School
School of Arts and Sciences
Department
School of Arts and Sciences
Office Location
Fennell 221
Boston
Office Phone Office Phone: 617.879.5045
Website Website: Website
About
Dr. Joe DeMasi is a Professor of Biology and Chair of the Department of Math and Natural Sciences at MCPHS, where he has been a faculty member since 2006. He also serves as Program Director for the BS in Biotechnology program. With a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Cornell University and a BS in Biological Sciences from Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. DeMasi brings over 20 years of experience in biomedical research, higher education, and academic leadership.
Dr. DeMasi is recognized for his innovative teaching methods, particularly his use of flipped classroom models in courses such as Immunology and Molecular Biology of Cancer. His teaching emphasizes critical thinking, data analysis, and real-world application through case studies. He has received multiple awards for teaching excellence, including the MCPHS Trustees’ Award and the School of Arts and Sciences Teaching Excellence Award.
Education
- PhD, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cornell University
- BS, Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University
Research Interests
- Viral oncogenesis and papillomavirus biology
- Science education and flipped classroom pedagogy
- Educational case studies
Programs
- Biotechnology (BS)
- Chemistry (BS)
- Health Sciences (BS)
- Health Sciences (BS)—Degree Completion
- Health Sciences (DHS)
- Health Sciences (MHS)
- Health Sciences Pathway: Acupuncture (BS/MAC)
- Health Sciences Pathway: Occupational Therapy (BS/MSOT)
- Medical and Molecular Biology (BS)
- Premedical Health Studies (BS)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Medicine (BS/MD with SGU)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Dental Medicine (BS/DMD)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Optometry (BS/OD)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Osteopathic Medicine (BS/DO with LECOM)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Osteopathic Medicine (BS/DO with ATSU)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Physician Assistant Studies (BS/MPAS)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Veterinary Medicine (BS/DVM with SGU)
- Public Health (BS)
- Public Health (MPH)
- Public Health Graduate Certificate
Featured Affiliations
International Association of Medical Science Educators
WebsiteNational Association of Advisors for the Health Professions
WebsiteNational Association of Biology Teachers
WebsiteEducation
- PhD, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cornell University
- BS, Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University
Research Interests
- Viral oncogenesis and papillomavirus biology
- Science education and flipped classroom pedagogy
- Educational case studies
Programs
- Biotechnology (BS)
- Chemistry (BS)
- Health Sciences (BS)
- Health Sciences (BS)—Degree Completion
- Health Sciences (DHS)
- Health Sciences (MHS)
- Health Sciences Pathway: Acupuncture (BS/MAC)
- Health Sciences Pathway: Occupational Therapy (BS/MSOT)
- Medical and Molecular Biology (BS)
- Premedical Health Studies (BS)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Medicine (BS/MD with SGU)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Dental Medicine (BS/DMD)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Optometry (BS/OD)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Osteopathic Medicine (BS/DO with LECOM)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Osteopathic Medicine (BS/DO with ATSU)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Physician Assistant Studies (BS/MPAS)
- Premedical Health Studies Pathway: Veterinary Medicine (BS/DVM with SGU)
- Public Health (BS)
- Public Health (MPH)
- Public Health Graduate Certificate
Publications
- DeMasi, J, Harvan, R, and Luca, M. (2019). Online and In-class Team-Based Learning in Undergraduate Immunology: a Comparative Analysis. Medical Science Educator. 29. DOI: 10.1007/s40670-019-00814-1
- DeMasi, J. and De Souza-Hart, J.A. (2018). CAR T Immunotherapy: Engineering the Immune System to Fight Cancer. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. www.nsta.org/ncss-case-study/car-t-immunotherapy
- De Souza-Hart, J.A. and DeMasi, J. (2017). The Sound of DNA: Musical Gene Expression. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. www.nsta.org/ncss-case-study/sound-dna
- Begley, S, DeMasi, J., De Souza-Hart, J.A., Reichard-Brown, J, and D. Thurlow. (2010) Medical Competency and Premedical Curricular Dialogues in Atlanta. The Advisor. NAAHP Press. September; 30(3)
- De Souza-Hart, J.A., DeMasi, J. and D.C. Anderson. Reality-Check: Helping Pre-Health Students Evaluate and Work Towards Their Career Goals through a Health Professions Seminar. The Advisor. NAAHP Press. March 2010; 30(1)
- DeMasi J. and Howley, P.M. (2008). Infectious Agents and Cancer. Molecular Biology of Cancer (pp 67-89). Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
- DeMasi J., Chao, M. Kumar, S. and Howley, P.M. (2007). Bovine papillomavirus E7 oncoprotein inhibits anoikis. J. Virology, Sept;81(17):9419-25. DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00422-07
- DeMasi J., Huh, K-W., Nakatani, Y., Munger , K. and Howley, P.M. (2005). Bovine papillomavirus E7 transformation function correlates with cellular p600 protein binding. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(32), 11486-11491. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0505322102
- Huh, K-W., DeMasi J., Ogawa, H., Howley, P.M., Nakatani, Y. and Munger , K. (2005). Association of the human papillomavirus type 16 E7 oncoprotein with the 600 kDa retinoblastoma-protein associated factor, p600. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(32), 11492-11497. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0505337102
- DeMasi, J., Du, S., Lennon, D., and Traktman, P. (2001). Vaccinia virus telomeres: interactions with the viral I1, I6 and K4 proteins. J. Virology, 75(21), p. 10090-10105. DOI: 10.1128/jvi.75.21.10090-10105.2001
- Punjabi, A., Boyle, K., DeMasi, J., Grubisha, O., Unger, B., Khanna, M., and Traktman, P. (2001). Clustered charge-to-alanine mutagenesis of the vaccinia virus A20 gene: temperature-sensitive mutants have a DNA-minus phenotype and are defective in the production of processive DNA polymerase. J. Virology, 75(24), p. 12308-12318. DOI: 10.1128/jvi.75.24.12308-12318.2001
- DeMasi, J. and Traktman, P. (2000). Clustered charge-to-alanine mutagenesis of the vaccinia virus H5 gene: isolation of a dominant, temperature-sensitive mutant with a profound defect in morphogenesis. J. Virology, 74(5), p. 2393-2405. DOI: 10.1128/jvi.74.5.2393-2405.2000
- Traktman, P., Lu, K., DeMasi, J., Rollins, R., Jesty, S. and Unger, B. (2000). Elucidating the essential role of the A14 phosphoprotein in vaccinia virus morphogenesis: construction and characterization of a tetracycline-inducible recombinant. J. Virology, 74(8), p. 3682-3695. DOI: 10.1128/jvi.74.8.3682-3695.2000
Awards and Honors
- Teaching Excellence Award, School of Arts and Sciences
- MCPHS Trustees’ Award for Teaching Excellence Award
- Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Mentoring Excellence Award