Matthew Deen

At Alpha-9 Oncology, I played a pivotal role as a Scientist, focusing on the design and execution of intricate syntheses for pre-clinical radioligand therapy programs. My responsibilities included utilizing molecular modeling software to innovate new target compounds and conducting trend analyses to identify improved compounds with radioligand compounds for targets with difficult in vivo behavior. I effectively aligned cross-functional goals to facilitate the progression of pipeline assets from concept to IND-enabling stages.

At ETH Zürich, I focused on developing new tools to study lysyl oxidases, enzymes foundational in the development of fibrotic diseases. My work involved developing mechanism based peptidic inhibitors and synthesizing novel analogues to enhance selectivity and potency. To effectively establish the efficacy of these experiments I also helped develop a cell-based assay to validate these compounds in relevant disease models, showcasing my commitment to impactful research.

My doctoral work is centered around the development of new chemical tools to study neurodegenerative diseases associated glycoside hydrolase. A primary focus has been on the development of highly sensitive fluorescence quenched substrates which enable quantitative activity measurements within live cells and patient tissue. Working within a team I have worked to apply this technology to a variety of different problems including a flow cytometry-based diagnostic tool for PD and a live cell high throughput screen using a chemical genetic library to identify new biology.

For my honours project at the University of Guelph I worked with Dr. Auzanneau's in her carbohydrate chemistry lab. I developed my own project proposal around the synthesis of pseudo-glycolipids for the production of improved models of lipid bilayers. I worked on a branched tetrasaccharide-lipid and achieved the shorter trisaccharide containing pseudo-glycolipid. As an independent student in the lab, I honed both my synthetic and problem-solving skill sets.

As part of an NSERC Engage grant, I collaborated with an industrial partner (Persego Inc.) to study the viability of the electrodeposition of heavy metals from ionic liquids. Using ICP-AES, cyclic voltammetry, and Karl Fischer titration I evaluated the feasibility, electrochemical behavior, and kinetics of deposition for the main heavy metal contaminants in acid mine drainage (Fe, Cu, Zn, and Pb).

As an NSERC USRA supported research assistant I worked in Dr. Schwan's lab on a novel synthetic method to make aromatic substituted cyclic sulfones.