Jacques obtained his PhD from Laval University after he characterized the structure and function of Endo G, an endonuclease involved in the replication of mitochondrial DNA and cell apoptosis. He did post-doctoral training with Dr. Jerry Workman at Penn State University where he identified and characterized chromatin remodeling complexes (SWI/SNF) involved in gene activation. In 1997, he joined Laval University where he is Full Professor in the department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology, and held the Canada Research Chair in Chromatin Biology and Molecular Epigenetics.