KMap
Professor Tomat is broadly interested in the role of transition metals, such as iron, copper and zinc, in human health and disease. A current focus of the Tomat research laboratory is on the involvement of iron in cancer growth. Motivated by the altered iron metabolism of cancer cells when compared to normal cells, we synthesize antiproliferative iron-binding compounds that are activated intracellularly and incorporate design elements to control redox chemistry, cellular uptake, and selectivity towards malignant cells. We are also examining the impact of iron chelators on macrophages and the implication of these immune cells in iron distribution within the tumor microenvironment.
Courses
  • IP
    Inorganic Preparations

  • HFC
    Honors Fundamentals of Chemistry

  • AIC
    Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

  • IP
    Inorganic Preparation

Student Thesis/Dissertation
  • Natural and Synthetic Oligopyrroles as Chromophores and Electron Reservoirs in Metal Complexes

    2020

    masters
  • Disulfide-Masked Prochelators to Target the Iron Metabolism of Cancer: Coordination Chemistry and Antiproliferative Activity in Malignant Cells

    2020

    doctoral
  • Synthesis of Pd(II) Complexes Containing Redox-active Dipyrrolic and Tripyrrolic Ligands

    2019

    masters
  • Multiscale Lanthanide-Containing Materials: MOFs, Clusters, and Nanomaterials

    2018

    doctoral
  • Disulfide-Masked Prochelators Targeting the Iron Metabolism of Cancer: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Investigations

    2017

    doctoral
  • Coordination Chemistry of Linear Oligopyrrolic Fragments Inspired By Heme Metabolites

    2017

    doctoral
Grants
  • Funding agency logo
    Redox-Active Biopyrrin Pigments in Supramolecular Radical Assemblies

    Principal Investigator (PI)

    2022

    $481.4K
    Active
  • Funding agency logo
    MRI: Acquisition of a Single-Crystal X-Ray Diffractometer for Research and Education

    Principal Investigator (PI)

    2021

    $266.2K
    Active
  • Funding agency logo
    Selective Killing of FH-/- Cancer Cells by Targeting Cellular Iron Homeostasis

    Key Personnel (KP)

    2018

    $1.6M
    Active
  • Funding agency logo
    Molecular Strategies to Examine and Exploit the Role of Iron in Cell Proliferation and Malignancy

    Principal Investigator (PI)

    2018

    $1.2M
    Active
  • Funding agency logo
    Molecular Strategies to Examine and Exploit the Role of Iron in Cell Proliferation and Malignancy

    Principal Investigator (PI)

    2018

    $31.9K
    Active
  • Funding agency logo
    Elucidating the Orchestrated Bacterial Response to Copper Toxicity - Diversity Supplement (UGrad)

    Key Personnel (KP)

    2018

    $13.0K
    Active
  • Funding agency logo
    Copper Chelating Compounds as Novel Antimicrobial Class

    Key Personnel (KP)

    2021

    $82.0K
  • Funding agency logo
    MRI: Acquisition of a 500 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer for Research and Training at the University of Arizona

    Co-Investigator (COI)

    2019

    $500.8K
  • Funding agency logo
    CAREER: Interplay of Metal Coordination and Ligand-Based Reactivity in Complexes of Oligopyrrolic Fragments

    Principal Investigator (PI)

    2015

    $627.6K
  • Funding agency logo
    Iron Chelators for Redox-Directed Cancer Cheomtherapy

    Principal Investigator (PI)

    2012

    $143.2K
Technologies / Patents
      News
      • Chemistry Program Promotes Discovery-Based Experiences

        2013

      Publications (82)
      Recent
      • Targeting iron to contrast cancer progression

        2023

      • Multicenter interactions and ligand field effects in platinum II) tripyrrindione radicals

        2023

      • Solving world problems with pyrrole: 65th birthday tribute to Prof. Jonathan L. Sessler

        2022

      • Aroylhydrazone Glycoconjugate Prochelators Exploit Glucose Transporter 1 GLUT1) to Target Iron in Cancer Cells

        2022

      • Thiol-Reactive Arylsulfonate Masks for Phenolate Donors in Antiproliferative Iron Prochelators

        2022

      • Time-resolved dynamics of stable open-and closed-shell neutral radical and oxidized tripyrrindione complexes

        2022

      • Redox-activated pro-chelators

        2022

      • Ligand-Centered Triplet Diradical Supported by a Binuclear Palladium(II) Dipyrrindione

        2021

      • Biopyrrin Pigments: From Heme Metabolites to Redox-Active Ligands and Luminescent Radicals

        2021

      • Iron chelator transmetalative approach to inhibit human ribonucleotide reductase

        2021

      • Front Cover: Albumin Conjugates of Thiosemicarbazone and Imidazole‐2‐thione Prochelators: Iron Coordination and Antiproliferative Activity ChemMedChem 18/2021)

        2021

      • Stabilization of a Triplet Diradical on a Binuclear palladium II) Dipyrrindione

        2021

      • Chemistry Discovery: A Service-Learning Outreach Course Produces a WorkshoSeries for Middle-School Students

        2020

      • The disturbed iron phenotype of tumor cells and macrophages in renal cell carcinoma influences tumor growth

        2020

      • Heteroleptic palladium II) complexes of dipyrrin-1, 9-dione supported by intramolecular hydrogen bonding

        2020

      • Iron Complexes of an Antiproliferative Aroyl Hydrazone: Characterization of Three Protonation States by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Methods

        2020

      • Disulfide-masked pro-chelator compositions and methods of use

        2020

      • Ultrafast Dynamics of Tripyrrindiones in Solution Mediated by Hydrogen-Bonding Interactions

        2019

      • Propentdyopents: Brief history of a family of dipyrrolic pigments

        2019

      • Iron as a central player and promising target in cancer progression

        2019

      • Heteroleptic calladium II) complexes of the redox-active propentdyopent scaffold supported by intramolecular hydrogen bonding

        2019

      • Redox-Switchable Cyan Fluorescence of a BODIPY Analog Inspired by Propentdyopent Pigments

        2019

      • Disulfide-masked iron prochelators: Antiproliferative activity in breast cancer cells

        2018

      • Peptide‐Based Fluorescent Probes for Deacetylase and Decrotonylase Activity: Toward a General Platform for Real‐Time Detection of Lysine Deacylation

        2018

      • Disulfide-masked iron prochelators: Effects on cell death, proliferation, and hemoglobin production

        2018

      • Paramagnetism and fluorescence of zinc II) tripyrrindione: A luminescent radical based on a redox-active biopyrrin

        2018

      • Elucidating the mechanism of action of titanium IV) complexes for a new anticancer drug design strategy

        2018

      • Redox-activated glycoconjugated prochelators

        2018

      • Ligand-based redox chemistry in transition metal complexes of linear oligopyrroles

        2017

      • Glycoconjugates of anti-proliferative iron prochelators

        2017

      • Peptide-Based Fluorescent Probes for Deacetylase and Decrotonylase Activity: Toward a General Platform for Real-Time Detection of Lysine Deacylation

        2017

      • Ribonucleotide reductase enzyme a target for titanium complexes: A strategy to cure cancer

        2017

      • Interactions of metal-based and ligand-based electronic spins in neutral tripyrrindione π dimers

        2017

      • Cytotoxic titanium IV) compounds prepared with iron chelators alter the intracellular labile iron pool

        2017

      • Formation of radical anions on the dipyrrin-1, 9-dione scaffold of heme metabolites

        2017

      • Targeting iron in colon cancer via glycoconjugation of thiosemicarbazone prochelators

        2016

      • Coordination Chemistry of Linear Tripyrroles: Promises and Perils

        2016

      • Intracellular iron chelation modulates the macrophage iron phenotype with consequences on tumor progression

        2016

      • Disulfide-masked thiosemicarbazone prochelators targeting the iron metabolism of cancer

        2016

      • Radical stabilization and ligand-based redox chemistry on oligopyrrolic fragments

        2016

      • Propentdyopent: the scaffold of a heme metabolite as an electron reservoir in transition metal complexes

        2016

      • In-vitro and intracellular metal chelation properties of sirtuin inhibitor sirtinol

        2016

      • Metal-binding effects of sirtuin inhibitor sirtinol

        2016

      • Redox-directed chelators targeting intracellular metal ions

        2016

      • Redox chemistry of pyrrole-based ligands in transition metal complexes

        2016

      • Small pyrrole-based pigments as redox-active ligands

        2016

      • Tripyrrindione as a Redox-Active Ligand: Palladium(II) Coordination in Three Redox States

        2015

      • Linear oligopyrroles as redox-active ligands: Metal coordination and redox behavior

        2015

      • Overlaof protein inhibition and metal chelation: A case study

        2015

      • Sirtuin inhibitor sirtinol is an intracellular iron chelator

        2015

      • Metal binding effects of sirtuin inhibitor sirtinol

        2015

      • Intracellular reduction/activation of a disulfide switch in thiosemicarbazone iron chelators

        2014

      • Coordination of first-row transition metals in biologically relevant oligopyrrolic fragments

        2014

      • Disulfide-masked thiosemicarbazone chelators for intracellular iron sequestration

        2014

      • Prodigiosin Analogue Designed for Metal Coordination: Stable Zinc and Copper Pyrrolyldipyrrins

        2014

      • Molecular strategies for intracellular iron sequestration

        2014

      • Redox-directed chelators targeting the altered iron metabolism of cancer cells

        2013

      • Zinc released from olfactory bulb glomeruli by patterned electrical stimulation of the olfactory nerve

        2013

      • Disulfide/thiol switches in thiosemicarbazone ligands for redox-directed iron chelation

        2013

      • Biochemistry of mobile zinc and nitric oxide revealed by fluorescent sensors

        2011

      • Developing ligands to target transition metals in cancer

        2011

      • Imaging mobile zinc in biology

        2010

      • Manganese displacement from Zinpyr-1 allows zinc detection by fluorescence microscopy and magnetic resonance imaging

        2010

      • Ratiometric and intensity-based zinc sensors built on rhodol and rhodamine platforms

        2010

      • INOR 312-Constructing, understanding, and utilizing fluorescent sensors for zinc in neurobiology

        2008

      • Organelle-specific zinc detection using zinpyr-labeled fusion proteins in live cells

        2008

      • Binuclear organometallic ruthenium complexes of a Schiff base expanded porphyrin

        2008

      • Transition metal complexes of expanded porphyrins

        2007

      • Binuclear fluoro-bridged zinc and cadmium complexes of a schiff base expanded porphyrin: fluoride abstraction from the tetrafluoroborate anion

        2007

      • Copper ii) and oxovanadium v) complexes of hexaphyrin 1.0. 1.0. 0.0) Electronic supplementary information ESI) available: General experimental procedures and X-ray …

        2007

      • Copper(II) and oxovanadium(V) complexes of hexaphyrin(1.0.1.0.0.0)

        2007

      • Schiff base oligopyrrolic macrocycles as ligands for lanthanides and actinides

        2006

      • Coordination of oxovanadium(v) in an expanded porphyrin macrocycle

        2006

      • Positive homotropic allosteric binding of silver(I) cations in a Schiff base oligopyrrolic macrocycle

        2006

      • Calix[4]pyrrole Schiff base macrocycles: Novel binucleating ligands for Cu(I) and Cu(II)

        2005

      • Schiff base oligopyrrolic macrocycles as versatile binucleating ligands

        2005

      • A Schiff base expanded porphyrin macrocycle that acts as a versatile binucleating ligand for late first-row transition metals

        2005

      • Synthetic porphyrin- expanded porphyrin- dipyrrin- and pyrrole-containing motifs for molecular recognition

        2004

      • Coordination chemistry of expanded porphyrins: the synthesis of multinuclear metal complexes

        2004

      • Morphology of rhodium particles in ex-chloride Rh/Ce0. 5Zr0. 5O2 catalyst

        2000

      • Erratum-Volume 190, Number 1 2000) in the article Morphology of Rhodium Particles in Ex-chloride 486 Rh/Ce0. 5Zr0. 5O5 Catalyst. by G Vlaic, P Fornasiero, G Martra, E Fonda …

        2000

      • Morphology of rhodium particles in ex-chloride Rh/Ce0. 5Zr0. 5O2 catalyst vol 190, pg 182, 2000)

        2000

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