Jean-Pierre Etchegaray is a molecular biologist and a new Rutgers faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences at the School or Arts and Sciences-Newark (SASN). His research focuses on understanding epigenetics and transcriptional mechanisms underlying cell fate changes in the contexts of embryonic development, cancer and aging. Jean-Pierre obtained his doctorate degree from Rutgers University and continued his academic career as a postdoctoral fellow in the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Cancer Research (CCR) and MGH Center for Regenerative Medicine (CRM) at Harvard Medical School. The Etchegaray Lab uses mouse models to elucidate epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms regulating in vivo somatic cellular reprogramming, cellular dedifferentiation during tumorigenesis and restoration of aging hallmarks. Additionally, his lab uses mouse models carrying a circadian reporter gene to determine the role of circadian clock rhythms in cell fate transitions and its impact on disease. The Etchegaray Lab is currently using real-time monitoring of circadian rhythms in cells, three-dimensional (3D) organoids and tissue explants to identify new epigenetic and transcriptional programs involved in embryogenesis, cancer and aging that are regulated by the biological clock.
  
The Etchegaray Lab has been collaborating projects on epigenetic studies using mouse models with other faculty members in the Department of Biological Sciences including Drs. Nan Gao and Tracy Tran. They also have an exciting collaboration about epigenetic mechanisms in the formation of cancer stem cells with Dr. Pranela Rameshwar in the Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS). 

Interviewer(s):
                                                 
Peter Condobery., BVSc.&AH., MS., ECFVG.                        
Chief Clinical Veterinarian                                                     
Email: Condobpk@research.rutgers.edu                                 

Suresh Bhatt , M.V.Sc., RLATG, CMAR
Veterinary Technologist