Our group studies the structure of chromosomes, and how DNA is packed with proteins (chromatin) in the cell nucleus. The state of chromatin determines how cells can express specific genes. Cells are different because they express some genes but not others (all cells in the same organism contain the same genes). Moreover, cells remember which genes to express for long times, and thus they maintain their identity and personality. When they do not do this, they can start to divide too much (tumors) or simply they perform erratically (degenerative diseases of various kinds). Very recently, we found that chromatin can also be used for signalling outside of the cell: HMGB1, a chromatin component, can be leaked out of necrotic cells and signal traumatic tissue damage. Well, chromatin always has the last cry!