JF Allemand

JF Allemand is part of the associate research team at the Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure (IBENS), focusing on the multi-scale physics of living systems. His team, led collaboratively with David Bensimon and Vincent Croquette, develops and applies cutting-edge single-molecule techniques like magnetic tweezers to study DNA mechanics and molecular motors involved in DNA repair and replication. Key research areas include understanding the coupling between helicase activity and primer synthesis in viral replication, distinguishing active vs. passive helicase mechanisms, and photocontrol of protein activity in zebrafish models for developmental studies.

Research highlights include resolving the role of transient DNA loops in primosome function and pioneering methods to observe helicase dynamics in real time. The group also innovates in optogenetic tools for non-invasive cellular control, with applications in developmental biology and cancer research. Their work bridges physics, chemistry, and biology to elucidate fundamental mechanisms of molecular processes in living systems.