Organic Chemistry Seminar: Professor John Matson, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

"Materials for Therapeutic H2S Delivery"

About the Seminar: Despite its reputation as a foul-smelling and toxic pollutant, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a vital biological signaling agent, and it is of interest as a therapeutic for a variety of diseases and conditions. We focus on developing new small molecules, polymers, and supramolecular materials for the delivery of hydrogen sulfide H2S. The majority of biological studies on this gasotransmitter have been carried out with systemically administered sulfide salts, which have no tissue specificity, fast release, and the potential for off-target effects. We address these shortcomings by developing new H2S-releasing small molecules with controllable triggers and release kinetics. These small molecules are then incorporated into new materials, which can offer localized H2S delivery with tunable kinetics. Our platforms include soluble polymers and peptide-based gels designed to release therapeutically relevant concentrations of H2S with controllable kinetics. We focus on using these materials as therapeutics for treating cardiovascular disease and cancer.About the Speaker: Professor Matson received his undergraduate degree majoring in Chemistry and German in 2004 at Washington University in St. Louis, performing undergraduate research with Professor Karen Wooley. He then moved to Caltech to pursue a PhD in the area of polymer synthesis with Professor Bob Grubbs. He graduated in 2009 and moved to Northwestern University where he was an NIH-funded postdoctoral scholar working on peptide-based biomaterials with Professor Sam Stupp. In 2012 he began his independent career at Virginia Tech in the Department of Chemistry. In 2015 he won an NSF CAREER Award and a 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award. His group focuses on macromolecular and supramolecular chemistry with applications in biology, medicine, and sustainability.