Scientific topics
Keywords
Norbert Latruffe PhD Biochemistry
Course and current status
Academic appointments:
. Since oct 1989: full professor. Head of Laboratory of Biochemistry of Metabolism and Nutrition of the INSERM Research Center, U 866 and affiliated to the CNRS -GDR #2583. Director of 35 staff members and students (University of Burgundy-Dijon).
. Oct 1985-Sept 1989: associate professor, head of research team at the CNRS UA #531.
(University of Besançon).
. Apr 1979-Sept 1985: assistant professor (University of Besançon).
. Jan 1978-March 1979: research associate, Vanderbilt University (Nashville TN).
. Oct 1971-Dec 1977: teaching-research assistant in biochemistry (University of Besançon).
Fellowships:
. Oct. 1994-Jan 1995: invited Professor, Himeji Inst Technol., Himeji, Jp (Pr T. Osumi).
. June 1994-Sept 1994: invited Professor, Inst Med Biochem, Mol Biol., Bern, CH (Pr A. Azzi).
. Sept 1983-Dec 1983: visiting scientist Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm S (Pr B. D. Nelson, Dept Biochemistry). Sept 1983-Dec 1983: visiting scientist Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm S (Pr B. D. Nelson, Dept Biochemistry)
. Jan 1978-Mar 1979: post doctorate Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN, USA, (Pr S. Fleischer, Dept of Molecular Biology).
Scientific summary
Research interests:
- Cellular biochemistry and molecular biology: membrane structure; expression of eukaryotic metabolic genes, especially those of lipid metabolism in peroxisomes and in mitochondria.
- Cancer prevention by pro-apoptotic natural compounds.
Main achievments:
1- Bioenergetics (1971 to 1975) Sulfhydryl residues of the inner mitochondrial membrane; involvement in the respiratory chain and in oxidative phosphorylation (FEBS lett, 1975).
2- Membrane proteins (1974 to 1985) Purification of the D-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase of the inner mitochondrial membrane, a phospholipid requiring enzyme; role of lecithin in the active site (Biochemistry, 1980, Biochem J 1985).
3- Peroxisome proliferation (1987 to present), Peroxisome proliferators-dependency of c-myc and Ha-ras oncogenes (BBRC, 1990-highly cited), PPAR dependent control of peroxisomal enzymes (JBC, 1998, Lancet, 1999-highly cited, Endocrinology, 2009; PPAR Res,2011). Cloning of a peroxisomal bi-functional enzyme (Biochem J, 1998). Creation of null mouse deficient in peroxisomal thiolase, a model of genetic diseases (Biochimie, 2004, 2009, 2011).
5- Cancer chemoprevention (2000 to present) as protecting and preventing agents against cancer (from 2000 to present) Studies of the pro-apoptotic properties of resveratrol a grape phytoalexin; application to chemosensitization of colon tumors (JBC, 2003, Oncogene, 2004, Curr Drug Targ, 2006, Int J Cancer, 2009); transport and bioabsorption of resveratrol (BBRC 2004, DMD 2007); Regulation of mi-RNA as tumor supressors or tumor inducers by resveratrol (Carcinognensis,2010, Biochem Pharmacol, 2010). Interaction of Resvertrol with membrane lipid mircrodomains (Cancer Prev Res, 2011).
