Julie Lessard carried out a detailed proteomic analysis of the ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes in the nervous system which lead her to discover with Jiang Wu that the development of the vertebrate nervous system required a switch in chromatin remodeling complexes at mitotic exit. They showed that this switch from a neural progenitor or stem cell complex (npBAF) to a neuronal complex (nBAF) is critical for the development of the vertebrate nervous system. Since leaving the lab Julie has received the Munck Award and the Top 40 under 40 Award. Julie took a faculty position at the University of Montreal and can be reached at: j.lessard.1@umontreal.ca.