Phase separation, which is one of the models proposed to explain TF-mediated small enhancer-promoter interactions67–69, was supported by two recently published papers: Ahn et al. reported that phase-separated NUP98–HOXA9, a homeodomain-containing transcription factor chimera recurrently detected in leukemias, induces CTCF-independent chromatin loops that are enriched at proto-oncogenes70. The gene discussed is CTCF; the disease is leukemia.