Matthew D. Hammers

1525 Concord Avenue, Eugene, OR 97403

mhammers@uoregon.edu, 715-215-0908

Objective

To obtain a post-doctoral fellowship utilizing my strengths as a synthetic organic chemist and

knowledge of cell culture and microscopy

Highlights

7 publications, 4 first-author (1 in press)

JACS manuscript, “A Bright Fluorescent Probe for H2S Enables Analyte-Responsive, 3D Imaging

in Live Zebrafish Using Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy,” was featured as the cover article

and as a JACS Spotlight article

Created and secured funding for JUMP! (Joint Undergrad-Grad Mentorship Program) as well as

designed curriculum for ‘Mad Duck’ science outreach

Education

PhD, Chemistry, University of Oregon (2011-2016 anticipated)

Dissertation: “The Development of Fluorescent Probes and Synthetic Donors for Studying

Biological Hydrogen Sulfide”

Bachelor of Science, Chemistry, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire (2008-2011)

Graduated Magna Cum Laude

Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire (2002-2007)

Graduated Magna Cum Laude

Research Experience

Graduate Student Researcher in the lab of Dr. Michael Pluth

Designed multi-step syntheses toward small-molecule targets used as synthetic H2S donors or

fluorophores and fluorescent probes for the detection and study of hydrogen sulfide

Assessed donor and probe reactivity profiles using UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy

Demonstrated >1,000-fold fluorescence turn-on response when treated with H2S which is the best

shown to date

Performed fluorescence imaging experiments using both live and fixed cells as well as live

zebrafish larvae

Mentored 6 graduate rotation students and 2 undergraduate student researchers

Undergraduate Student Researcher in the lab of Dr. Kurt Wiegel

Synthesized carboxyl and pyridyl hydrogen bond donors and acceptors to study supramolecular

interactions in liquid crystalline networks

Examined the resiliency of LC networks by modifying molecular structure and observing phase

changes by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarizing light microscopy

Leadership Positions & Outreach Experience

Women in Graduate Sciences, Treasurer (2015-2016), Funding Chair (2014-2015)

Sought and secured UO student senate funding to create a directed undergraduate mentorship

program

Designed and implemented JUMP! (Joint Undergrad-Grad Mentorship Program) with graduate and

undergraduate participants from biology, biochemistry, chemistry, geology, physics, physiology,

and psychology departments

Led a team of organizers for our 1st Annual Winter Fundraiser, and combined with student senate

award, increased our working budget 100% to $18,000 over two years

‘Mad Duck’ Science Outreach

Developed acid-base chemistry course curriculum module and taught groups of 10-25 middle

school students

Promoted program with poster presentations at 2014 ACS National Conference in San Francisco

and 2015 Oregon Academy of Sciences

Awards

ACS Division of Organic Chemistry Travel Award, 2016

Honorable mention, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, 2013

Publications

7. Hammers, M. D.; Singh, L.; Montoya, L. A.; Moghaddam, A. D.; Pluth, M. D. Synthesis of Amino-

ADT Provides Access to Hydrolytically-Stable Amide-Coupled Hydrogen Sulfide-Releasing Drug

Targets. Synlett, 2016, in press.

6. Pluth, M. D.; Bailey, T. S.; Hammers, M. D.; Hartle, M. D.; Henthorn, H. A.; Steiger, A. K. Natural

Products Containing H2S-Releasing Moieties. Synlett, 2015, 26, 2633-2643.

5. Hammers, M. D.; Taormina, M. J.; Cerda, M. M.; Montoya, L. A.; Seidenkranz, D. T.;

Parthasarathy, R.; Pluth, M. D. A Bright Fluorescent Probe for H2S Enables Analyte-Responsive, 3D

Imaging in Live Zebrafish Using Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015,

137, 10216-10223.

*Cover article

*JACS Spotlight article

4. Sonke, E.; Verrydt, M.; Postenka, C.O.; Pardhan, S.; Willie, C. J.; Mazzola, C. R.; Hammers, M.

D.; Pluth, M. D.; Lobb, I.; Power, N. E.; Chambers, A. F.; Leong, H. S.; Sener, A. Inhibition of

endogenous hydrogen sulfide production in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma cell lines and xenografts

restricts their growth, survival and angiogenic potential. Nitric Oxide, 2015, 49, 26-39.

3. Hammers, M. D.; Pluth, M. D. Ratiometric Measurement of Hydrogen Sulfide and

Cysteine/Homocysteine Ratios Using a Dual-Fluorophore Fragmentation Strategy. Anal. Chem.

2014, 86, 7135-7140.

2. Pluth, M. D.; Bailey, T. S.; Hammers, M. D.; Montoya, L. A. Chemical Tools for Studying

Biological Hydrogen Sulfide. Biochalcogen Chemistry: The Biological Chemistry of Sulfur,

Selenium, and Tellurium; ACS Symposium Series 1152; University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 2013,

15-32.

1. Hammers, M. D.; Wichman, J. J.; Wiegel, K. N. Supramolecular Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline

Polymers and Networks with Competitive Hydrogen Bonding: A Study of Increased Flexibility on

Distonic Mesogenic Hydrogen Bond Acceptors with Networks Created from Tetrakis-, Tris- and

Bis-Functionalised Pyridyl Networking Agents. Liquid Crystals, 2011, 38, 581-587.

Poster & Oral Presentations

6. “A bright fluorescent probe enables analyte responsive, 3D imaging of H2S in live zebrafish using

light sheet fluorescence microscopy.” Hammers, M. D.; Pluth, M. D. Accepted for 251st ACS

National Meeting & Exposition, San Diego, CA, United States, March 13-17, 2016.

5. “Making a splash with “Mad Duck” science outreach at the University of Oregon.” Hammers, M.

D.; Bailey, T. S.; Burke, M. S.; Hartle, M. D.; Greenaway, A. L.; McGrath, J. M.; Montoya, L. A.;

Sommer, S. K.; Boettcher, S. W.; Nazin, G. V.; Pluth, M. D. Oregon Academy of Science, Portland,

OR, United States, February 28, 2015.

4. “Ratiometric detection of hydrogen sulfide and cysteine/homocysteine through a dual-fluorophore

fragmentation process.” Hammers, M. D.; Pluth, M. D. 248th ACS National Meeting & Exposition,

San Francisco, CA, United States, August 10-14, 2014.

3. “Making a splash with “Mad Duck” science outreach at the University of Oregon.” Hammers, M.

D.; Bailey, T. S.; Burke, M. S.; Hartle, M. D.; Greenaway, A. L.; McGrath, J. M.; Montoya, L. A.;

Sommer, S. K.; Boettcher, S. W.; Nazin, G. V.; Pluth, M. D. 248th ACS National Meeting &

Exposition, San Francisco, CA, United States, August 10-14, 2014.

2. “Hydrogen-bonded liquid crystals: distonic mesogen acceptors with increasing flexibility.”

Hammers, M. D.; Wichman, J. J.; Wiegel, K. N. 241st ACS National Meeting & Exposition,

Anaheim, CA, United States, March 27-31, 2011.

1. “Halogen bonding as a probe for mesophase strength.” Hammers, M. D.; Schieffer, P. J.; Whitte,

D. K.; Wiegel, K. N. UW-Eau Claire Student Research Day, Eau Claire, WI, United States, April

26-28, 2010.