CV Science

Carmelo Di Primo PhD Biochemistry/Biophysics. Expertise: Nucleic Acids, Aptamers, Molecular Interactions, SPR/BLI/ITC

Course and current status

1998-present, Research Scientist (CRHC INSERM) at the INSERM U1212, CNRS UMR 5320 and University of Bordeaux, at the European Institute of Chemistry and Biology (IECB), Pessac, France. Scientific expert of the SPR/BLI facility of the IECB (consulting for private and academic laboratories).

C Di Primo teaches in Master degree (Structural Biochemistry, Chemistry and Nanoscience) at the University of Bordeaux and at the ENSTBB (School of Engineers in Biotechnologies). Fields of teaching: spectroscopy of nucleic acids, molecular interactions investigated by surface plasmon resonance and biochemical methods. Supervisor of undergraduate and Ph D students.

2002: Habilitation to direct research (Habilitation à Diriger les Recherches, HDR) University of Bordeaux, France.

1992-1998, member of the INSERM team directed by Prof. Pierre Douzou and Prof. Pascale Debey. Research field: structural dynamics of hemoproteins investigated by hydrostatic pressure and photoacoustic calorimetry.

1990-1992: Post-doctoral fellow at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Beckman Institute and laboratory of Dr. SG Sligar. Research field: photoacoustic calorimetry of hemoproteins.

1990: Ph D in Biochemistry/Biophysics, University of Jussieu Paris VII, France, Laboratory of Prof. Douzou. Stability of hemoproteins investigated by hydrostatic pressure and site-directed mutagenesis.

Scientific summary

Trained in biophysics and biochemistry, fields of interest between 1990 and 1998 at the Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique (Paris, France) included dynamics of proteins (hemoproteins) investigated by hydrostatic pressure  and time-resolved photo-acoustic calorimetry. C. Di Primo built a photo-acoustic calorimeter during his post-doctoral stay at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana (USA). A similar instrument was built back to France to investigate molecular dynamics of cytochrome P450cam and its mutants upon binding of specific ligands. In 1998, he moved to Bordeaux (INSERM and University of Bordeaux) and was interested in the investigation of interactions between aptamers obtained by the SELEX method and RNA targets from human viruses (HIV-1 and HCV). These complexes were characterized by surface plasmon resonance (SPR), NMR, X-ray crystallography, together with more classical techniques (EMSA, UV-spectroscopy and chemical and enzymatic footprintings). C. Di Primo has developed a recognized expertise in using SPR for investigating molecular interactions, in particular with nucleic acids (invited lectures: Rencontres de Figeac 2008; Biacore User Day, Pessac 2008; SPR and microcalorimetry conference, Baltimore 2009; Conferencias BIOFORO, Bilbao 2010; Label Free Technologies, Amsterdam 2012; COST-meetings Leipzig 2013, Catania 2014, London 2015; DiPIA conference, Berlin 2016; DiPIA 30th Biacore Anniversary, Uppsala 2020-cancelled, ESAB San Sebastian 2024). He contributes to extend the use of SPR by developing methods that can be used for fundamental research and diagnostic applications. C. Di Primo is scientific advisor/expert of the SPR/BLI facility at the IECB and teaches SPR/BLI in Master degrees and School of Engineering (ENSTBB) at the University of Bordeaux. Current research projects include the use of SPR for analyzing the serum of transplanted patients (patented), for undestanding molecular interactions with structured nucleic acids (aptamers and G-quadruplexes), and understanding translation regulated by IDPs.