Damien Prim

Damien Prim is a university lecturer of chemistry at Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ) and a member of the interdisciplinary Versailles Lavoisier Institute (ILV – Univ. Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, CNRS). He serves as director of the Chemistry Graduate School Paris-Saclay, fostering collaboration across institutions like Université Paris-Saclay, Université d’Évry, and ENS Paris-Saclay.

• PhD in Organic Chemistry (1994, Université Paul Verlaine Metz)
• Post-doctoral research at Université Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve (UCLouvain)

His research focuses on:

• Developing innovative catalytic tools (transition metal-based and ligand-free) for atomic-scale bond formation
• Designing new carbon-based molecular architectures with applications in life/environmental sciences
• Green chemistry approaches minimizing energy use, waste, and fossil feedstock dependency
• Ion transport studies for therapeutic applications (e.g., cystic fibrosis research)

Scientific contributions include:

• Helical DNA-mimicking molecules for cation trapping
• Molecular anion clamps

As Graduate School director, he coordinates 900 permanent staff and 600 students across Paris-Saclay institutions, emphasizing interdisciplinary synergy while maintaining a strong disciplinary core in chemistry.