Education
Benjamin Faustin
EDUCATION:
-Postdoctoral Fellow 2004-2009
Laboratory: Pr. John C. REED (MD-PhD), President and CEO
SANDFORD-BURNHAM INSTITUTE for MEDICAL RESEARCH, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Research program: Biochemical mechanisms of Caspase-1 activation
by Nod-like Receptors (NLRs)
• PhD Life Science, Biology and Health 2000-2004
Specialization in Biochemistry
University of Bordeaux 2,
Advisor: Dr. Thierry LETELLIER
Laboratory of mitochondrial diseases, INSERM-U688, Bordeaux
Thesis Title: Molecular basis of threshold effects observed in mitochondrial diseases: Metabolic network attenuation and enzyme mobilization.
Publicly defended on December 11, 2003 at the University of Bordeaux 2. Very honorable mention and congratulations from the jury
• Master of Biology and Health Diploma 1999-2000
Specialization in Bioenergetic and Molecular Biochemistry
University of Bordeaux 2,
Advisor: Dr. Thierry LETELLIER
Laboratory of mitochondrial diseases, INSERM-U688, Bordeaux
• Bachelor of Cellular Biochemistry 1996-1999
awarded with honors, University of Bordeaux 2, France.
TRAINING:
• Analysis and structure of protein complexes: characterize protein/protein interactions and high molecular weight
complexes by gel slieve chromatography, Native-PAGE, Western/Native-PAGE, 2-D gel electrophoresis, Electron
Microscopy (negative stain and Cryo-EM).
• Protein Biochemistry: production and purification of proteins using the baculovirus/bacteria/mammalian expression
systems, affinity and ion exchange chromatography; enzymatic assays using absorbance/fluorescence/luminescence, co-
immuno-precipitation; protein-labeled pull down, western blot.
• Enzymology and protein/ligand interaction: determination of enzyme activities and kinetic parameters (Km, Vmax,
catalytic constant kcat), type of kinetics (Michaelian or allosteric) for a given substrate, type of inhibition (competitive,
non competitive), affinities (KD or KI). Ligand binding by Fluorescent Polarization Assay.
• Cell Biology: maintenance of mammalian cell lines, transient transfection, gene silencing with small interference RNA
(siRNA), cell free system, cell fractionation, purification of mitochondria and sub-mitochondrial fractionation.
Immunostaining of molecular targets in various cell types and analysis of sub-cellular populations using high
throughput flow cytometry and automated microscopy. Image analysis with cellular segmentation. Use of advanced
cellular models like cancer cells, immune cells, primary cells, and 3D (co-) cultures.
• Molecular Biology: subcloning, mutagenesis, PCR, nucleic acid isolation, bacterial cell culture.
• Animal work: isolation and dissection of organs from rats (heart, liver, muscles, kidney).
• Human work: Diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases from patient’s muscle fibers carrying dysfunctions of the energy
metabolism: biochemical study (polarography and enzymology) of the oxidative phosphorylation activity based on
muscle biopsies.
-Postdoctoral Fellow 2004-2009
Laboratory: Pr. John C. REED (MD-PhD), President and CEO
SANDFORD-BURNHAM INSTITUTE for MEDICAL RESEARCH, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Research program: Biochemical mechanisms of Caspase-1 activation
by Nod-like Receptors (NLRs)
• PhD Life Science, Biology and Health 2000-2004
Specialization in Biochemistry
University of Bordeaux 2,
Advisor: Dr. Thierry LETELLIER
Laboratory of mitochondrial diseases, INSERM-U688, Bordeaux
Thesis Title: Molecular basis of threshold effects observed in mitochondrial diseases: Metabolic network attenuation and enzyme mobilization.
Publicly defended on December 11, 2003 at the University of Bordeaux 2. Very honorable mention and congratulations from the jury
• Master of Biology and Health Diploma 1999-2000
Specialization in Bioenergetic and Molecular Biochemistry
University of Bordeaux 2,
Advisor: Dr. Thierry LETELLIER
Laboratory of mitochondrial diseases, INSERM-U688, Bordeaux
• Bachelor of Cellular Biochemistry 1996-1999
awarded with honors, University of Bordeaux 2, France.
TRAINING:
• Analysis and structure of protein complexes: characterize protein/protein interactions and high molecular weight
complexes by gel slieve chromatography, Native-PAGE, Western/Native-PAGE, 2-D gel electrophoresis, Electron
Microscopy (negative stain and Cryo-EM).
• Protein Biochemistry: production and purification of proteins using the baculovirus/bacteria/mammalian expression
systems, affinity and ion exchange chromatography; enzymatic assays using absorbance/fluorescence/luminescence, co-
immuno-precipitation; protein-labeled pull down, western blot.
• Enzymology and protein/ligand interaction: determination of enzyme activities and kinetic parameters (Km, Vmax,
catalytic constant kcat), type of kinetics (Michaelian or allosteric) for a given substrate, type of inhibition (competitive,
non competitive), affinities (KD or KI). Ligand binding by Fluorescent Polarization Assay.
• Cell Biology: maintenance of mammalian cell lines, transient transfection, gene silencing with small interference RNA
(siRNA), cell free system, cell fractionation, purification of mitochondria and sub-mitochondrial fractionation.
Immunostaining of molecular targets in various cell types and analysis of sub-cellular populations using high
throughput flow cytometry and automated microscopy. Image analysis with cellular segmentation. Use of advanced
cellular models like cancer cells, immune cells, primary cells, and 3D (co-) cultures.
• Molecular Biology: subcloning, mutagenesis, PCR, nucleic acid isolation, bacterial cell culture.
• Animal work: isolation and dissection of organs from rats (heart, liver, muscles, kidney).
• Human work: Diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases from patient’s muscle fibers carrying dysfunctions of the energy
metabolism: biochemical study (polarography and enzymology) of the oxidative phosphorylation activity based on
muscle biopsies.