glycine%20amidinotransferase%20knockout#body-wrapper) [mitochondria](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:mitochondria#body-wrapper) [cardiomyocytes](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:cardiomyocytes#body-wrapper) [skeletal muscle](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:skeletal%20muscle#body-wrapper) [![](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/images/8/2/3/8/2/82382eb5aba740c195e9de43e0f02f0587d2c611-microscopy-types.png)](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260615-theses-applied-physics) 15th Jun 2026 ### [Four theses defended in Applied Physics and Data Science](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260615-theses-applied-physics) Congratulations to four students from the Laboratory of Systems Biology who defended their theses in June. In the master's programme in **Applied Physics and Data Science**, Heleri Melles defended *Studies of diffusion in cardiac muscle cells*. Her work used fluorescence microscopy and raster image... [thesis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:thesis#body-wrapper) [MSc](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:MSc#body-wrapper) [BSc](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:BSc#body-wrapper) [physics](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:physics#body-wrapper) [fluorescence microscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:fluorescence%20microscopy#body-wrapper) [raster image correlation spectroscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:raster%20image%20correlation%20spectroscopy#body-wrapper) [calcium spark](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:calcium%20spark#body-wrapper) [cardiomyocytes](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:cardiomyocytes#body-wrapper) [mathematical modeling](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:mathematical%20modeling#body-wrapper) [![](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/images/e/8/a/2/1/e8a21a69551c8d6820b413564687b612539c7e3c-thesis-cover.png)](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260512-hamed-karimi-phd-thesis) 12th May 2026 ### [Hamed Karimi defended his doctoral thesis on fluorescence-based diffusion measurements](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260512-hamed-karimi-phd-thesis) Congratulations to Hamed Karimi, who defended his doctoral thesis, *Development of Computational and Statistical Methods for Fluorescence-Based Diffusion Measurements*, at TalTech on 12 May 2026. Molecular diffusion is fundamental to cell physiology, but measuring it accurately in living cells is... [thesis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:thesis#body-wrapper) [PhD](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:PhD#body-wrapper) [fluorescence correlation spectroscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:fluorescence%20correlation%20spectroscopy#body-wrapper) [raster image correlation spectroscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:raster%20image%20correlation%20spectroscopy#body-wrapper) [FITSA](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:FITSA#body-wrapper) [bayesian inference](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:bayesian%20inference#body-wrapper) [molecular diffusion](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:molecular%20diffusion#body-wrapper) [![](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/images/c/6/2/8/9/c628990d42ea213094a48257182a6296664c2f60-iocbio-fcs.png)](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260331-paper-acs-omega-pmid41939380) 31st Mar 2026 ### [Published paper: IOCBIO FCS, an Open-Source Platform for Unified FCS and RICS Analysis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260331-paper-acs-omega-pmid41939380) ## A Unified Platform for FCS and RICS Analysis with Advanced Statistical Inference Hamed Karimi, Otto Gustavson, Irina Česnokova, Jelena Branovets, Rikke Birkedal, Martin Laasmaa, Marko Vendelin *ACS Omega*, 2026 Mar 31; 11(12): 19201-19219. - PMID: [41939380](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41939380/) - DOI: [10.1021/acsomega.5c12269](https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c12269) ## S ... [paper](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:paper#body-wrapper) [fluorescence correlation spectroscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:fluorescence%20correlation%20spectroscopy#body-wrapper) [raster image correlation spectroscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:raster%20image%20correlation%20spectroscopy#body-wrapper) [bayesian inference](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:bayesian%20inference#body-wrapper) [fluorescence microscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:fluorescence%20microscopy#body-wrapper) [molecular diffusion](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:molecular%20diffusion#body-wrapper) [open source](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:open%20source#body-wrapper) [software](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:software#body-wrapper) [![](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/images/b/3/0/6/9/b3069d606b48796f4484a7d02e263290fc762bbe-romain-bernasconi-thesis-cover.png)](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/251203-romain-bernasconi-phd-thesis) 3rd Dec 2025 ### [Romain Bernasconi defended his doctoral thesis on muscle adaptation to creatine deficiency](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/251203-romain-bernasconi-phd-thesis) Congratulations to Romain Bernasconi, who defended his doctoral thesis, *Unravelling the Mechanisms of Energetics-Induced Fast-to-Slow Phenotypic Shift in Creatine-Deficient Mice*, at TalTech on 3 December 2025. The creatine kinase system helps muscles maintain their energy supply during contracti... [thesis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:thesis#body-wrapper) [PhD](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:PhD#body-wrapper) [creatine-deficient mice](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:creatine-deficient%20mice#body-wrapper) [skeletal muscle](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:skeletal%20muscle#body-wrapper) [AMPK](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:AMPK#body-wrapper) [glycolytic muscle](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:glycolytic%20muscle#body-wrapper) [oxidative muscle](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:oxidative%20muscle#body-wrapper) [![](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/images/5/d/d/b/0/5ddb0a62b5b4bb267333585a454ef50895c8d4b6-graphical-abstract.png)](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250801-paper-am-j-physiol-heart-circ-physiol-pmid40657789) 1st Aug 2025 ### [Published paper: Lifelong creatine deficiency does not cause heart failure](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250801-paper-am-j-physiol-heart-circ-physiol-pmid40657789) ## Lifelong creatine deficiency leads to augmented sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release but not heart failure Jelena Branovets, Martin Laasmaa, Jekaterina Stolova, Xin Shen, Triinu Rätsepso, Romain Bernasconi, Kärol Soodla, Mihkel Jaan Balodis, Cärolin Grahv, Eliise Hendrikson, William Edward Louch... [paper](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:paper#body-wrapper) [arginine-glycine amidinotransferase knockout](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:arginine-glycine%20amidinotransferase%20knockout#body-wrapper) [calcium dynamics](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:calcium%20dynamics#body-wrapper) [creatine kinase](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:creatine%20kinase#body-wrapper) [energy transfer](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:energy%20transfer#body-wrapper) [excitation-contraction coupling](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:excitation-contraction%20coupling#body-wrapper) [heart](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:heart#body-wrapper) [![](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/images/7/d/0/4/c/7d04cb6ba62d5583f4ce2d9528762acebfadc685-innochembio-ad.png)](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250630-looking-for-phd-student) 30th Jun 2025 ### [Looking for PhD student to study intracellular heterogeneity](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250630-looking-for-phd-student) *Edit*: Position is filled Our lab is part of the recently funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) COFUND programme [INNOCHEMBIO](https://taltech.ee/en/innochembio). Within this programme, we are looking for a PhD student interested in studying intracellular heterogeneity. For details, see - PhD project description: [AMP and ](https://taltech.ee/en/innochembio/vendelin)... [position](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:position#body-wrapper) [PhD](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:PhD#body-wrapper) [![](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/images/3/f/7/1/c/3f71c7c78144d612e412b6ab074ff8d1aa4b851c-ampk-scheme.png)](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250611-theses-chemistry-biotechnology) 11th Jun 2025 ### [Two theses defended in chemistry and biotechnology programmes](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250611-theses-chemistry-biotechnology) Congratulations to Kärol Soodla and Danila Gusev on defending their theses in TalTech's chemistry and biotechnology programmes. Kärol defended her master's thesis in **Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology**, *The expression and phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase varies between intracellu*... [thesis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:thesis#body-wrapper) [MSc](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:MSc#body-wrapper) [BSc](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:BSc#body-wrapper) [gene technology](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:gene%20technology#body-wrapper) [AMPK](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:AMPK#body-wrapper) [energetic compartments](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:energetic%20compartments#body-wrapper) [sarcoplasmic reticulum](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:sarcoplasmic%20reticulum#body-wrapper) [mitochondria](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:mitochondria#body-wrapper) [calcium dynamics](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:calcium%20dynamics#body-wrapper) [![](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/images/c/d/8/0/c/cd80c5c736341ecc9149f652e88199914faa7c28-calibration-fiber.png)](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250611-theses-applied-physics) 11th Jun 2025 ### [Three theses defended in Applied Physics](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250611-theses-applied-physics) Congratulations to three students from the Laboratory of Systems Biology who defended their master's theses in Applied Physics on 5 June. Marten Pärg defended *Implementing 3D Imaging in Single Molecule Localization Microscopy with Astigmatism*. His work implemented three-dimensional super-resolut... [thesis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:thesis#body-wrapper) [MSc](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:MSc#body-wrapper) [physics](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:physics#body-wrapper) [fluorescence microscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:fluorescence%20microscopy#body-wrapper) [fluorescence correlation spectroscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:fluorescence%20correlation%20spectroscopy#body-wrapper) [raster image correlation spectroscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:raster%20image%20correlation%20spectroscopy#body-wrapper) [calcium dynamics](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:calcium%20dynamics#body-wrapper) [mathematical modeling](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:mathematical%20modeling#body-wrapper) [![](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/images/5/e/c/f/9/5ecf964d15951d7d7815a3bdf029c40d0f765faf-fitsa-drawing-small.png)](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250418-paper-sci-adv-pmid40249821) 18th Apr 2025 ### [Published paper: Introducing FITSA - a faster, gentler Bayesian alternative to FCS for molecular fluorescence analysis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250418-paper-sci-adv-pmid40249821) ## Statistical analysis of fluorescence intensity transients with Bayesian methods. Hamed Karimi, Martin Laasmaa, Margus Pihlak, Marko Vendelin *Sci Adv*, 2025 Apr 18; 11(16): eads4609. - PMID: [40249821](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40249821/) - DOI: [10.1126/sciadv.ads4609](https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ads4609) ## Abstract Molecular movement and interactions at the singl... [paper](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:paper#body-wrapper) [fluorescence correlation spectroscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:fluorescence%20correlation%20spectroscopy#body-wrapper) [FITSA](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:FITSA#body-wrapper) [bayesian inference](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:bayesian%20inference#body-wrapper) [fluorescence microscopy](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:fluorescence%20microscopy#body-wrapper) [molecular diffusion](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/tag:molecular%20diffusion#body-wrapper) --- ## Navigation - Previous: [Members](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/people.md) - Next: [Publications](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/publications.md) - Children: - [Published paper: Mitochondria form precise, muscle-specific patterns](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/050301-paper-am-j-physiol-cell-physiol-pmid15496480.md) - [Published paper: 3D mapping reveals contrasting mitochondrial patterns in heart cells](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/061201-paper-am-j-physiol-cell-physiol-pmid16822946.md) - [Published paper: Automatic regularization advances confocal image deconvolution](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/110801-paper-j-microsc-pmid21323670.md) - [Published paper: Heart-cell imaging reveals intracellular barriers to molecular diffusion](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/111102-paper-biophys-j-pmid22067148.md) - [Published paper: Heart energy model tests the limits of oxygen-labeling flux measurements](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/120101-paper-plos-comput-biol-pmid23236266.md) - [Published paper: Internal barriers organize molecular movement in heart cells](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/120222-paper-biophys-j-pmid22385844.md) - [Published paper: Simulations model the mitochondrial creatine kinase-ANT partnership](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/120302-paper-j-biol-chem-pmid22241474.md) - [Published paper: ADP protects stressed heart mitochondria](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/130101-paper-plos-one-pmid24349464.md) - [Published paper: Robust image-based sarcomere measurements during heart-cell contraction](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/130301-paper-am-j-physiol-cell-physiol-pmid23255581.md) - [Published paper: Creatine deficiency leaves cardiac energy organization intact](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/130815-paper-am-j-physiol-heart-circ-physiol-pmid23792673.md) - [Published paper: Where energy compartments shape communication in heart cells](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/140101-paper-front-physiol-pmid25324784.md) - [Published paper: Glycolysis powers Na+/K+-ATPase in heart cells](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/140101-paper-plos-one-pmid24932585.md) - [Paper published: A new thermodynamically consistent framework for cooperative muscle contraction](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/150101-paper-plos-one-pmid26361396.md) - [Published paper: Cytoplasmic and mitochondrial barriers jointly restrict heart-cell energy transfer](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/160801-paper-j-mol-cell-cardiol-pmid27261153.md) - [Published paper: A new method maps calcium fluxes in heart cells](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/161101-paper-j-mol-cell-cardiol-pmid27702573.md) - [Published paper: Trout heart cells reveal a distinct mitochondrial energy pathway](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/170101-paper-j-comp-physiol-b-pmid27522222.md) - [Published paper: IOCBIO Sparks, a new open-source tool for calcium spark analysis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/190101-paper-peerj-pmid30956900.md) - [Published paper: Heart-cell respiration shows no sex differences but depends on metabolic substrates](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/190829-paper-sci-rep-pmid31467353.md) - [Published paper: Pacemaker pulse study](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/190916-paper-sci-rep-pmid31527628.md) - [Published paper: Regulatory-unit interactions dominate cardiac muscle cooperativity](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/200326-paper-sci-rep-pmid32218497.md) - [Published paper: Creatine-deficiency models reveal distinct muscle effects](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/200514-paper-sci-rep-pmid32409787.md) - [IOCBIO Sparks updated](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/201126-iocbio-sparks-update.md) - [Published paper: IOCBIO Kinetics enables repeatable, FAIR analysis of biological data traces](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/201201-paper-plos-comput-biol-pmid33351800.md) - [Published paper: Creatine rescues calcium handling in heart cells](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/210201-paper-am-j-physiol-heart-circ-physiol-pmid33275525.md) - [Published paper: How creatine deficiency changes heart energy transfer](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/210201-paper-am-j-physiol-heart-circ-physiol-pmid33337958.md) - [Jekaterina Stolova defended her MSc thesis on calcium-regulating proteins in creatine-deficient heart cells](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/220602-thesis-jekaterina-stolova-msc.md) - [Four theses defended in Applied Physics](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/220615-theses-applied-physics.md) - [Jelena Branovets defended her doctoral thesis on cardiac energetics and calcium handling](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/220929-jelena-branovets-phd-thesis.md) - [Physiology in Focus 2023](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/221101-physiology-in-focus-2023.md) - [Published paper: How developing heart cells optimize internal communication](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/221121-paper-philos-trans-r-soc-lond-b-biol-sci-pmid36189816.md) - [Kaarel Beljaev defended his BSc thesis on diffusion in fixed cardiomyocytes](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/230118-thesis-kaarel-beljaev-bsc.md) - [Three theses defended in Applied Physics](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/230608-theses-applied-physics.md) - [Kärol Soodla defended her BSc thesis on creatine deficiency and skeletal muscle](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/230608-thesis-karol-soodla-bsc.md) - [Published paper: Female and male heart cells differ in calcium-channel organization](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/230901-paper-j-physiol-pmid37561554.md) - [Published paper: IOCBIO Gel makes gel-image analysis reproducible](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/231020-paper-bmc-biol-pmid37864184.md) - [Three theses defended in Applied Physics](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/240605-theses-applied-physics.md) - [Triinu Rätsepso defended her BSc thesis on sarcolipin in creatine-deficient mice](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/240607-thesis-triinu-ratsepso-bsc.md) - [Published paper: Open-source IOCBIO Gel protocol for reproducible gel-image analysis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/240820-paper-bio-protoc-pmid39210956.md) - [Published paper: Cellular compartments shape cardiac energy-enzyme activity](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/241101-paper-febs-lett-pmid39112921.md) - [Paper published: Muscle type challenges expected AMPK regulatory mechanisms](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250101-paper-am-j-physiol-endocrinol-metab-pmid39607028.md) - [Published paper: Introducing FITSA - a faster, gentler Bayesian alternative to FCS for molecular fluorescence analysis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250418-paper-sci-adv-pmid40249821.md) - [Three theses defended in Applied Physics](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250611-theses-applied-physics.md) - [Two theses defended in chemistry and biotechnology programmes](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250611-theses-chemistry-biotechnology.md) - [Looking for PhD student to study intracellular heterogeneity](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250630-looking-for-phd-student.md) - [Published paper: Lifelong creatine deficiency does not cause heart failure](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/250801-paper-am-j-physiol-heart-circ-physiol-pmid40657789.md) - [Romain Bernasconi defended his doctoral thesis on muscle adaptation to creatine deficiency](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/251203-romain-bernasconi-phd-thesis.md) - [Published paper: IOCBIO FCS, an Open-Source Platform for Unified FCS and RICS Analysis](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260331-paper-acs-omega-pmid41939380.md) - [Hamed Karimi defended his doctoral thesis on fluorescence-based diffusion measurements](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260512-hamed-karimi-phd-thesis.md) - [Four theses defended in Applied Physics and Data Science](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260615-theses-applied-physics.md) - [Two theses defended in Applied Chemistry and Gene Technology](https://sysbio.taltech.ee/news/260615-theses-gene-technology.md)