Dr. Matthew Nugent is a Professor of Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering and Ophthalmology at the Boston University School of Medicine and is Director of Research for the Department of Ophthalmology. He received his B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in biochemistry from Brandeis University in Waltham, MA, in 1983 and 1990 respectively. He did postdoctoral research at MIT in Boston, MA, from 1989 to1992 under the direction of professors Robert Langer and Elazer Edelman in the Department of Chemical Engineering and in the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. Since joining the faculty at Boston University in 1993, the research in his laboratory has aimed to understand the mechanisms underlying the response of various tissues to injury and disease with a particular emphasis on the role of the extracellular matrix, growth factors, and complex polysaccharides. His research interests include the regulation of angiogenesis by growth factors (FGF, VEGF, and TGF-beta) and heparan sulfate proteoglycans, and the involvement of growth factors and proteoglycans in the pathology of vascular disease and ocular disorders. He is also involved in the design and use of polymer-based controlled drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, and the development of computational models of dynamic biological processes. His research has led to more than 95 peer-reviewed papers, 4 patents, and more than 150 invited lectures and published abstracts.
Nugent is a reviewer for various journals, is a member of the Biochemical Journal editorial board, has served on several NIH and private foundation grant review panels, and has served as a consultant for a number of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. He is a member of the Biochemical Society, ARVO, ASBMB, ASCB, and AAAS.