Dr. Peter Tessier Named Albert M. Mattocks Professor
Peter M. Tessier, PhD, has been named the College’s first Albert M. Mattocks Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The Board of Regents of the University of Michigan approved Dr. Tessier’s joint appointment in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (College of Pharmacy) and Department of Chemical Engineering (College of Engineering) during their July meeting.
Peter Tessier comes to the University of Michigan from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY. Tessier received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Maine, and his doctoral degree in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware. He joined RPI as an assistant professor in 2007 and most recently served as the Richard Baruch M.D. Career Development (Endowed) Professor in the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering and the Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies at RPI.
Dr. Tessier’s research focuses on designing, developing, and optimizing a class of large therapeutic proteins, or antibodies, that hold great potential for detecting and treating human disorders ranging from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease. His research interests include designing antibodies for detecting and treating Parkinson’s and others diseases, redesigning therapeutic antibodies to increase their stability and efficacy, and identifying and optimizing small molecule compounds to inhibit toxic protein aggregation associated with Alzheimer’s disease. His research is currently funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and the pharmaceutical industry.
This professorship, graciously established by an anonymous donor in 2012, honors Dr. Albert Mattocks. In 1953, Dr. Mattocks began his career in academia at the University of Michigan, and was widely recognized for his research on drug absorption. His academic career was interrupted for two years when he took the position of technical director for the R.P. Schering Corporation. He rejoined the faculty at U-M in 1963 and remained here until 1966. Dr. Mattocks was responsible for establishing pharmaceutics as a premier graduate program at U-M. He then returned to his home state, remaining at the University of North Carolina until his retirement in 1981. In addition to his strong commitment to science as a researcher, Dr. Mattocks found time to be a highly regarded mentor and teacher. He was held in high regard by his colleagues at U-M and nationally.
