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Biography
The goal of my research over the past 12 years has been to investigate in depth the molecular mechanism underlying the early steps of HIV-1 infection. In my early work, I contributed to lay the fundaments for the optimization of gene transfer strategies in human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and stem cells of the skin by lentiviral vectors (LVs) (Di Nunzio Hum. Gene Ther. 2007; Di Nunzio Mol. Ther. 2008). During my thesis I participated to the first successful gene therapy trial to treat the Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa (JEB) (Mavilio et al., 2006 Nature Medicine). Lentiviral vectors derived from HIV-1 genome integrate into the host genome. This viral feature is important for efficient expression of the therapeutic transgene but in the other hand the integration step can give genotoxicity. The underlying mechanism and cellular factor that determine integration sites distribution of the proviral DNA are still under investigation, importantly this step is also connected to HIV-1 latency. So I decided to join the Engelman group at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, this is one of the most experienced team in the world on viral integration. In Engelman’s lab I identified critical amino acids for the tetramerization and functionality of the IN of HIV-1 in collaboration with the crystallography team headed by Peter Cherepanov at UCL, UK (Hare, Di Nunzio Plos Pathogens 2009). Then, I moved to the Charneau lab because I realized that the viral nuclear entrance could be linked to the successive integration step and that is what I then demonstrated during the 5 years of post-doctorate at the Institut Pasteur (IP) in Paris. At that time I published 13 articles, including one of them as a senior author, the latter showing that particular Nups work in concert to allow viral translocation and integration into the host chromatin near the NPC (Lelek Nature Communications, 2015). Recently, I was appointed group leader at the IP in molecular virology to deepen my studies on the first steps of HIV-1 infection starting from the molecular point of view, host-pathogen interactions using sophisticated microscopy tools (super resolution microscopy, electron microscopy, CLEM, live imaging).
Organization chart of Di Nunzio’s group Institut Pasteur (IP):
G. Blanco-Rodriguez,PhD student, ANRS (2016-2019); S. Frabetti, technicien, Sidaction (2018-2019); P. Souque, technicien, IP (50%); E. Rensen, post doctorate ANRS (2018-2019); V. Scoca, PhD student ANRS (2020-2022);