Cedric Feschotte
@cedricfeschotte.bsky.social
Prof at Cornell, #firstgen, immigrant 🇫🇷🇺🇸. Transposons, viruses, and all the cool stuff genomes are made of. https://www.feschottelab.com
Pinned
Pervasive cis-regulatory co-option of a transposable element family reinforces cell identity across the mouse immune system
Transposable elements (TEs) make up about half of the human and mouse genomes and play important regulatory roles in immune responses. However, the cis -regulatory contribution of TEs to immune cell d...
www.biorxiv.org
New Year, New Paper!🎊
Pervasive cis-regulatory co-option of a transposable element family reinforces cell identity across the mouse immune system
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Centerpiece of Jason Chobirko's PhD, talented PhD student co-mentored by Andrew Grimson & me. Really excited about it!🧵
Pervasive cis-regulatory co-option of a transposable element family reinforces cell identity across the mouse immune system
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Centerpiece of Jason Chobirko's PhD, talented PhD student co-mentored by Andrew Grimson & me. Really excited about it!🧵
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
Holy shit: it's an RFP for the NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology (PRFB). Hello old friend www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB)
www.nsf.gov
February 5, 2026 at 11:41 PM
Holy shit: it's an RFP for the NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology (PRFB). Hello old friend www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Crushed to hear of Mark Batzer’s passing. He was the Boyd Professor at Louisiana State University. His influential research revealed how mobile elements shape the genomes of humans & other mammals. Mark’s personality, generosity & positivity were larger than life. He lifted everyone up. HUGE loss 💔
January 22, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Crushed to hear of Mark Batzer’s passing. He was the Boyd Professor at Louisiana State University. His influential research revealed how mobile elements shape the genomes of humans & other mammals. Mark’s personality, generosity & positivity were larger than life. He lifted everyone up. HUGE loss 💔
New Year, New Paper!🎊
Pervasive cis-regulatory co-option of a transposable element family reinforces cell identity across the mouse immune system
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Centerpiece of Jason Chobirko's PhD, talented PhD student co-mentored by Andrew Grimson & me. Really excited about it!🧵
Pervasive cis-regulatory co-option of a transposable element family reinforces cell identity across the mouse immune system
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Centerpiece of Jason Chobirko's PhD, talented PhD student co-mentored by Andrew Grimson & me. Really excited about it!🧵
Pervasive cis-regulatory co-option of a transposable element family reinforces cell identity across the mouse immune system
Transposable elements (TEs) make up about half of the human and mouse genomes and play important regulatory roles in immune responses. However, the cis -regulatory contribution of TEs to immune cell d...
www.biorxiv.org
January 7, 2026 at 7:45 PM
New Year, New Paper!🎊
Pervasive cis-regulatory co-option of a transposable element family reinforces cell identity across the mouse immune system
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Centerpiece of Jason Chobirko's PhD, talented PhD student co-mentored by Andrew Grimson & me. Really excited about it!🧵
Pervasive cis-regulatory co-option of a transposable element family reinforces cell identity across the mouse immune system
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Centerpiece of Jason Chobirko's PhD, talented PhD student co-mentored by Andrew Grimson & me. Really excited about it!🧵
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
Born #OnThisDay in 1922, Esther Lederberg was the first to isolate the lambda phage in 1951. She characterised the lysogenic phase, whereby the phage are able to integrate into the bacterial genome, staying dormant. This discovery made them a model tool of study, leading to many more breakthroughs.
December 18, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Born #OnThisDay in 1922, Esther Lederberg was the first to isolate the lambda phage in 1951. She characterised the lysogenic phase, whereby the phage are able to integrate into the bacterial genome, staying dormant. This discovery made them a model tool of study, leading to many more breakthroughs.
Four days of great science, fun interactions, and breathtaking views at #EMBOevoChromo25 in San Feliu 🇪🇸
BIG THX to organizers @arnausebe.bsky.social @tobiaswarnecke.bsky.social & co @levine-lab.bsky.social @sandraduharcourt.bsky.social Nick Irwin 🙏👌
BIG THX to organizers @arnausebe.bsky.social @tobiaswarnecke.bsky.social & co @levine-lab.bsky.social @sandraduharcourt.bsky.social Nick Irwin 🙏👌
December 12, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Four days of great science, fun interactions, and breathtaking views at #EMBOevoChromo25 in San Feliu 🇪🇸
BIG THX to organizers @arnausebe.bsky.social @tobiaswarnecke.bsky.social & co @levine-lab.bsky.social @sandraduharcourt.bsky.social Nick Irwin 🙏👌
BIG THX to organizers @arnausebe.bsky.social @tobiaswarnecke.bsky.social & co @levine-lab.bsky.social @sandraduharcourt.bsky.social Nick Irwin 🙏👌
Room with a view 😍 #EMBOevoChromo25 San Feliu de Guixols 🇪🇸 Stunning!
December 9, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Room with a view 😍 #EMBOevoChromo25 San Feliu de Guixols 🇪🇸 Stunning!
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
How do new centromeres evolve while staying compatible with the division machinery?
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1
November 26, 2025 at 4:21 PM
How do new centromeres evolve while staying compatible with the division machinery?
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1
Couldn’t be more proud of @smleddy.bsky.social who defended her PhD with flying colors this week! In less than 4 years Sabrina spearheaded several projects revealing the fascinating interplay of KRAB-Zinc Finger Proteins with Endogenous AND Exogenous Viruses!
🦀⚔️🦠 Congrats Dr. Leddy!!
🦀⚔️🦠 Congrats Dr. Leddy!!
November 26, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Couldn’t be more proud of @smleddy.bsky.social who defended her PhD with flying colors this week! In less than 4 years Sabrina spearheaded several projects revealing the fascinating interplay of KRAB-Zinc Finger Proteins with Endogenous AND Exogenous Viruses!
🦀⚔️🦠 Congrats Dr. Leddy!!
🦀⚔️🦠 Congrats Dr. Leddy!!
TE x ZFP = Evolution!
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
November 18, 2025 at 3:16 PM
TE x ZFP = Evolution!
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
Writing this with Olga @orpsf.bsky.social & Didier @trono-lab.bsky.social was a major highlight of my 🇨🇭sabbatical. Such a treat! 🍫Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy piecing it together.
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
Our NY area population genetics meeting is back and "upgraded", as Simons Foundation @simonsfoundation.org generously agreed to host. Please save the date: March 9, 2026. Look forward to seeing many of you from NY and beyond.
SAVE THE DATE: the yearly NY Population Genetics meeting will be back on March 9 2026, generously hosted by the
@simonsfoundation.org. Details to follow. Please RT.
@simonsfoundation.org. Details to follow. Please RT.
November 14, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Our NY area population genetics meeting is back and "upgraded", as Simons Foundation @simonsfoundation.org generously agreed to host. Please save the date: March 9, 2026. Look forward to seeing many of you from NY and beyond.
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
As we mourn Jane Goodall, this @nature.com article explores three ways in which she changed science:
1. Altering the way we view both other primates and ourselves
2. Inspiring generations of women scientists
3. Communicating science in a way that engaged the public
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
1. Altering the way we view both other primates and ourselves
2. Inspiring generations of women scientists
3. Communicating science in a way that engaged the public
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Jane Goodall’s legacy: three ways she changed science
The primatologist challenged what it meant to be a scientist.
www.nature.com
October 2, 2025 at 11:53 AM
As we mourn Jane Goodall, this @nature.com article explores three ways in which she changed science:
1. Altering the way we view both other primates and ourselves
2. Inspiring generations of women scientists
3. Communicating science in a way that engaged the public
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
1. Altering the way we view both other primates and ourselves
2. Inspiring generations of women scientists
3. Communicating science in a way that engaged the public
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
Out after peer review, collaborative study from Nordborg & Weigel labs with help from many others. Not the largest collection of new Arabidopsis thaliana genomes, but we hopefully put forward some good ideas for how to think about pangenomes and their analysis!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
August 20, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Out after peer review, collaborative study from Nordborg & Weigel labs with help from many others. Not the largest collection of new Arabidopsis thaliana genomes, but we hopefully put forward some good ideas for how to think about pangenomes and their analysis!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
Thrilled to share what we learned from re-annotating the mobilome of the brown algae model [Ectocarpus] 🌊🌿🏖️
genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
A wonderful collaboration with @ericadinatale.bsky.social, @cssmartinho.bsky.social, @rorycraig.bsky.social, and Susana Coelho! 🎉
genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
A wonderful collaboration with @ericadinatale.bsky.social, @cssmartinho.bsky.social, @rorycraig.bsky.social, and Susana Coelho! 🎉
October 2, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Thrilled to share what we learned from re-annotating the mobilome of the brown algae model [Ectocarpus] 🌊🌿🏖️
genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
A wonderful collaboration with @ericadinatale.bsky.social, @cssmartinho.bsky.social, @rorycraig.bsky.social, and Susana Coelho! 🎉
genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
A wonderful collaboration with @ericadinatale.bsky.social, @cssmartinho.bsky.social, @rorycraig.bsky.social, and Susana Coelho! 🎉
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
1/8 Our new paper w/ Drs. Caixia Gao & Gogo Liu groups reveals how #CRISPR-Cas12 systems evolved from transposon-encoded TnpB nucleases through RNA splitting by analyzing “TranC” systems (evolutionary intermediates bridging selfish elements and adaptive immunity). #Evolution
Now online! Functional RNA splitting drove the evolutionary emergence of type V CRISPR-Cas systems from transposons
Functional RNA splitting drove the evolutionary emergence of type V CRISPR-Cas systems from transposons
Identification of TranC systems reveals evolutionary intermediates bridging from transposon-encoded TnpBs and CRISPR-Cas12 effectors. Evolutionary, structural, and functional analyses show that RNA splitting into tracrRNA and crRNA was a pivotal step in the emergence of type V CRISPR systems.
dlvr.it
October 1, 2025 at 10:35 AM
1/8 Our new paper w/ Drs. Caixia Gao & Gogo Liu groups reveals how #CRISPR-Cas12 systems evolved from transposon-encoded TnpB nucleases through RNA splitting by analyzing “TranC” systems (evolutionary intermediates bridging selfish elements and adaptive immunity). #Evolution
Enchanted by the serene beauty of the Princeton campus and inspired by the creativity and generosity of the scientists I’ve met throughout this visit. Such a privilege to visit all these amazing places to present our science! Thanks Ricardo Mallarino for hosting me!
September 25, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Enchanted by the serene beauty of the Princeton campus and inspired by the creativity and generosity of the scientists I’ve met throughout this visit. Such a privilege to visit all these amazing places to present our science! Thanks Ricardo Mallarino for hosting me!
📣 Our department is hiring an Assistant Professor in Evolutionary Cell and Molecular Biology to join the @weillinstitute.bsky.social PLS spread the word!
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30607
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30607
Cornell University, Molecular Biology & Genetics
Job #AJO30607, WDR-00055221 Assistant Professor, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, US
academicjobsonline.org
September 23, 2025 at 12:50 PM
📣 Our department is hiring an Assistant Professor in Evolutionary Cell and Molecular Biology to join the @weillinstitute.bsky.social PLS spread the word!
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30607
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30607
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
Please re-post:
Interested in chromatin and its evolution? Good news! There's still time to join us in beautiful Catalonia (9-12 Dec) to discuss eukaryotic, bacterial, archaeal, and viral chromatin and how it all hangs together meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
Abstract deadline: 30 September
Interested in chromatin and its evolution? Good news! There's still time to join us in beautiful Catalonia (9-12 Dec) to discuss eukaryotic, bacterial, archaeal, and viral chromatin and how it all hangs together meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
Abstract deadline: 30 September
EvoChromo: Evolutionary approaches to research in chromatin
Chromatin is the complex of DNA, RNA and protein that is found making up the chromosomes in eukaryotic cells. Chromatin is essential for proper genome function and is involved in chromosome segregati…
meetings.embo.org
September 8, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Please re-post:
Interested in chromatin and its evolution? Good news! There's still time to join us in beautiful Catalonia (9-12 Dec) to discuss eukaryotic, bacterial, archaeal, and viral chromatin and how it all hangs together meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
Abstract deadline: 30 September
Interested in chromatin and its evolution? Good news! There's still time to join us in beautiful Catalonia (9-12 Dec) to discuss eukaryotic, bacterial, archaeal, and viral chromatin and how it all hangs together meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
Abstract deadline: 30 September
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
In these dark times, it comes as a rare pleasure to highlight @natanaels.bsky.social & @marcdemanuel.bsky.social's work on germline and somatic mutations in humans. 1/n
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Collateral mutagenesis funnels multiple sources of DNA damage into a ubiquitous mutational signature
Mutations reflect the net effects of myriad types of damage, replication errors, and repair mechanisms, and thus are expected to differ across cell types with distinct exposures to mutagens, division ...
www.biorxiv.org
September 2, 2025 at 11:44 AM
In these dark times, it comes as a rare pleasure to highlight @natanaels.bsky.social & @marcdemanuel.bsky.social's work on germline and somatic mutations in humans. 1/n
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Kathy Burns kicks off #MGEMBL25 in beautiful Woods Hole, MA. It’s the 5th iteration of this meeting on mobile genetic elements devotedly spearheaded by Irina Arkhipova. Grateful and excited to be back here!
August 28, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Kathy Burns kicks off #MGEMBL25 in beautiful Woods Hole, MA. It’s the 5th iteration of this meeting on mobile genetic elements devotedly spearheaded by Irina Arkhipova. Grateful and excited to be back here!
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
Our work "Aquarius helicase facilitates HIV-1 integration into R-loop enriched genomic regions" is out @natmicrobiol.nature.com, showing HIV-1 integration into R-loop genomic regions upon their resolution by cellular splicing helicase Aquarius (AQR) of the Intron Binding Complex (IBC)🧵.
August 20, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Our work "Aquarius helicase facilitates HIV-1 integration into R-loop enriched genomic regions" is out @natmicrobiol.nature.com, showing HIV-1 integration into R-loop genomic regions upon their resolution by cellular splicing helicase Aquarius (AQR) of the Intron Binding Complex (IBC)🧵.
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
#zebrafish genome update, our T2T assembly of the inbred strain of AB (M-AB) generated by my buddy Nori Sakai has now been released at NCBI and will be a second reference genome for zebrafish (GRCz12ab):
JBQAYU000000000.1 Danio rerio :: NCBI
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
August 15, 2025 at 4:17 PM
#zebrafish genome update, our T2T assembly of the inbred strain of AB (M-AB) generated by my buddy Nori Sakai has now been released at NCBI and will be a second reference genome for zebrafish (GRCz12ab):
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
1/ How do animals develop immunity against a newly encountered transposable element from scratch? Our study reveals that the mobility of TEs is their Achilles heel, allowing hosts to develop a powerful small RNA-mediated silencing response.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
August 14, 2025 at 5:09 PM
1/ How do animals develop immunity against a newly encountered transposable element from scratch? Our study reveals that the mobility of TEs is their Achilles heel, allowing hosts to develop a powerful small RNA-mediated silencing response.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
One of my all-time faves
Evolution is more like a tinkerer than an engineer. New things happen not by perfect engineering but by working with what's already available and repurposing existing objects through recombinations and modifications. This is a classic lesson for any kind of innovation, including that of new ideas..
August 13, 2025 at 2:37 AM
One of my all-time faves
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
Smart! A Raven doing Raven things.
August 12, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Smart! A Raven doing Raven things.
Reposted by Cedric Feschotte
Wonderful (and humble) essay on mentorship by Brandon Gaut, on occasion of Brandon receiving the inaugural Mentorship Award of @genetics-gsa.bsky.social. I hope this will be widely read!
academic.oup.com/genetics/art...
academic.oup.com/genetics/art...
August 10, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Wonderful (and humble) essay on mentorship by Brandon Gaut, on occasion of Brandon receiving the inaugural Mentorship Award of @genetics-gsa.bsky.social. I hope this will be widely read!
academic.oup.com/genetics/art...
academic.oup.com/genetics/art...