Cedric Feschotte

Barbara McClintock Professor, Molecular Biology and Genetics

Department Leader of Diversity and Inclusion, Molecular Biology and Genetics

About
Selected Publications

Cedric Feschotte is a Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. Dr. Feschotte is a member of the Graduate Field of Genetics, Genomics and Development and a member of the Graduate Field of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology. The Feschotte lab studies mobile genetic elements, such as transposons and endogenous viruses, primarily in the genomes of vertebrates, including humans.

Recent Research

I have 20 years of experience studying mobile genetic elements. My laboratory employs an integrative approach to study transposons and endogenous viruses primarily in vertebrates, including humans. The overarching goal is to characterize the impact of these elements on the evolution and physiology of their host species – including disease states. We use an integrative approach combining functional and computational genomics, biochemistry, and genetics in model systems (zebrafish, cell culture) to investigate how mobile element sequences have fueled the emergence of biological novelty during evolution. These encompass both protein-coding and noncoding regulatory sequences repurposed to facilitate the remodeling of processes as fundamental as innate immunity and development. We also have a long-standing interest in deciphering the forces and mechanisms underlying the propagation of mobile elements within and between species, and the long-term consequences of these activities in shaping genome architecture and complexity.

Courses Taught

BIOMG 7810: Critical Thinking in Genetics and Development
BIOG 4990: Independent Undergraduate Research in Biology

Selected Publications

S Srivastav, C Feschotte, A Clark (2024) Rapid evolution of piRNA clusters in the Drosophila melanogaster ovary. Genome Research 34:711-724

JN Wells, NC Chang, J McCormick, C Coleman, N Ramos, B Jin, C Feschotte (2023) Transposable elements drive the evolution of metazoan zinc finger genes. Genome Research 33:1325-1339

Angileri KM, Bagia NA, Feschotte C (2022) Transposon control as a checkpoint for tissue regeneration. Development 149(22):DEV191957

Frank JA, Singh M, Cullen HB, Kirou RA, Benkaddour-Boumzaouad M, Cortes JL, Garcia-Perez J, Coyne CB, Feschotte C. Evolution and antiviral activity of a human placental protein of retroviral origin. Science 378:422-428

Fueyo R. Judd JA, Feschotte C, Wysocka J (2022) Transposable elements shape and illuminate mammalian transcriptional regulation. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 7:481-497

Carter TA, Singh M, Dumbovic G, Chobirko JD, Rinn JL, Feschotte C (2022) Mosaic cis-regulatory evolution drives transcriptional partitioning of HERVH human endogenous retrovirus in the human embryo. eLIFE 11:e76257

Chang NC, Rovira Q, Wells JN, Feschotte C, Vaquerizas JM (2022) Zebrafish transposable elements show extensive diversification in age, genomic distribution, and developmental expression. Genome Research 32:1408-1423

Judd JA, Sanderson H, Feschotte C (2021) Evolution of mouse circadian enhancers from transposable elements. Genome Biology 22:193

Cosby RL, Judd JA, Zhang R, Zhong A, Garry N, Pritham EJ, Feschotte C (2021) Recurrent evolution of vertebrate transcription factors by transposase capture. Science 371: eabc6405

Wells JN, Feschotte C (2020) A Field Guide to Eukaryotic Transposable Elements. Annual Review of Genetics 54:539-561

Singh M, Bansal V, Feschotte C (2020) A single-cell RNA expression map of human coronavirus entry factors. Cell Reports 32:108175

Flynn JM, Hubley R, Goubert C, Rosen J, Clark AG, Feschotte C & Smit AF (2020) RepeatModeler2: automated genomic discovery of transposable element families. PNAS 117:9451-9457

Pastuzyn ED, Day CE, Kearns RB, Kyrke-Smith M, Taibi AV, McCormick J, Yoder N, Belnap DM, Erlendsson S, Morado DR, Briggs JAG, Feschotte C, & Shepherd JD (2018) The neuronal gene Arc encodes a repurposed retrotransposon Gag protein that mediates cell-to-cell transmission of RNA. Cell 172:275-288

Chuong EB, Elde NC & Feschotte C (2017) Regulatory activities of transposable elements: from conflicts to benefits. Nature Reviews Genetics 18:71-86

Kapusta A, Suh A, Feschotte C (2017) Dynamics of genome size evolution in birds and mammals. PNAS 114:1460-1469

Chuong EB, Elde NC & Feschotte C (2016) Regulatory evolution of innate immunity through co-option of endogenous retroviruses. Science 351:1087-1087

Kapusta A, Kronenberg Z, Lynch VJ, Zhuo X, Ramsay L, Bourque G, Yandell M & Feschotte C (2013) Transposable elements are major contributors to the origin, diversification, and regulation of vertebrate long noncoding RNAs. PLOS Genetics 9:e1003470

Gilbert C & Feschotte C (2010) Genomic fossils calibrate the long-term evolution of Hepadnaviruses. PLOS Biology 8:e1000495

Gilbert C, Schaack S, Pace JK II, Brindley PJ & Feschotte C (2010) A role for host-parasite interactions in the horizontal transfer of DNA transposons across animal phyla. Nature 464:1347-1350

Contact Information

216 Biotechnology Building

(607) 255-8793

cf458 [at] cornell.edu

- Feschotte Lab

Cedric in the news

News

September 24, 2026

New type of human jumping gene found in a poxvirus

Scientists found a human genetic element in a poxvirus that is both an important gene for brain function and a jumping gene capable of moving and inserting itself in genomes.

Molecular Biology and Genetics

Event attendees socialize in an event hall.

News

March 6, 2024

Inaugural collegewide awards celebration honors community

Faculty and staff from across Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (Cornell CALS) came together on March 4 to honor 30 awardees at the inaugural CALS Faculty and Staff Awards, held in the Statler Ballroom.