Dr. Augusto Matarazzo

Faculty, Chemistry

Contract Faculty

519.432.8353

Ursuline Hall 351

Academic Background

I began studying Chemistry at the post-secondary level 15 years ago at Ryerson University in Toronto Ontario where I completed a BSc degree in Chemistry and a MSc degree in Molecular Science. In 2015 I earned my PhD degree in Chemistry from Western University in London Ontario. Upon completion of my doctoral studies, I accepted a Post-Doctoral Fellowship position at the Medical and Related Sciences (MaRS) Research Institute in Toronto.

Toward the end of my Post-Doctoral Fellowship, I successfully transitioned into the contract research and chemical manufacturing industry where I worked as a Synthetic Organic Chemist for two years at Toronto Research Chemicals. Recently, my career interests have shifted toward teaching and chemical education. As a result, I held positions at Brescia University College as a Chemistry Instructor in the Preliminary Year Program and as the Lead Chemistry Tutor at the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences. My passion for teaching has also led me to work for the Princeton Review Education Center as an E-Learning Instructor for General and Organic Chemistry courses.

Synthesis and Photophysical Evaluation of New Fluorescent 7-Arylethynyl-7-Deazaadenosine Analogs. Matarazzo, A.; Brow, J.; Hudson, R.H.E. Can. J. Chem. (2018) 96. 12. 1093-1100.
Unusual C7- versus Normal 5’-O-Dimethoxytritylation of 6-Arylpyrrolocytidine Analogs. Suchy, M.; Ettles, C.; Wisner, J.A.; Matarazzo, A.; Hudson, R.H.E. J. Org. Chem. (2016) 81. 18. 8415-8425.
Fluorescent Adenine Analogs: A Comprehensive Survey. Matarazzo, A.; Hudson, R.H.E. Tetrahedron. (2015) 71. 11. 1627-1657.
5-(Acridin-9-ylamino)uracil – A Hydrolytically Labile Nucleobase Modification in Peptide Nucleic Acid. Matarazzo, A.; Moustafa, M.E.; Hudson, R.H.E. Can. J. Chem. (2013) 91. 12. 1202-1206.

Poster presentation (August 2014): Synthesis and Study of Intrinsic Nucleobase Quenchers. Fluorescent Biomolecules and Their Building Blocks: Design and Application, La Jolla California.
Poster presentation (August 2012): Chromophore Labelled Nucleobases Derived from 5-Aminouracil. 20th International Round Table on Nucleosides, Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids, Montreal Quebec.
Poster presentation (June 2011): Recent Developments in Asymmetric Buchwald-Hartwig reactions. 94th Canadian Society of Chemistry (CSC) conference, Montreal Quebec.
Oral presentation (June 2010): Enantio- and Diastereoselective Buchwald-Hartwig Reactions through Desymmetrization of Malonamide Derivatives. 93rd CSC conference, Toronto Ontario.

My teaching interests include General and Organic Chemistry courses. While at Brescia, I was responsible for teaching the second portion of CHEM 0012B (Introductory Chemistry II) and acted as the Lead Tutor for students enrolled in Chemistry 1301A (Discovering Chemical Structure) and 1302B (Discovering Chemical Energetics). Furthermore, I also teach General and Organic Chemistry classes for students enrolled at the Princeton Review Education Center.

My work experience and independent graduate research has involved extensive and varied syntheses, purification and characterization of small molecules, peptides and nucleic acids. More specifically, I was involved in the design, synthesis and photophysical evaluation of novel nucleobase analogs and their subsequent incorporation into biopolymers such as peptides and DNA for use as environmentally sensitive fluorescent probes.

Placed on the Dean’s List at Ryerson University for the 2009/2010 academic year.

Over the years I have collaborated with faculty members, staff and students at both Western and Ryerson University to design, prepare and perform chemical experiments and demonstrations at various chemistry outreach events.