What I do:

In 1988, Benoit launched his career as an independent researcher at Université de Sherbrooke on alternative RNA splicing, a process that reconfigures the architecture of precursor-mRNAs to enhance protein and functional diversity. In 1993, Benoit published a landmark study (Genes & Development; 460 citations) documenting how a now recognized major group of splicing regulators, the SR proteins, work to regulate alternative splicing. In 1994, his team reported the first description of the in vivo activity of a mammalian splicing regulator. This regulator, an hnRNP protein, is a member of a family of proteins that became known as the second major group of splicing regulators (PNAS 1994; 263 citations). Over the next decade, Benoit’s group unveiled numerous novel regulatory elements and factors with unexpected roles, including that of eliciting RNA looping to reconfigure the presentation of splice sites to affect their selection. Original papers reporting this model, as well as a prominent review article have been cited collectively over 1000 times. In the period covering 2005 to 2018, his laboratory focused on investigating the alternative splicing of Bcl-x, which produces pro-life and pro-death splice variants. His team identified novel effectors, collaboration and antagonism between them, and converging pathways linking DNA damage with splicing decisions that were not only relevant to Bcl-x splicing but to other transcripts implicated in apoptosis, cell-cycle control and DNA repair. These findings were reported in JBC (4), MCB (3), NSMB, Sc. Reports, Mol. Cancer Therap. and Cell Reports. His studies provided original insights into how DNA damage rewires the circuitry of splicing factors to produce partnerships that coordinate alternative splicing across processes crucial for cell fate.

Ask me about:

In addition to launching a biotech company in 2000 dedicated to combating cancer, Benoit implemented an innovative way to control splicing decisions of cancer-relevant genes through the use of interfering and stimulatory bifunctional oligonucleotides (with publications in JBC 2003, BMC Biotechnology 2006, NSMB 2011, and NAR 2014). More recently, in part through collaborations with academic researchers in Vancouver, Toronto, as well as a pharmaceutical company in the USA, he has used small molecules to reprogram splicing as a way to antagonize cancer growth and viral replication (NAR 2016, PLoS Pathogens 2020, NAR Cancer 2021, Viruses 2021, Frontiers in Microbiology 2021, Retrovirology 2022, J. Virol. 2023, Oncotarget 2024, PLoS One 2024).

Why me:

Benoit Chabot’s illustrious career spans over four decades of groundbreaking research in RNA biology, with a primary focus on alternative RNA splicing. His scientific journey began with his Ph.D. work at Yale University, where he made significant discoveries about U2 snRNP binding to intron branch sites. As an independent researcher at Université de Sherbrooke, Benoit has made landmark contributions to understanding splicing regulators, including SR proteins and hnRNP proteins. His research has unveiled novel regulatory elements and mechanisms in alternative splicing, particularly in the context of the Bcl-x gene and its role in cell fate decisions. Benoit’s work has also explored the intricate connections between splicing and other cellular processes, such as transcription and telomere biology. In recent years, his research has expanded into translational areas, investigating splicing misregulation in cancers and developing innovative approaches to modulate splicing for therapeutic purposes. Throughout his career, Benoit has demonstrated a remarkable ability to integrate concepts from different fields, leading to high-impact discoveries that have shaped our understanding of RNA biology and its implications in health and disease.

Fun facts:

https://www.rnasociety.org/professor-benoit-chabot He was Director of both the RNA Group and the Université de Sherbrooke Research Centre on RNA Biology. The RNA Group, which he created in 1994, has grown steadily over the years into one of Canada’s leading centres for RNA research. Its Outreach Program, known as the RiboClub, organizes a pan-canadian seminar series for students and post-docs. The annual meeting of the RiboClub celebrated this year its 25th edition with over 500 participants in Ottawa (including several Gairdner awardees and Nobel laureates). His sense of service has not abated; in 2022, Benoit played a key role in drafting documents and developing a promotion program that led to the creation of RNA Canada ARN, a network connecting over 300 RNA scientists from 20 universities and several companies across Canada. In August 2024, Benoit was appointed to represent the health sciences sector on the Board of Directors of the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ), the largest funding organization for university research in Quebec.

Sector: Academia (Post Secondary)

English proficiency: Read, Write, Speak

French proficiency: Read, Write, Speak

Title: Professor

Gender: Male

Demographic: