Julie Lessard, Université de Montréal

Research

Swi/Snf Complexes E2a Smarcd1 Aging Cell Fate Determination Hematopoiesis Immune Rejuvenation Lymphoid Priming

Latest papers

Mutations in ACTL6B Cause Neurodevelopmental Deficits and Epilepsy and Lead to Loss of Dendrites in Human Neurons.
American journal of human genetics · 2019
A mutant allele of the Swi/Snf member BAF250a determines the pool size of fetal liver hemopoietic stem cell populations.
Blood · 2010
Quantitative expression profiling guided by common retroviral insertion sites reveals novel and cell type specific cancer genes in leukemia.
Blood · 2008

All 3 publications

Latest funding

Deciphering SMARCD1's Role in Governing Lineage Decisions in Hematopoiesis
CIHR · 2025 · Nominated PI
$1,128,376
Targeting the SMARCD1-p53 Axis in Pre-B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
CIHR · 2024 · Supervisor
$120,000
Deciphering Epigenetic Biomarkers to Identify Preleukemic Carriers at Risk
CIHR · 2023 · Nominated PI
$449,950

All 6 grants and awards

3 publications.

01

Mutations in ACTL6B Cause Neurodevelopmental Deficits and Epilepsy and Lead to Loss of Dendrites in Human Neurons.

Bell S, Rousseau J, Peng H, Aouabed Z, Priam P, Theroux JF, Jefri M, Tanti A, Wu H, Kolobova I, Silviera H, Manzano-Vargas K, Ehresmann S, Hamdan FF, Hettige N, Zhang X, Antonyan L, Nassif C, Ghaloul-Gonzalez L, Sebastian J, Vockley J, Begtrup AG, Wentzensen IM, Crunk A, Nicholls RD, Herman KC, Deignan JL, Al-Hertani W, Efthymiou S, Salpietro V, Miyake N, Makita Y, Matsumoto N, Østern R, Houge G, Hafström M, Fassi E, Houlden H, Klein Wassink-Ruiter JS, Nelson D, Goldstein A, Dabir T, van Gils J, Bourgeron T, Delorme R, Cooper GM, Martinez JE, Finnila CR, Carmant L, Lortie A, Oegema R, van Gassen K, Mehta SG, Huhle D, Abou Jamra R, Martin S, Brunner HG, Lindhout D, Au M, Graham JM, Coubes C, Turecki G, Gravel S, Mechawar N, Rossignol E, Michaud JL, Lessard J, Ernst C, Campeau PM

American journal of human genetics2019

DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.03.022 PMID: 31031012

02

A mutant allele of the Swi/Snf member BAF250a determines the pool size of fetal liver hemopoietic stem cell populations.

Krosl J, Mamo A, Chagraoui J, Wilhelm BT, Girard S, Louis I, Lessard J, Perreault C, Sauvageau G

Blood2010

DOI: 10.1182/blood-2010-03-273862 PMID: 20522713

03

Quantitative expression profiling guided by common retroviral insertion sites reveals novel and cell type specific cancer genes in leukemia.

Sauvageau M, Miller M, Lemieux S, Lessard J, Hébert J, Sauvageau G

Blood2008

DOI: 10.1182/blood-2007-07-098236 PMID: 17906077

Deciphering SMARCD1's Role in Governing Lineage Decisions in Hematopoiesis

Nominated PICIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Lessard, Julie

Keywords: Aging; Cell Fate Determination; E2a; Hematopoiesis; Immune Rejuvenation; Lymphoid Priming; Myeloid Skewing; Pu.1; Smarcd1; Swi/Snf Complexes

$1,128,376

Targeting the SMARCD1-p53 Axis in Pre-B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

SupervisorCIHR2024Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Côté, Laurence

Keywords: Chromatin Remodeling; Epigenetic; Hematologic Cancers; Leukemia; Metabolism; P53; Pioneer Transcription Factors; Smarcd1; Swi/Snf

$120,000

Deciphering Epigenetic Biomarkers to Identify Preleukemic Carriers at Risk

Nominated PICIHR2023Operating Grant: TRANSCAN-3

Principal investigators: Lessard, Julie

Keywords: B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Early Detection; Environmental Exposure; Epigenetic Biomarkers; Epigenetic Drug Screening; Immune Stressors; Swi/Snf Complexes; V(D)J Chromosomal Rearrangement

$449,950

Targeting the SMARCD1-E2A-p53 Molecular Axis in B-Cell Lymphoma

Nominated PICIHR2020Project Grant

Principal investigators: Lessard, Julie

Keywords: B-Cell Lymphoma; Chromatin Remodeling; E2a; Epistatic Relationships; P53; Smarcd1; Swi/Snf Complexes

$768,826

Deciphering the Roles of the BAF60 Family of Subunits in Hemopoiesis

Nominated PICIHR2013Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Lessard, Julie

Keywords: Affinity Purification; Baf Chromatin Remodeling Complexes; Baf60 Conditional Alleles; Baf60 Family Of Subunits; Chip-Seq; Hemopoietic Chimeras; Hemopoietic Stem Cells; Lymphopoiesis; Rna-Seq; V(D)J Recombination

$817,471

CRC Tier 1

Nominated PICIHR2012Canada Research Chairs - CIHR Funded - Tier 2

Principal investigators: Lessard, Julie

Keywords: Crc Tier 1

$500,000

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

Institut de recherche en immunologie et cancer
Psychiatry
Neurology and Neurosurgery
Neurosciences
Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

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.

Guy Sauvageau

Institut de recherche en immunologie et cancer

2 shared papers, latest 2010

Gustavo Turecki

Psychiatry

1 shared papers, latest 2019

Elsa Rossignol

Neurosciences

1 shared papers, latest 2019

Carl Ernst

Neurology and Neurosurgery

1 shared papers, latest 2019

Naguib Mechawar

Psychiatry

1 shared papers, latest 2019

Martin Sauvageau

Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2008

Claude Perreault

Institut de recherche en immunologie et cancer

1 shared papers, latest 2010

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 2025

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Swi/Snf Complexes Dear Professor Lessard, 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 "Mutations in ACTL6B Cause Neurodevelopmental Deficits and Epilepsy and Lead to Loss of Dendrites in Human Neurons." (2019), 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 "Deciphering SMARCD1's Role in Governing Lineage Decisions in Hematopoiesis" (2025), 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]