Jacques Drouin, Université de Montréal

Research

Pituitary Pomc Chromatin Cell Fate Reprogramming Melanotrope Pax7 Tpit Cell Differentiation

Latest papers

Cushing syndrome.
Nature reviews. Disease primers · 2025
Pioneer factor Pax7 initiates two-step cell-cycle-dependent chromatin opening.
Nature structural & molecular biology · 2024 · senior author
Pioneer factors - key regulators of chromatin and gene expression.
Nature reviews. Genetics · 2023

All 12 publications

Latest funding

How do pioneer factors open chromatin?
CIHR · 2024 · Nominated PI
$1,235,476
How do pioneer factor open chromatin?
CIHR · 2023 · Nominated PI
$100,000
Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of pituitary deveopment, function and disease
CIHR · 2016 · Nominated PI
$3,640,137

All 11 grants and awards

12 publications.

01

Cushing syndrome.

Nieman LK, Castinetti F, Newell-Price J, Valassi E, Drouin J, Takahashi Y, Lacroix A

Nature reviews. Disease primers2025

DOI: 10.1038/s41572-024-00588-w PMID: 39848955

02

Pioneer factor Pax7 initiates two-step cell-cycle-dependent chromatin opening.

Gouhier A, Dumoulin-Gagnon J, Lapointe-Roberge V, Harris J, Balsalobre A, Drouin J

Nature structural & molecular biology2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01152-y PMID: 38177665

03

Pioneer factors - key regulators of chromatin and gene expression.

Bulyk ML, Drouin J, Harrison MM, Taipale J, Zaret KS

Nature reviews. Genetics2023

DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00648-z PMID: 37740118

04

Pioneer factors as master regulators of the epigenome and cell fate.

Balsalobre A, Drouin J

Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00464-z PMID: 35264768

05

Control of mouse limb initiation and antero-posterior patterning by Meis transcription factors.

Delgado I, Giovinazzo G, Temiño S, Gauthier Y, Balsalobre A, Drouin J, Torres M

Nature communications2021

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23373-9 PMID: 34035267

06

Human iPSC-derived Down syndrome astrocytes display genome-wide perturbations in gene expression, an altered adhesion profile, and increased cellular dynamics.

Ponroy Bally B, Farmer WT, Jones EV, Jessa S, Kacerovsky JB, Mayran A, Peng H, Lefebvre JL, Drouin J, Hayer A, Ernst C, Murai KK

Human molecular genetics2020

DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa003 PMID: 31943018

07

Pioneer and nonpioneer factor cooperation drives lineage specific chromatin opening.

Mayran A, Sochodolsky K, Khetchoumian K, Harris J, Gauthier Y, Bemmo A, Balsalobre A, Drouin J

Nature communications2019Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11791-9 PMID: 31444346

08

Shh signaling influences the phenotype of Pitx1-/- hindlimbs.

Nemec S, Sung AH, Drouin J

Developmental biology2018Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.04.024 PMID: 29705333

09

Regulatory integration of Hox factor activity with T-box factors in limb development.

Jain D, Nemec S, Luxey M, Gauthier Y, Bemmo A, Balsalobre A, Drouin J

Development (Cambridge, England)2018Senior author

DOI: 10.1242/dev.159830 PMID: 29490982

10

Pioneer factor Pax7 deploys a stable enhancer repertoire for specification of cell fate.

Mayran A, Khetchoumian K, Hariri F, Pastinen T, Gauthier Y, Balsalobre A, Drouin J

Nature genetics2018Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41588-017-0035-2 PMID: 29358650

How do pioneer factors open chromatin?

Nominated PICIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Drouin, Jacques

Keywords: Cell Fate Reprogramming; Chromatin; Epigenetics,; Melanotrope; Pax7; Pioneer Transcription Factors; Pituitary; Pomc; Tpit

$1,235,476

How do pioneer factor open chromatin?

Nominated PICIHR2023Operating Grant - PA: Genetics (Bridge Funding: Research Priorities)

Principal investigators: Drouin, Jacques

Keywords: Cell Fate Reprogramming; Chromatin; Epigenetics; Melanotrope; Pax7; Pioneer Transcription Factor; Pituitary; Pomc; Tpit

$100,000

Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of pituitary deveopment, function and disease

Nominated PICIHR2016Foundation Grant

Principal investigators: Drouin, Jacques

Keywords: Cell Differentiation; Chromatin Remodeling; Cushing Disease; Development; Gene Expression; Genomics; Hormone Deficiencies; Pituitary; Pomc; Transcription

$3,640,137

Genomics of ubiquitin system alterations in ACTH-dependent Cushing disease

Nominated PICIHR2015Team Grant: E-Rare Joint Transnational Call

Principal investigators: Drouin, Jacques

Keywords: Acth; Cushing; Hormone Resistance; Pituitary; Pomc; Protein Turnover

$324,456

Transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms for differentiation of pituitary POMC cells

Nominated PICIHR2012Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Drouin, Jacques

Keywords: Cell Differentiation; Chromatin; Pax; Pioneer Factor; Pituitary; Pomc; Repression; Tbox; Transcriptional Coactivators

$841,860

Pathways controlling POMC cell function and transcription

Nominated PICIHR2012Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Drouin, Jacques

Keywords: Crh; Hormone Action; Hormone Deficiency; Orphan Nuclear Receptors; Pituitary; Pomc; Retinoblastoma (Rb); Smads - Fgf - Lif - Stat - Bmp; Transcriptional Coactivators; Transgenic Mice

$737,395

Mechanisms of limb specification

Nominated PICIHR2012Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Drouin, Jacques

Keywords: Homeobox Genes; Knockout Mice; Limb Development

$859,005

12th International Conference on Limb Development and Regeneration

Nominated PICIHR2011Dissemination Events - PA: Musculoskeletal Hlth, Arthritis, Skin & Oral Health

Principal investigators: Drouin, Jacques

Keywords: Genetics; Limb Development; Malformation; Patterning; Regeneration

$12,783

Multidimensional Epigenomics Mapping Centre (EMC) at McGill

Co-investigatorCIHR2011CEEHRC Epigenomics Platform - Epigenomic Mapping Centres (EMC)

Principal investigators: Lathrop, Mark; Meaney, Michael J; Pastinen, Tomi

Keywords: Epigenomics

$5,665,000

Pathways controlling POMC cell function and transcription

Nominated PICIHR2010Operating Grant - PA: Institute of Genetics (Bridge Funding)

Principal investigators: Drouin, Jacques

Keywords: Crh; Hormone Action; Hormone Deficiency; Orphan Nuclear Receptors; Pituitary; Pomc; Retinoblastoma (Rb); Smads - Fgf - Lif - Stat - Bmp; Transcriptional Coactivators; Transgenic Mice

$100,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Molecular Genetics
Human Genetics
Biology
Neurology and Neurosurgery

Co-authors at Université de Montréal, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Tomi Pastinen

Human Genetics

2 shared papers, latest 2018

Carl Ernst

Neurology and Neurosurgery

1 shared papers, latest 2020

Arnold Hayer

Biology

1 shared papers, latest 2020

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2024

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Pituitary Dear Professor Drouin, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Cushing syndrome." (2025), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "How do pioneer factors open chromatin?" (2024), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]