“Therapeutic Delivery of Hydrogen Sulfide: Small Molecules, Polymers, and Materials”
Chemistry Department Seminar: Dr. John Matson, Assistant Professor, Polymer Chemistry at Virginia Tech
Friday, September 29th, 2017
3:30 – 4:30 pm / Old Music Hall 103
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.