Dwight Matthews Biosketch

Dr. Matthews receiving emeritus citation from UVM President Tom Sullivan, May 2019

Dwight E. Matthews

Areas of expertise:

Analytical chemistry, mass spectrometry, proteomics, metabolomics, stable isotope tracers, and metabolite flux and kinetic measurements

Contact information:

University of Vermont
Department of Chemistry
82 University Pl
Burlington, VT 05405
Dwight.Matthews@uvm.edu
phone: 802 578-7563

ORCID ID: 0000-0003-2715-6104
Google scholar H-index: 84
NIH MyNCBI

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS:

1977 - 1980: Research Instructor of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

1980 - 1986: Research Assistant Professor of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

1986 - 1996: Associate Professor of Biochemistry in Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY

1987 - 1996: Associate Professor of Biochemistry in Surgery, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY

1996 - 2019:

Professor of Medicine, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

1996 -: Member of the Graduate College Faculty, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

2001 - 2022: Member of the Cell and Molecular Biology Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

6/2019 - : Professor Emeritus of Chemistry & Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS:

1986 - 1996: Director of the Mass Spectrometry Facility in Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY

1987 - 1996: Director of the General Clinical Research Center Core Laboratory, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY

1996 - 2011: Director of the Mass Spectrometry Facility in the General Clinical Research Center, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

2002 - 2014: Chairman, Department of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

2005 - 2007: Director of the Proteomics Facility of the Vermont Genetics Network, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont,

2007 - 2011: Co-director of the Proteomics Facility of the Vermont Genetics Network, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont

2006 - 2016: Co-director of the Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core Laboratory of the Vermont Center for Immunobiology and Infectious Diseases (VCIID) COBRE, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont

2016 - 2022: Director of the Mass Spectrometry Core Laboratory of the Vermont Center for Immunobiology and Infectious Diseases (VCIID) COBRE, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont

CURRENT EXTRAMURAL ACTIVITIES:

1997-: Editorial Board, Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care

1997-2024: Section Editor, Assessment of Nutritional Status and Analytical Methods, Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care

2010-: International Advisory Board, Japanese Society for Amino Acid Sciences (JSAAS), Tokyo, Japan

9/2019–: Information Officer and Executive Board Member, UVM Retired Faculty and Administrative Officers (RFAO) Organization

12/2023–: Treasurer and Board Member, Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering (VASE)

4/2025–: Board Member, Green Mountain Mashers, Homebrew Club of Vermont

ABOUT:

Prof. Matthews has been an analytical chemist and mass spectrometrist for over 30 years developing new methods for measurement of stable isotopically labeled biomolecules by mass spectrometry. The range of mass spectrometry developments accomplished cross from isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and the initial development of continuous flow IRMS interfacing gas chromatography to an IRMS, to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) for metabolite measurement, to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) for molecules ranging from metabolites to peptides and proteins. Method developments range from quantitative measurements of concentrations to quantitative measurements of stable isotopically labeled metabolites and peptides for determination of in cell and in vivo kinetics of metabolic pathways and synthesis of metabolites and whole proteins. The focus of his work has been use of the stable isotopes as tracers for measuring kinetic rates of metabolic processes in vivo in disease and in normal health. Many of the methods developed have become standard methods in a variety of investigator laboratories and have been applied world-wide to measure kinetics of endogenous metabolites. He has also directed core laboratories in mass spectrometry and metabolite measurement for over 25 years starting at Washington University in St. Louis, Cornell University Medical College, and today at the University of Vermont.

Contributions by Dr. Matthews:

His early work developed new methods to measure precisely very low enrichments of stable isotopes in biological molecules. The original work developed the first gas chromatograph-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometer (GC-C-IRMS) that has revolutionized measurement of stable isotope abundances at natural levels. The next work was to develop gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) methodologies for again measuring precisely stable isotope ratios in metabolites in very low amounts. This mass spectrometric method development has continued throughout his scientific career.

2. The purpose of the precise measurement of stable isotope enrichments at very low levels is use of these isotopes as tracers incorporated into biological molecules to measure the kinetics and metabolism of metabolites in vivo. The primary target has been direct measurement in humans, and I have developed many of the key or standard methods of stable isotope tracer use for determining in vivo kinetics. Many of these contributions are to the area of metabolomics before it was defined as such.

Other applications have involved incorporation of stable isotopes into proteins for measurement of protein synthesis and breakdown rates.

Development and application of proteomics methods was a natural outgrowth of his earlier protein synthesis and breakdown rate measurements. Several methods have been developed for protein quantification by mass spectrometry and proteomics, including developing the first labeled animal as a quantitative standard and developing methods for identifying and quantifying posttranslational modifications.

Since 1998, Prof. Matthews has contributed the lead chapter on Proteins and Amino Acids to the classic and highly used textbook Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. This chapter provides a complete description of amino acid biochemistry as it relates to nutrition and methodologies for assessing protein and amino acid requirements in humans.

In 2010 Prof. Matthews and D. Beauchemin assembled the 1088-page volume 5 of the Encyclopedia of Mass Spectrometry entitled Elemental and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry. This volume is a definitive text on both isotope ratio mass spectrometry and elemental and isotopic analyses used in disciplines ranging from geochemistry, astrochemistry, forensics, environmental and biomedical sciences.

Complete list of published papers and works by Dr. Matthews:

Information about Dwight E. Matthews, Ph.D.